Bush and his Republicans created the Iran problems we have now.

[gulliver]

I'm no geopolitical genius like George W. Bush or Dick Cheney, but even I think it is fairly obvious that Bush and his Republicans created the Iran problems we have now. Iran should put a statue of Bush in downtown Tehran. Consider the following factors:

1. Bush and his Republicans called Iran's neighbor, Iraq, "evil." ("Axis of Evil" phrase used by Bush for applause line in SOTU address.)
   
2. Bush and his Republicans stampeded the United States and Great Britain into invading Iraq.
   
3. Bush and his Republicans said North Korea was "evil." ("Axis of Evil" phrase used by Bush for applause line in SOTU address.)
   
4. North Korea obtained nuclear weapons on Bush and the Republicans' watch.
   
5. Bush and his Republicans did not even come close to trying to invade North Korea.
   
6. Iraq has oil.
   
7. Iran has oil.
   
8. Iraq was Iran's bitter enemy, but thanks to Bush and his Republicans, Iran's enemy is now its friend. That allows Iran attention and defense budget to focus on other enemies.
   
9. Bush and his Republicans called Iran "evil." ("Axis of Evil" phrase used by Bush for applause line in SOTU address.)
   
10. The Iraq war started by Bush and his Republicans raised the price of oil
    
11. Bush and his Republicans allowed the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan (by moving resources into Iraq), depleting our military far into the foreseeable future.
    

The above factors guarantee that Iran would have the motivation (be like North Korea, not like Iraq), the attention (no more enemy on the border), the money (higher oil prices, lower defense budget), the opportunity (American distraction in Iraq and forced return to Afghanistan to finish the job) and the internal political will to radicalize, to strengthen, and to pursue nuclear weapons. Bush and his Republicans are responsible for nine out of eleven. The other two ("Iraq and Iran have oil") are simply historical and geographic givens.

Is there a single factor in which the crazy, stupid Iraq strategy pursued by Bush and his fellow Republican geniuses made Iran less of a problem for the United States and the World? Doubtful.

Therefore, Bush and his Republicans created the Iran problems we have now.

QED

On edit: Removed a duplicate from the list

[Ernesto]

1. "Axis of Evil"

Words that will live in infamy........