The Iran Scam

Cross-posted at My Left Wing and BlueSunbelt For lack of proof, I’m still having doubts that Iran is actually trying to build a nuclear weapon of mass destruction. Call me naïve, but let’s just say that I think there’s chicanery afoot, and it’s all going on in the name of profit. As referenced below. In my humble opinion, it’s all a game to these guys, folks -- one huge, high-stakes, “how-to-hype-a-threat-and-make-lots-AND-LOTS-of-money” game. Sorry, we’re not eligible to play but if we could, here’s how the game might work: How to play the game: 1. Find a few patsies with plenty of moolah; say… some naïve, trusting souls that you’ve already had dealings with over the years who are dripping with oil money, literally. 2. Through acquiescent media blitzes and centuries-old religious and/or social fears exaggerate and exploit a regional threat (preferably, one located in the same region as your patsies) – or… if you can’t seem to find a threat suitable for hyping – invent one. 3. If aforementioned threat is slow to prompt compliance from your patsies, create in real time an example of what could happen if they ignored that threat. In your fear-instilling demonstration, be sure to include equal measures of violence, poverty, sectarian strife. Oh, and don't forget to use the threat of nuclear annihilation. 4. Make sure you have another contrived threat in the wings to use in coordination with or opposition of the primary threat -- as sort of a one-two punch combination, if you will – thereby overwhelming chosen victim with existential fear and loathing of threat. 5. Bring in a partner or coalition to bolster credibility and altruism of your selfless act of benevolence in the minds of not only your victims but also the spectators to the unfolding melodrama. Also, be sure to utilize your partner(s) in crime to aid you in spreading the fear and loathing, in your chosen region and around the world. (potential, future dupes) Rules: 1. There are no rules; well, at least for you, that is. Go ahead; lie, cheat, steal and murder (if necessary) to obtain your objective, while making sure your dupes and spectators alike must adhere to the rule of law, common sense, human decency, and real moral values. 2. Keep both threat(s) and audience at bay by diverting attention, denying diplomacy, and destroying naysayers. 3. Be persistent, obstinate even… and apply blame liberally. (very important) 4. There is no hard and fast fourth rule. If you run into a snag, use your imagination. Be creative and don’t shy away from using your position of power to wreak havoc on the lives of the innocent and less fortunate, if necessary. (or, even if you just feel like it) Objective Your mission, (should you choose to accept it) is to achieve world domination through whatever means available, including but not limited to: A. Supplanting your home government with a gang of miscreant cronies all with strong loyalty to the gamemaster. If need be go ahead and steal an election or two… or, three; whatever, just go for it. BTW, a high court sprinkled with likeminded ideologists is a definite plus here. B. Cut social, economic and educational programs for the have-nots, and distribute all the ill-gotten gains between all the have-mores. C. Always remember, use taxpayer funding for all your projects to maximize profits and holdings. D. Stay focused. Don’t be concerned with trivialities like compassion for your fellow man, collateral damage or public distrust. Let the force from the dark side guide you. E. For goodness sake, have some fun as you game the system and make wars of aggression for profit. Great game, eh? If only you and I were allowed to play. Seriously though, have you ever thought of this whole “remaking of the Middle East” deal as anything other than a perverted plan of mass war profiteering? Me either. This from the online website of the Boston Globe: The State Department and the Pentagon are quietly seeking congressional approval for significant new military sales to US allies in the Persian Gulf region. The move is part of a broader American strategy to contain Iranian influence by strengthening Iran's neighbors and signaling that the United States is still a strong military player in the Middle East, despite all the difficulties in Iraq. But the arms sales, which would come on top of a recent upgrade of US Patriot antimissile interceptors in Qatar and Kuwait and the deployment of two aircraft carriers to the Gulf, could spark concerns that further military buildup in the volatile region would bring Washington closer to a confrontation with Iran. Senior US officials have been tight-lipped in public about what systems they hope to sell, citing the need to get congressional support for the measure first and skittishness among Arab allies that don't want the publicity. Current and former US officials and analysts familiar with the discussions say items under consideration include sophisticated air and missile defense systems, advanced early warning radar aircraft that could detect low-flying missiles, and light coastal combat ships that could sweep the Gulf for mines and help gather underwater intelligence. This might be a gigantic leap of faith on my part, but I don’t think so. There will be no war with Iran. You heard it here first, folks. (well, maybe not) In my opinion, Iran is just too indispensable to the Bush administration as a geopolitical gamepiece; a spectre, if you will. They’re simply a tool; an imaginary foe that happens to instill fear in the hearts of Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Turkomen and Jews everywhere. Do you think the fact that we took out Iran’s only two major threats was just a coincidence? Bush and Cheney know Iran is not seeking to build a nuclear weapon. At least not now. After all this time, both U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies have failed to find any verifiable proof that they are. The proposed expansive arms deals are nothing but a quasi-Cold-War-style geopolitical tactic designed for (1) maximum weapon profits, (2) to isolate Iran even further by arming its neighbors to the teeth, and (3) to