Our Larger Middle Eastern Problem
The recent election in Iran creates a larger problem for USA.
In a surprise run off, a reactionary mayor of Teheran has been elected President of Iran. He enjoyed a large majority. He was supported by the ayatollahs and the revolutionary guards both representing the radical Islamic right. The urban and rural poor voted him in.
This has been seen as a vote against the corruption of the wealthy clerics and upper classes. It is also a movement towards a more intransigence religious position. In addition, it is a reaction to foreign opposition to Iran’s nuclear progress, promoted primarily by the America administration.
Well, this is going to be bad for the Bush administration in the Middle East. The strategy of his radical Neo-Con cabal is dismal. However, while they have shown an abysmal perception of realities in that part of the world, they inherited a mess.
The removal of the Shah was a great political and social blunder by the Carter administration. In their naivete they ignored the realpolitic position, as FDR said about Anastasio Somoza (former US installed dictator of Nicaragua),”He may be a son-of-a-bitch, but he is our son-of-a-bitch.”
Actually it is difficult to put the Shah in the same class as Somosa. Iran may have had a tough internal security apparatus but it was child’s play compared to the religious terror which followed the Shah’s downfall. We, along with the Brits, put him in power. If we were following the often-brutal aspect of American hubris, backing the Shah would have supported our national interests and secondarily (to our interests) saved countless Iranians from death and destruction.
Now we are the Great Satan. We have strengthened a mortal enemy of Israel. We have elevated the depressed Shia majority to questionable control of Iraq. We will see the increased support and influence of the Iranian Shia clerics in Iraq. There probably will be a civil war as the Sunni minority fights to retain some power in Iraq. Talk about dominos (our old cold war boogey) what will happen if the Sunnis throughout the Middle East are drawn into support of their co-religionists in Iraq.
The period of Oliver Cromwell would be an apt comparison. Now we could have another war in the name of competing Gods.
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3 Responses to “Our Larger Middle Eastern Problem”
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The reactionary was a long shot, who had no hope of winning…until our oblivious president made some stupid comments (the now elected Iranian official actually sent a thank you note to Mr. Bush)…
yes, Carter was naive~ but I would still rather have him over our current so-called president.
Posted on 28-Jun-05 at 7:42 am | PermalinkI think most Presidents except Bush, come in with a desire and a plan to do a make-over.
Carter was fed his intellegience by a rebellious and secretive CIA who actually had their roots in doing bastardly duties. They intentionally messed up Carter.
Naive??? I don’t think so…perhaps made to look that way. He was also a very religious man, a humanitarian.
Look at how the neo-cons make Bush look-pretty damn good if you are a Republican, white, pro-Christian, and believe that your group was pre-ordanied to occupy America.
I agree, that we now have a larger middle east problem-instead of fixing the past false lines of demarkation, of that break-up of the country. We condoned it.
We continue to fail at it-but I have my faith in the World Internet, & Left-Wing Radio out there and Global REAL News. Long live the alternative!!!!
Again, I may be missing the point here: the point being, to assemble (anger) the middle east, to bring them in line. This because of failure to deal with diverse views and colors of skin. They are not white so it’s becomes easier to take from them.
What we do is madden the factions in hope that they kill each other off.
This is not to deep but accurate because Americans have a history of not being collectively, a major force in the World for riddening dispair, and human abuses.
It is the few Americans which fix Americans’ reputation abroad that have ‘good sense’ to continue to do good-the government is trash. It doesn’t fix our reputation, it elects foreign, murderous, greedy bastards.
The American Goverment (Black Ops, FBI, CIA, etc.) is trash. Yes, we are creating ‘Our Larger Problem’: The Middle East.
Lyle K’ang
Posted on 28-Jun-05 at 7:56 pm | PermalinkDear Mr. Butler:
Posted on 01-Nov-05 at 2:06 pm | PermalinkI feel uncomfortable calling you “Michael,” and since I addressed you by Mr.— when a teenager and younger (Alfon Bahr was my grandfather, Dee(with whom you’ve corresponding about the way Oak Brook was, my spouse),will continue. Wanted to add my favorite tidbit from Adlai Stevenson, who answered some god-”fearing” types thus: “We all worship God in our own way–they in theirs, I in His.” Neatly subtle.
Now, just a note to let you know how delighted Dee has been in writing you, and how much it means to her. And I feel a link myself, though less strong perhaps, gratefully rejoined. Very best to you in all you do, and all you’ve done and attempted, is never forgotten. I hope you will be able to see Charles whilst he’s in the country–we conrinue to search for the photo with the Queen. Very best, Frederick Dose, at dee’s email ddose@comcast.net, or mine at fdoseappraisals@comcast.net.