EMAIL SIGN UP!
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
An Attack on Iran Must be Stopped
As the US and UK gear up for another senseless war in the Middle East, one thing is certain – it will end in disaster
The Anglo-American aggression addicts haven't kicked the habit. The team that brought you shock and awe and Operation Infinite Justice is gearing up for yet another crack at winning a senseless war in the Middle East.
'Today’s anti-war campaign must break the parliamentary consensus for war which proved so calamitous in 2003.' (Photograph: Mike Kemp/In Pictures/Corbis)
This time the target is Iran, the pretence the regime's imminent possession of nuclear weapons. But some things will remain the same – it will lead to slaughter and end in disaster.
A brief recap of the Anglo-American "war on terror" in the Middle East, 2001 to date: Afghanistan was occupied to "eliminate terrorism" but, many thousands of dead later, terror has spread to Pakistan and beyond, leaving Kabul with the most corrupt government on earth.
Iraq was invaded to disarm Saddam of weapons he didn't have. US troops have finally withdrawn, leaving millions dead or displaced and the country broken in dysfunctional sectarian misery.
Libya, far from being the war that went well, was bombed to "protect civilians" with the result that 30,000 died and thousands more remain in prison reportedly being tortured by the regime Nato installed.
"They couldn't be so crazy" is therefore not an unreasonable response to the speculation about yet another Middle East war. But here we go again.
The US national intelligence director James Clapper's unsubstantiated claim that Iran is preparing attacks in the US itself – without even a 45-minute warning, apparently – is one sign among many that the familiar spook-media propaganda coalition is in overdrive again, selling another cock-eyed conflict.
An attack against Iran will not stop the regime acquiring nuclear weapons if it wishes to do so. It can only make it more likely that it will decide to acquire them, and will eventually surely succeed.
Along the way thousands more will die, conflict will extend across the region, oil supplies will be disrupted and the Iranian regime will be strengthened domestically.
Iran is not a liberal democracy. That is an issue which, as the Arab spring shows, is more likely to be addressed by the Iranian people themselves than by a foreign attack sponsored by Saudi Arabia, most recently the butchers of Bahraini democracy.
The central case for attacking Iran is animated by the determination that Washington and its allies have the right to dominate the Middle East come what may.
That is the argument offered by Matthew Kroenig, until six months ago the Pentagon's special adviser on Iran, in an article in Foreign Affairs baldly titled Time to Attack Iran: "A nuclear-armed Iran would immediately limit US freedom of action in the Middle East … Iran could threaten any US political or military initiative in the Middle East with nuclear war, forcing Washington to think twice before acting in the region."
The pragmatic case against war is overwhelming. But the principled case is even stronger. Britain and the US have launched a series of wars across the Middle East for no better purpose than maintaining their control over a region whose peoples they dare not allow to be self-governing and independent.
Can an attack be stopped? If Britain can be detached that would help derail the war drive. Five British warships sail alongside the US navy in the Gulf, and we can be sure that Diego Garcia will be a base for the bombing onslaught – it was ethnically cleansed by the Wilson government for precisely this sort of purpose.
William Hague has made plain government support for US policy so far. The delight of the Commons exchanges on the issue was Jack Straw, whose only contribution to diplomacy was marketing the novel concept of the "unreasonable UN veto" at the time of the Iraq aggression, insisting that Britain should not act without clear UN authority now.
Millions of British people peacefully and democratically opposed the Iraq war and were ignored by Tony Blair. He got his war but lost his political momentum, reputation and job, in that order, as a result.
Today's anti-war campaign must learn from the Occupy movement and UK Uncut, as well as breaking that bipartisan parliamentary consensus for war which proved so calamitous in 2003, if the cycle of war is to end. A nationwide day of action on Saturday 11 February against attacking Iran is the start.
- Posted in
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
51 Comments so far
Show AllThe coming war with Iran and all future wars will go on and on and on, until the people that were responsible ( like Tony Blair ) for starting and lying about the past wars are convicted and sentenced for their pack of lies and getting away with the murdering of so many innocents; are punished to the highest extent of the law.
