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If the Bush administration wants it, they'll just take it. The threat
of hurricanes and indictments isn't going to stop these crazy guys. Nor will
the Democrats, France, or that fallible United Nations. Nope, nothing is going
to step in their way. Even if what they want is war on Iran.
Last week in a London, US Ambassador John Bolton expressed his disappointment
with the UN Security Council for their "failure" in dealing with Iran's
alleged nuclear threat. Bolton all but threatened military action, deliberately
implying that the US government would take matters into their own hands if the
UN wouldn't.
It may seem inconceivable that the US government would even be considering
using military force against Iran at this point. US troops are already over
extended and public opinion about the current war is at an all time low. The
UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has thus far refused to charge
Iran with breaking a single commitment under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Surely this can't be the best climate to start another war in the Middle East.
Too bad facts don't matter to the neocons.
During his same visit to London, Bolton and Tony Blair's dubious team persuaded
the IAEA—along with India—to overrule UN inspectors in Iran and
declare the country in breach of the non-proliferation treaty, which would bring
the matter before the Security Council. India signed on, even though they are
producing nuclear weapons and have yet to accept the treaty themselves. In a
lot of ways it is Iraq all over again: Discount the weapons inspectors and move
ahead as planned.
The officials in Tehran aren't helping their cause much, though. But perhaps
they saw what happened to Saddam when he bent over and touched his toes for
the US government prior to the invasion. Iran is still calling for the annihilation
of Israel, and Bush and his buddies in Tel Aviv love it. Of course, the Iranian
government believes they're being threatened—Israel has nuclear weapons
and has openly spoken of the need to rid the Iranians of its oppressive regime.
Even Vice President Dick Cheney has warned of Israel's threat to Iran.
As UK author Dan Plesch recently wrote in the Guardian Unlimited:
"Shortly after the US elections, the vice-president, Dick Cheney, warned
that Israel might attack Iran. Israel has the capability to attack Iranian targets
with aircraft and long-range cruise missiles launched from submarines, while
Iranian air defences are still mostly based on 25-year-old equipment purchased
in the time of the Shah. A US attack might be portrayed as a more reasonable
option than a renewed Israeli-Islamic confrontation."
It wasn't long ago that Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker warned of Bush's desire
for a quieter, gentler war in Iran—not anything like the Shock and Awe
of Iraq. Hersh relayed that the Bush administration hopes covert ops and smart
bombs alone can topple the religious leadership in the country and that the
hawks at the Pentagon don't think there will be any need for an extended occupation.
They think it'll be quick and easy, nothing like the mess in Iraq.
Don't count on Bush to bring the American public into this whole non-debate.
He knows after what he's put them through (not to mention the Iraqis) they aren't
about to snookered into supporting another war with a country that is posing
absolutely no threat to US sovereignty. Karl Rove doesn't need to spell out
that one for him. No, this time around they'll be no resolution in Congress
and no CNN footage when the missiles first drop.
There is little doubt John Bolton and the UK's maneuvering at the UN is only
serving as a silly ruse. The UN is already irrelevant when it comes to policing
the United States' imperial ventures, and he knows it.
In the end Bolton and the administration he represents will take what they
want. Even if it's war on Iran.