piss off Russia. Ok, the latter is just conjecture on my part but it does make sense. More from the article: "We should look at this in the broader context of what Secretary [Condoleezza] Rice calls the looming confrontation between extremists and moderates," Stephen D. Mull, the State Department's acting assistant secretary of political-military affairs, said in an interview. "We are on record as saying Syria and Iran sponsors these [extremist] forces." The move could be an economic boon for New England, which manufactures some of the weapons systems that are believed to be under consideration for sale. The current arms sale proposals grew out of a diplomatic effort launched last May called the "Gulf Security Dialogue" in which US officials sought to suggest ways to bolster the defenses of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman. Apparently, not every Gulf Region country opted to spend their hard-earned oil fossil fuel money on overpriced, sophisticated weapons systems. Rather, some decided on improving port security and protecting key energy installations. But, don’t worry; we’ve got that covered too. Can you say Blackwater? I mean, shouldn’t every oil-rich country have their own privatized, mercenary force, right? Efforts to finalize the deals prompted high-level meetings and a recent delegation of Gulf nations, traveled to Washington, led by the crown prince of Bahrain. Next month Mull and his counterpart at the Defense Department, Mary Beth Long, plan on traveling to Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to continue talks. However, there is a fly in the ointment… namely, Congress. In recent weeks, State and Defense Department officials have begun visiting Capitol Hill to seek support for the arms sales. Congress has the power to block them. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, hopes to schedule classified briefings soon with members of the Senate and House International Relations committees. The US government, which has military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, has tried for years to persuade Gulf allies to purchase a region wide early warning radar system to collect intelligence and instantaneously detect a missile attack. But efforts faltered as some Gulf countries argued that the systems were too expensive, and that possible attackers - at that time, Iran and Iraq - were not enough of a threat to warrant the systems . However, recent years have brought a change in attitude toward Iran, a neighbor that dwarfs most Gulf states in size and population. Now that Iran's two greatest enemies - the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iraq - have been toppled by the US military, Iran's stature in the region has grown. I have to admit though, BushCo set this all up brilliantly. The Gulf nations, overwhelmingly Sunni Arabs, have sat back and watched Iran’s ever-increasing influence with Shi'ite politicians in Iraq and with Hezbollah, the Shi'ite militant group based primarily in Lebanon. And, it even appears to me that BushCo is even using the U.N. in the grand plan. Iran’s defiance of Security Council demands plays right into the administration’s hands. The Arab states are complaining that Bush’s wars have emboldened Iran, reestablishing a major risk to the region. However, as angry as the Arabs get with Washington they still need them for protection against the perceived threat that is Iran. "All of the Sunni allies came to America and said, 'What have you done? You have created this monster,'" said retired Marine Colonel Robert Work , vice president of strategic studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington-based policy research institute. Work said Washington responded by initiating the dialogue on Gulf security and the arms sales proposals as a way "to dissuade Iranian adventurism, deter Iranian attacks or direct subversion, and assure our Sunni allies." Of course, some policy center analysts in Washington suggest that any major arms sales would be symbolic since none of the Gulf region nations have standing militaries capable of driving off an Iranian attack – not by themselves anyway. But, then again, Mull stated that the sale of the weapons systems would be a vital way to enhance military cooperation in the Gulf. “We don’t sell weapons systems purely for symbolism,” he added. A veritable cornucopia of newfangled machines of war exists for sale. Michael Knights, a fellow for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who has worked with the Defense Department on military “lessons learned” research in Iraq, stated that many of the negotiations on arms sales in the Gulf this past year focused exclusively on selling the Royal Saudi Navy brand new Littoral Combat Ships. The lean, mean lightly armored coastal defense ship, produced in Bath, Maine, in theory, could be equipped to sweep for underwater mines in the Persian Gulf, and would work in concert with unmanned undersea vehicles in conducting surveillance. Another handy dandy weapon that no Gulf region nation should be without is the Northup Grumman slick & slinky E-2D Hawkeye 2000, an early warning aircraft that the United Arab Emirates tried to buy back in 2003 in order to bolster its feeble air force. At the time, the U.S. Navy killed the deal, disallowing the sale of essential communications software. The Navy didn’t disclose the reasons for the nixing. However, last month, a trade magazine, Defense News, reported that the deal might be on again. And, that announcement a couple months ago saying that he would deploy an additional Patriot missile battery to the Persian Gulf? That’s made by Raytheon, a Boston area company just aching to sell more of their efficient destruction-makers. There are some Gulf nations reluctant to reach an agreement on arms sales because they didn’t want to send the wrong message. Imagine that. But, of course, Mr. Mull has an answer to any such peaceniks: “It’s a delicate neighborhood to live in,” he said recently. “There’s this looming power across the Gulf with who they must live.” Indeed, there's a “looming power” all right, but it’s not in the Persian Gulf region.