Until Bush, Cheney, Obama, Clinton, and their lying war mongering cabal, are all getting their just deserts, I am afraid nothing will change, because they are implementing the war policies of the 1% who are the vipers hiding under the rocks, and keep themselves hidden from the public and have the corrupt and crooked politicians do their murderous work for them.
No justice, no peace.
The warmongering elites of Israel and the United States will never be stopped by public opposition and as we have seen many times in the past nothing is easier to manipulate than public opinion in the US. The media will be pounding the airwaves with government propaganda until they get support for the war gets up to about 80 percent and as usual we will learn lafterwards that everything the government said wwe lies.
Thankyou. My sentiments exactly.
I'm a bit more cynical. The American people want a good reason they can get behind--truth doesn't matter, as long as it can be believed, it will serve as justification. The only reason why we haven't bombed Iran yet, is becasue all the old canards they used with Viet Nam and Iraq aren't working any more because the internet shows just enough people the straw man behind the lies, and also makes false flag attacks more risky. But you can be sure, the same folks who brought us 9/11 and Saddam's WMD's are working feverishly to find a way.
" Working feverishly to find a way". They will eventually have their war in Iran, simply because there are too many $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ in it for the 1%!
And if the war escalates, there's even more $$$$$$$$$$$$. Who says there are no winners in a war?
"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same for any country."
Herman Goering to Gustave Gilbert at Nuremberg, 18 April, 1946
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”
And:
“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”
Joseph Goebbels, MiniProp for Hitler’s Third Reich
1897-1945
All war should be stopped, of course. War is a racket, for parasites to profit and others to die, suffer and pay.
However, contrary to the propaganda and popular wishful thinking, the US govt. is NOT accountable to the people. You think this is a "democracy" or something?
The bombing and invasion of Afghanistan was not stopped, Iraq was not stopped, Libya was not stopped etc. Pres. Bush Jr. and now Obama are terrorist WAR CRIMINALS.
The ONLY 2 things that could possibly stop the US from entering this war would be threat of massive retaliation from Russia and China OR a MASSIVE rebellion from millions, not thousands, but millions of americans. This rebellion would have to shut the country down for days; and even then there is no guarantee
None of the options are likely or pleasant, however I don't see any other way it could be stopped.
IF Iran actually had a nuclear weapon (which it doesn't, of course) that might provide some real deterence. And that is why you are right. Nothing short of a massive revolt will dissuade them from nullifying any such real deterent possibility, no matter how remote, especially in the Middle East.
To succeed with their global "full spectrum dominance" agenda, the imperial powers must restrict the power of other peoples to deter them in their mad pursuit. That applies likewise to domestic opposition as it does to the foreign variety, except that they already have a military presence in the homeland. Only the uniforms are different. The armaments are rapidly becoming indistinguisable.
Yes, full spectrum dominance including petro-dollar dominance. Accept worthless paper for oil or get laid to waste.
Total acuerdo; seems strange, to call it good, or what must be; but the masses will revolt, there will open rebellion. Nada will be done to solve the suffering from the ruling oppressors....the people will rise up..yes, even in amerika !
" it will end in disaster"
For everyone but the MIC, Big Oil and the Central Banks
exactly! MIC/BigOil and da effin Bankstas always get their cut, no matter what.
But it seems quite likely that the United States Empire will end. The petro-dollar comment is to the point, and phony accounting catches up in the long run. It's been a very long run of phony accounting!
But then it also seems quite likely that civilization will collapse, with or without a US war on Iran. The energy economy (and war economy and agriculture economy etc) have significantly destabilized the ecosphere that all our systems are part of, and a real big war might be just the boost we need to launch some wilder gyrations.
So, i think "disaster for everyone" is the appropriate term.
My city was one of the very few in Canada to have organized a 'No Iran War' rally today which is/was supposed to be the big day of protest globally against this impending calamity...
