Iran has declared war on the rest of the world

Douglas Davis in The Spectator notes that Iran is the driving force behind the current attacks.

Certainly Hezbollah would not have mounted such an operation without the prior knowledge and approval of its patrons — Iran, which arms, trains and funds Lebanon’s Shiite radicals, and Syria, which serves as a conduit and provides essential logistical support.

I went from being mildly outraged at the stupidity of Israel bombing Beirut Airport and killing Lebanese civilians to the realisation that both Israel and Lebanon are merely front line pawns in the wider Islamist Jihad strategy.  Olmert was forced to overreact for political reasons, handing Hezbollah and the mad mullahs a massive propaganda victory.

The reality now is that Israel and the US need to make Iran feel the same pain that Iraqis, Lebanese, Palestinians and Israelis are feeling.  No more ability to sit safely in Tehran abusing the West and supporting terrorist attacks.  It is a basic military doctrine to take your fight to the enemy.  Attack is the best form of defence.

What is needed now is not a ceasefire and a hezbollah propaganda victory.  What is needed is an attack on Iran infrastructure.  The pain will come sometine.  Better to lance the boil that is the mad mullah now.  Take out Tehrans government buildings, take out their nuclear research plants, take out power plants.  Give people 24 hours notice of which buildings.  Then take them out. Avoid civilian casualties. Show those mad bastards in Iran that US and Western power has been restrained.  Make them understand what would happen if the US really let slip the dogs of war.

It would also provide an excellent opportunity to let those citizens of Gaza and Lebanon who simply want a peaceful life off the hook.  Dont punish the pawns, go after the leadership.

Comments

[phillipjohn]

Israel shouldn't even exist as a state. The bloody minded Zionists muscled their way into the Levant following WW1, after the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the Allies. Before that it had been Arab territory for the previous 2000 years. Prior to that, Jewish territories only existed as small enclaves for short periods of time. Their whole existence there is totally artificial and illegitimate to my mind. It's like a radically religious group of Maori going to New Caledonia, and claiming it as their homeland. What would we expect but a huge bloody mess? You talk about Iran supporting terrorist activities. What about the Israelis? Are you totally unaware of them supplying weapons to the Fatah party so that they can enact a coup against the democratically elected Hammas party? What about the Israelis kidnapping 8 Hammas cabinet ministers? What about all the Arab land that Israel illegally occupies? i.e. Syria's Golan Heights and the West Bank (over 80 % populated by Arabs). If Israel withdrew back to its internationally recognised borders we wouldn't be having any of these problems. But they won't, they with the US want total domination over the area. And why do they want that ? Well the Israelis want that because of their crazy religious doctrine, and obvious economic interests. Bush's government wants it because of the oil interests. Don't talk about democratisation. Since when has the US shown any interest in democratising Africa? Why bother? Nigeria's the only country with any oil.

Here's a few interesting points about the history of Iran's interaction with the west, just for your benifit sagenz.

The United States has a history of interfering in the internal affairs of Iran that goes back to 1951 when the Iranian Parliament voted to nationalise the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Co was a 100% British owned company that received 85% of the profits from the company’s Iranian oil fields with the Iranians receiving only 15%.

Operation Ajax conducted by the CIA with the British as the junior party restored the Iranian Monarchy with Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as the head of the country. The reward for the United States was a 40% share of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.

In 1957 the CIA helps to create SAVAK, the Iranian Secret Police, who enforced the rule of the Shah by the use of torture, executions, imprisonment until the Shah was removed in the 1979 Revolution. The Shah, along with Israel, was a key ally of the United States in the Middle East.

Since 1995 economic sanctions have been in place that bar U.S. firms and citizens from purchasing oil or making any other business deals with Iran. George W Bush has extended these sanctions for another year and, in a development that should send out warning signals to all of us, the State Department have established a “Office of Iranian Affairs” whose brief is to focus on “Introducing Democracy in Iran!”

The head of the State Department; Condoleezza Rice asked for $75 Million for the Office of Iranian Affairs at a Senate hearing.

