Guardian: Why America has got it so wrong on Iran

[dand]

What is the likely outcome of a confrontation between the US and Iran? I don't mean the la-la-land futurology, still being served up by friends of the Bush administration over the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, about how the world will still be a safer place and democracy will spread to areas other Presidents couldn't,t reach.

I prefer to subscribe to a reality that says that the US and it's allies have screwed up twice and that Washington is threatening to do so again. That we sleep-walked into an unfolding disaster in Iraq despite ample warnings of its tragic course. That says that still lawless Afghanistan - awash with a bumper crop of opium- is a glass more than half empty. And that says that Iran is another accident about to happen.

The screw-up view of history sees US foreign policy backfire again as, seduced by its own ideological certainty that all it does is right, it continues its project to create a series of failed and fragile states running seamlessly from the borders of Pakistan to within spitting distance of the Dead Sea. Osama bin Laden could not have planned it better.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1356079,00.html

[DELUSIONAL]

1. bush cooked the "evidence" against Saddam and is willing to repeat same

It is clear that Bush, unembarrassed by the fact that the intelligence used to justify the case for war against Saddam was cooked up, is playing the same game again.

<snip>

There is a sense of déjà vu about all this: that realities once again are being concocted for ideological expediency. And that left to its own devices Washington will screw up the complex problem of Iran. This time Britain cannot be party to it.

This is like watching another fricking train wreck in slow motion. bushie want it -- so his daddy's friends are going to make sure bushie gets what bushie wants -- to play da war Prez.

Do you the rest of you sometimes feel like Cassandra -- you know what is going to happen -- because it has happened before -- and there is not a damned thing you can do about it.

For awhile there some of the citizens of the U.S. almost came out of their propaganda psyops kool-aid drugged stupor - and they almost made a difference. But the media is putting everyone back to sleep -- people came out to vote for da bushie -- and you were all alone -- only you and a few others came out to vote for Kerry. Everyone was waiting hours and hours in line to vote for da bushie kid. 'cause bushie is so moral. He wouldn't start a war with cooked intelligence -- da republikkklans are so moral -- they wouldn't make money off of war and death and bad things like that -- not the republikkklans.

Good article -- I hope the Brits tell bush to shove it when he asks for warm bodies from the UK.

[leftchick]

2. empires....

Empires Fall
This One Will, Too
So Here's To The Day
When This One Is
Through!

[Laelth]

3. I think Iran is safe from US military attack ...

... for the moment. Iran and China just signed an agreement. Iran also recently made an agreement with the EU (halting its nuclear weapons program in exchange for various, undisclosed goodies). China buys most of Iran's oil, and it's believed that the Chinese have agreed to extend their nuclear umbrella over Iran.

Iran probably considers itself to be fairly secure. It would be impossible to embargo Iran right now without also cutting off China's oil supply. I don't see any way this could happen unless the neo-cons are vastly more insane that anyone has imagined. Let's hope they're not.

-Laelth

[PATRICK]

4. Will someone inform these thoughtful critics

That Bush intends to deal with Iran whether it needs to be dealt with or not? Do we have to do this pretend dance all over again? Little Napoleon wants his war and oil empire and nothing else matters.

So stop the second guessing already and the diplomacy.

[dArKeR]

5. Confrontation with Iran will likely backfire

From Israel to Pakistan, instability is spreading. Can Washington be trusted to take the right course of action over Iran?
By Peter Beaumont
THE OBSERVER , LONDON
Tuesday, Nov 23, 2004,Page 9

What is the likely outcome of a confrontation between the US and Iran? I don't mean the la-la-land futurology, still being served up by friends of the Bush administration over the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, about how the world will still be a safer place, and democracy will spread to areas other presidents couldn't reach.

I prefer to subscribe to a reality that says the US and its allies have screwed up twice, and that Washington is threatening to do so again. The reality is we sleep-walked into an unfolding disaster in Iraq, despite ample warnings of a tragic course. Then, still lawless Afghanistan -- awash with a bumper crop of opium -- is a glass more than half-empty. Reality says Iran is another accident about to happen


http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/11/23/2003212251