The organizers did not show up - just 2 old, gray guys - one with his daughter or niece, and me with my son - a high school student...
I hope the other protests had a better turnout - what the hell?
Considering that I live in a major city (LA) the turnout was rather disappointing--but afterall, tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday, so the sandwiches had to be made, and Americans don't really get their panties in a knot about killing Mooslims anyway.
What was encouraging was that, unlike the anti-Iraq war protests, there was no "negativity"--no counterprotestors supporting the troops, no invectives from passing cars--just lots of positive waves, peace signs and hornhonks.
I have no doubt Iran will get bombed, there is too much money to be made in oil futures and weapons stocks. As has been noted by other posters, unless the culprits are hanged, greed will always win out.
Nature, unlike kapitalism and the market, the magic hand notwithstanding, is a self-correcting system.
Any species that is unable or unwilling to adapt to that system is destined to be short-lived.
To take it to the next level;even if the correction means Earth becomes a barren rock, as devoid of Life as the moon, then thus will it be and the natural universe will continue to evolve naturally and the passing of Earth and its Life will be utterly inconsequential and unnoticed.
Assuming we don't want that to happen, I think it becomes incumbent upon the majority of humanity to stop bickering about inconsequential bullshit and focus on working together to put a stop, once and for all, to the tiny minority that has wrought so much havoc throughout human history.
human history! No most human history people have got along just fine. Hierarchies are the cause of all this sily dominance psychopath and maladaptive behavior. It only started in the last half dozen or dozen millennia out of 100 to 200 millennia of modern human existence. It's not in the least natural. Why would the media and our educational system need to sell us this bill of goods if it were? People are natually peace loving cooperative, only when brainwashed constantly by media and our own "schools of death" is it otherwise. Solution! Be the media. Don't allow your children to accept all in history or even maybe civics classes as the gospel. Do your job of being a parent by showing them one for all and all for one is always best.
i wholeheartedly concur that we should be the media.
But some argue that it was quite "natural" (depending on what you mean by natural, or what you think of agriculture) that hierarchies developed in the agricultural societies that emerged after the discovery of agriculture 10 - 15,000 years ago.
The cultures that grew up around corn and wheat and rice all developed armies and priesthoods. Obviously not identical, and the corn cultures were decimated by genocidal enslavers from the wheat cultures, yet also had very clear examples of parasitic warrior and priestly classes emerging out of agri-culture. (Please note: my brief paragraph leaves out a lot of agricultural and human history!)
So perhaps our challenge is not as "simple" (ha-ha-ha) as "be the media."
ColdWarBaby
Agreed. How?
In OCCUPY parlance, the one percent run things, always have, at least since the advent of chiefdoms and nation-states, perhaps even before, despite arguments that bands and tribes were more egalitarian.
Bands and tribes were closer to the Earth, literally - closer to Nature, the penultimate sounding board. Chiefdoms, nations and civilizations are far from Nature - or delude themselves into thinking they are.
But the one percent, while arguably pathological and psychotic, have an as yet undetermined number of fans - wannabes - who are pathological psychotics in the making, as it were, awaiting their opportunity.
Then there is the other one percent - let us call them OCCUPY. They also have an as yet undetermined number of followers - still sitting comfortably at home of course - just in case things don't work out - you know - a worldshift.
Then there is a broad category we might call the religious - this is a non-discriminatory group, also of undetermined size. Qualification for membership is easy to obtain - just suspend your belief in reason and factual information.
Since the size of all but the evil one percent and the good one per cent are as yet undetermined, it's entirely possible that there are very very few in the middle who are not wannabes or religious - who stand straight and tall and look the world directly in the eye - and don't blink.
Perhaps we have a name for them?
Perhaps loners, the "men who don't fit in", and, to appease our feminists, ladies too.
I think it's going to be downright hard to worldshift given the actors - and I think Edward Gibbon had this in mind when he wrote:
"The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true, by the philosopher as equally false, and by the magistrate as equally useful."
--------------
For worship one might think of religions, but I would include the patriot, the capitalist, and any number of others who worship, instead of, say, not worshiping - anything.
NO, I have always liked deserts and mountains - there is a distinct dearth of people there - you know - normal people.
Manysummits
=======
Hallelujah!
Michel Chossudovsky, America's "War on Terrorism", Global Research 2005
"According to Chossudovsky, the "war on terrorism" is a complete fabrication based on the illusion that one man, Osama bin Laden, outwitted the $40 billion-a-year American intelligence apparatus. The "war on terrorism" is a war of conquest. Globalisation is the final march to the "New World Order", dominated by Wall Street and the U.S. military-industrial complex.
"September 11, 2001 provides a justification for waging a war without borders. Washington's agenda consists in extending the frontiers of the American Empire to facilitate complete U.S. corporate control, while installing within America the institutions of the Homeland Security State."
"Chossudovsky peels back layers of rhetoric to reveal a complex web of deceit aimed at luring the American people and the rest of the world into accepting a military solution which threatens the future of humanity."
AMERICA'S "WAR ON TERRORISM"
by Michel Chossudovsky
Table of Contents
Preface to the Second Edition
Part I September 11
Background: behind September 11, Who is Osama bin Laden? Washington supports international terrorism, Cover-up or Complicity?
Part II War and Globalization
War and the Hidden Agenda, The Trans-Afghan Pipeline, America's War Machine, The American Empire, Disarming the New World Order, Political Deception: the Missing Link Behind 9/11.
PART III The Disinformation Campaign
War Propaganda: Fabricating an Outside Enemy, 9/11 and the Iran Contra Scandal, Giving a Face to the Enemy, Who is Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi? Protecting Al Qaeda Fighters in the War Theater.
Part IV The New World Order
War Criminals in High Office, The Spoils of War: Afghanistan's Multibillion Dollar Heroin Trade, Foreknowledge of 9/11, What happened on the Planes on the Morning of 9/11, America's Preemptive War Doctrine, The Post 9/11 Terror Alerts, Big Brother: Towards the Homeland Security State, The London 7/7 Bomb Attacks.
Appendices: Intelligence based on Plagiarism: The British "Intelligence" Iraq Dossier, The Financial Interests behind the World Trade Center (WTC) Lease.
This is the beginning of the end game.
Here's a little jigsaw puzzle. Can you put the pieces together?
Expansion and legitimization of various forms of overt and covert surveillance, the "Citizen's United" Supreme Court decision, pervasive elite immunity, the establishment of a worldwide torture regime during the last U.S. administration - and most recently, the overriding of Habeas Corpus and legitimization of indefinite military detention of Americans as well as foreigners (without trial).
That's exactly right! Here's the top of the box...Why, it says. AMERICAN FASCISM.
Amma21
Reading your post it just stuck me how extraordinarily alike were the Twin Towers attack and the burning of the Reichstag, not in the attacks themselves, so much (the scale was immensely different, for example) but in the response of the governments and the nature of that response. In both cases it was to shred constitutions, laws and liberties and institute instead a warmongering fascist police state. And history suggests that once that happens it only ends with a cataclysmic, global orgy of death and destruction. And I thought I was a reasonable person . . ..
Thanks for your thoughts, Rainborowe,
It now seems highly likely that both the burning of the Reichstag and 9/11 were "false flag operations. And, as you so well put it, their purpose was precisely the development of a "warmongering fascist police state."
I see you as very clear-head and eminently reasonable! Would that the majority of us wake up and realize how much is at stake.
The current state of propaganda feels like it did in 2002 in the lead up to the Iraq war. In my experience, the propaganda has always been a predictor of what our countries will do. Perhaps it is always necessary to pound the drums of war before an actual war. Perhaps it is necessary to bring the citizenry around to support the war.
The lynchpin, the one driving this coming war, is Israel. Oh, their are oil and MIC interests, etc, and they will be quietly pushing behind the scenes, but the actor here is Israel. Israel is not even making a secret of the fact that they are pushing for war and that they want the USA to do it for them. The issue is whether or not the USA will be dragged into the war if Israel attacks and Iran responds, and even that seems to be a forgone conclusion.
I have posted evidence before that Israel does appear to have the congress and the senate in its pockets. I also said I do not understand the mechanisms (the strings), but it is possible to observe that the puppets follow the puppet masters hands. When you watch our politicians prostrate themselves before AIPAC or the politicans reaction to Bibi's speach in the senate or the things that they say, it becomes SO obvious. It stares at you in the face. If you cant see this, I would say that some preconception is preventing you from seeing the obvious. Perhaps something like that the tail cannot possibly wag the dog, or perhaps that a semi-trailer cannot possibly be be steered using a little steering wheel.
That does not stop me from speculating about the mechanisms. One important cog that I previously overlooked is the very strong support for Israel coming from our right wing fundamentalist "Christian" churches. I have seen videos of a few of them pounding Israeli propaganda from the pulpit to a receptive audience. I have seen them uttering words like "Not one penny for the palestineans". Clearly the US president can never take a stand against Israel's control of the corridors of power, if each the churches within the electorates of the politicians are solidly backing Israel. It is pretty much check mate - Israel retains control of Washington.
Are priests taking money from Israel? Since churches are tax free, how would we even know? These are questions, not statements, or claims. I ask, because I dont know why fundamentalist christian churches back Israel, even when Israel continues to commit atrocities to Palestinians. Even when Israel is bombing the crap out of Lebanon. Even when Israel lies about an existential threat in order to foment war. I am not from the USA, and I dont understand what is going on here. I dont know if I would understand even if I did live in the USA. The riddle is not solved.
Evangelical fundamentalists believe in the literal translation of their bible's prophecy and are expecting end times. In ths scenario a great war will start in Syria, at the last moment Jews will convert to Christianity (fundamentalist evangelical only please) and they will all rise majestically to the heavens in the Rapture. The rest of us will burn.
As a self-fulfiling delusion based on a very dubious interpretation of an endlessly translated and tinkered with scribble from 2000 years ago (ever played Chinese Whispers?) it should be grounds for an identifiable mental condition needing treatment. Instead we have God channeling world leaders infected with it and doing all they can to expedite it e.g. Harper's Canada™ and half the USA. Similar but different prophecy counterparts exist in Israel and Islamic countries.
Thus global warming is to be allowed full reign, military spending, wars, jails and financial collapse encouraged.
I attended an event during the Christmas holidays in a local evangelical church and was amazed to find the walls lined with booths sponsored by Israel and selling Israeli artifacts, jewelry etc. It didn't register as a money making agenda for the church. I wondered just how many of these Israeli occupied churches were spread across America.
Braithwa:
Churches are only allowed to be tax-free if they do not practice politics. If they preach politics, whether domestic or foreign, they should have their exemption removed. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is dedicated to doing this by means of targeted lawsuits aimed at specific offenders but it needs funds, information about the offenders, and people willing to be the plaintiff in the legal actions. If you suspect political churches are taking tax exemptions (something easy to check as all tax filings are public record) you might contact AU. It has an excellent record but they always need more money. See www.au.org
Only Ron Paul will stop this war.
He might get on the "American's Elect 2012" ballot.
I would guess Obama might make some anti-war promises but only if Ron Paul is on the ballot and his former supporters are willing to switch votes if Obama doesn't back down from his "all options on the table" stance.
Yes, but Obama's former supporters won't switch their votes. They've been subjected to ridicule if they so much as mention his name. Liberals or progressives or whatever they are would rather go to war with Iran than support Ron Paul.
From: The Propaganda Preparation for 9/11: Creating the Osama bin Laden "Legend" --- http://globalresearch.ca/articles/KUP206A.html
~~~~~~~
"There is no going back now. An infrastructure is being laid out - one that will, finally, provide a dissident-proof totalitarian oligarchy composed of like-minded elites served by an under-class kept under constant surveillance.
"The edifice of this regime is being constructed, brick by brick, with the mortar of the Office of Homeland Security (to centralize and coordinate an effective police state), the Freedom Corps (to indoctrinate the most idealist - and therefore activist - elements of the populace toward service to the state), and the Patriot Act (to provide the legal basis for subverting long-held rights under the screen of national security).
(con't)
"If all of this sounds strangely familiar, if it is redolent of Huxley and Orwell, that is perhaps because Huxley and Orwell were both intimately involved with the elites of their time - in fact, were fully subsumed among them - in ways that made their future projections abundantly prescient, and, in their minds, inevitable.
"With further refinements in mind control technologies - yes, they do exist - as well as the monopolization of the food supply by way of sterile seed "terminator technology" - the approval for which was granted in the months following 9/11 - the masses may be perpetually culled and exploited by those who hold the keys to this fully managed society.
(con't)
"You may even be dismissive of "conspiracy theories," yet wholly unaware of the well-documented attempts by the CIA and FBI to subvert, surveil, and propagandize the populace through programs such as Project Mockingbird (media infiltration) and MK-Ultra (mind control through chemical, hypnotic, or electro-magnetic means).
"These programs are effected primarily through "think tanks" that are set up across the United States for the purpose of disseminating information and propaganda under the rubric of "expertise."
"An Attack on Iran Must be Stopped". how? by "anti-war campaign"? anyone saw the result of "anti-war campaign" in Iraq, afganestan and elsewhere. the only thing which can stop the war (or make it a just war by Iranians) is peoples revolution in Iran. no one in the rulling class of USA or other imperialist countries will pay attention to millions who are demostrating in streets as long as they dont have any alternative to replace current system with it. the correct and effective tactic for progressive forces is supporting a revolution in Iran. corrupt islamist government of Iran has been serving Imperialism since the day it was created. this was done by 1- destroying progressive activists and organizations, 2- replacing progressive horizon of class struggle and revolution in middle east by backward ideologies which worsened situation of oppressed people and ruined their hopes, 3- provoking militarism and sectarian struggle in region. even from a complete militaristic point of view, corrupt mullahs with an army of slaves and mercenaries have no chance in a war with a modern army. but mass of revolutionary people (workers, peasants and toilers) which are organized and class conscious can stand against greatest armies.
I believe the only thing that will stop war is the extermination of the human race. I also believe that the human race will take care of that little problem themselves. Stupid monkeys (with atomic bombs).
I'm sorry Iran, but unless God comes down personally and wipes away our greedy scum-sucking elites, we will bomb you. It's your own fault for wanting to keep your oil profits for yourselves. I will continue speaking out, but I don't think a single war has ever been prevented by protesting.
Misinformation is the glue that holds the M.I.C. together. When the news that Iran intended to develop a nuclear missile broke. The fate of that nation was sealed. The west in its infant wisdom will decide that a country in the middle east that has oil and is capable of limiting the supply of oil to the world needs to be "liberated". The resulting cataclysmic detonation of visceral hate and mistrust of the west by nations of the world will be grounded in history and fact. Not that for most of the world these facts are not in evidence already. We need the precious refined elixir derived from crude. Instead of producing our own we provide for the plunder by corporations for the resources other countries have at their disposal. The responsibility of restraining our military falls to the civilian government of we the people. The massive military spending for the defense of our nation needs to involve defending instead of attacking. Insinuating that rouge nations are in any way a danger to our society is ludicrous. A menace, yes. A problem, yes. We need to prevail over our elected officials and stop the hype that can end in unwanted death and destruction in another middle eastern country.
I'm afraid that only public opposition by US military brass can stop this newest Neocon war.
Odds are against this, of course, as it's essentially career suicide.
But (the minimal) public opposition will be roundly mocked and ignored, and both the sitting right-wing POTUS and all the POTUS wannabes want war. Ron Paul and the Green Party are the only exceptions, and unfortunately neither has the slightest chance.
The only real question which remains is when the attack will take place, and whether it will help the right-wing Neocon in the White House politically, or if he loses, his right-wing, Neocon replacement.
"An attack against Iran will not stop the regime acquiring nuclear weapons if it wishes to do so."
Correct. But nuclear weapons are not the main reason for an attack on Iran. This is just a repeat of the WMD lie used against Iraq. The neo-clowns are even claiming that Iran had something to do with the WTC attacks as they did with Iraq.
No. The real reasons for attacking Iran are two-fold.
1. The US oligarchy is shit-scared because Iran is dropping the petro-dollar (as Saddam Hussein and Muammar Qaddafi both tried to do). Iran is currently selling oil to India and China in other currencies. When this catches on with other nations, the US will be dead meat (and good riddance).
2. The Israeli theo-fascists do not want to be hindered by Hamas, Hizbollah or any other Iran-backed group as Israel secures its Lebensraum in the Ghaza Ghetto and the Warsaw Bank. Israel will also need a free hand when the time comes to apply the final solution to the Palestinian question.
Will an attack on Iran wreck the US economy? Yes, but Israel doesn't care. As for the US corporate oligarcy, nothing would please it better than more war spending and $10 dollar a gallon gas.
Proposal: any message offering a critique should offer a suggestion. "We're screwed" is not a suggestion, nor is "this is the end of civilization." We on the left have got to stop wallowing in despair.
Yeah, let's put a nice positive spin on the Sixth Extinction and the collapse of civilization.
That's right, war in itself is such a downer--let's all repeat the mantra: Radiation is good for you. Radiation is good for you.
Yup, that's what I'm looking for...a positive spin on extinctions, a whoopee for war, a phone call to the congressional rep. Actually, I was thinking about using our intelligence for something more productive than whining and hand-wringing. Critique is easy; building a social movement is not.
Without understanding the whole of our connection to what is happening, it is doomed to fail. Rather than condemn, we simply cease to be complicit. When it comes down to brass tacks, what are we REALLY willing to give up/sacrifice (including our harsh judgements of others)? Self-honesty here will be quite revealing. A major problem is that there are deeper levels of relationship that most of us refuse to see, which collectively account for much of what is occurring in the world. For example, if our daily life is filled with conflict/hatred/anger, there is a connection with the expression of that on a national level.
If you're looking for a suggestion like "Write your congressional representative" or "Vote in November" i have nothing for you.
If you're thinking more along the lines of "Occupy Wall Street" or "Organize a sit-in at your congressional representative's office" or "Organize a blockade of a military transshipment point" then yes.
But frankly i don't have a sound-bite. "Learn to live in opposition - not think in opposition, or write in opposition, but live in opposition - to the monstrous death machine that is our political economy; and learn to live in harmony with the cycles of energy, life and death that are our living Earth."
Iran is not a liberal representative democracy. But it has better qualifications for such than the US, which has only one political party with 2 factions. They are the stupid rich and the slightly less stupid rich, forming a representive idiocracy. Iran has an independent policy on selling its oil, which means it follows its own perception of self interest, to non-US corporations, in non-US dollars, to neighbours that are US nearest global competitors in size and economy. This is the real threat to US security, so by the logic of the stupid rich, Iran must be obliterated. Other excuses must be found, such as made up terrorist attacks, because the US and NATO deny their own deeply held oil envy and dependence on oil
People in Iran, by US decree, are not allowed to enjoy the energy and wealth benefits of fossil fuel reserves. Iran is adopting nuclear energy, for electricity generation, or may be nuclear bombs, which is a free choice, which will make Iran marginally independent and prosperous, for a few decades. This is the unforgivable sin to the US. So what if their might be one day some nuclear weapons made in Iran. Our threats will have made their construction a necessity. There are far more nuclear weapons in Israel for certain.
Curious - no mention of Israel in the blog, and so few in the comments that they can be counted on one hand. The chief instigator of this war is Israel and Israeli compatriots among the neocons here in the us.
i think Sigoveso9, 2:31 p.m. has it correct. The prime motivation for the US is control of global energy resources and petro-dollar hegemony. AND, Israel is a major factor.