The office had worked out a way to circumvent American laws barring financial relations with Iran to allow some money to go directly to groups promoting change inside Iran. (from SNAP! 35)

[phillipjohn]

Here's a few interesting points about the history of Iran's interaction with the west, just for your benifit sagenz.

The United States has a history of interfering in the internal affairs of Iran that goes back to 1951 when the Iranian Parliament voted to nationalise the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Co was a 100% British owned company that received 85% of the profits from the company’s Iranian oil fields with the Iranians receiving only 15%.

Operation Ajax conducted by the CIA with the British as the junior party restored the Iranian Monarchy with Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as the head of the country. The reward for the United States was a 40% share of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.

In 1957 the CIA helps to create SAVAK, the Iranian Secret Police, who enforced the rule of the Shah by the use of torture, executions, imprisonment until the Shah was removed in the 1979 Revolution. The Shah, along with Israel, was a key ally of the United States in the Middle East.

Since 1995 economic sanctions have been in place that bar U.S. firms and citizens from purchasing oil or making any other business deals with Iran. George W Bush has extended these sanctions for another year and, in a development that should send out warning signals to all of us, the State Department have established a “Office of Iranian Affairs” whose brief is to focus on “Introducing Democracy in Iran!”

The head of the State Department; Condoleezza Rice asked for $75 Million for the Office of Iranian Affairs at a Senate hearing.

The office had worked out a way to circumvent American laws barring financial relations with Iran to allow some money to go directly to groups promoting change inside Iran. (from SNAP! 35)

[sagenz]

You are right that there is a big history between US and Iran. Your implication seems to be that Iran can now do what they like.
I do not share that view.
You seem to forget about the holocaust and certainly discount Jewish presence and determination in Palestine over centuries. There is right and wrong on both sides. But we are dealing in the here and now. an increasingly violent and agressive islamism which is attempting to overthrow western democracy and tolerance. If you seriously believe that the islamic form of government is better than the west or that it is not a threat I think you are misguided.
Unfortunately I do not have the time to debate this issue properly or at all.

[Sean]

Philipjohn - Why choose 1951 as the point at which the US started interferring in Iranian affairs? Why not 1945-6? If it wasn't for the US interferring then (by standing up to Stalin after the war) Iran would have ended up part of the Soviet Union!

[phillipjohn]

Hey, I'm certainly not trying to say that US influence in Iran has been wholy bad. I'm just trying to point out that the US's involvement in the Middle East has always been for reasons of economic self interest. just as the purpose of the Marshial Plan in Europe was to secure an export market after WWII, the overriding purpose of US invovement in Iran has been to secure a supply of oil. The US doesn't really care whether a country is democratic or not, just whether or not it serves its own narrowly defined economic interests. There are countless instances of the US backing miltary coups, replacing democratically elected governments with despotic military regimes (especially in South America). The worst example is the blood bath of Indonesia in the 1950s. The US oversaw a coup which resulted in the slaughter of one million people who were affiliated to a democratically elected government. Yes the US and General Suharto ramained very good friends for his whole term as dictator. Basically, if you're a weak country and you're not towing the US's line, you had better watch your back.

Israel has imprisoned 8 cabinet ministers from the democratically elected Hamas party of Palestine. Has the US put pressure on Israel to hand them back? Not a chance. Because of this blatant Israeli show of "might makes right", Hysbolah has stepped in to show their disapproval.

If the Isrealies stuck to their internationally recognised borders none of this would be happening. The blame for al this must therefore be placed with them, and the US for encouraging them.

This is why I just cringe when

[phillipjohn]

Hey, I'm certainly not trying to say that US influence in Iran has been wholly bad. I'm just trying to point out that the US's involvement in the Middle East has always been for reasons of economic self interest. just as the purpose of the Marshal Plan in Europe was to secure an export market after WWII, the over-riding purpose of US involvement in Iran has been to secure a supply of oil. The US doesn't really care whether a country is democratic or not, just whether or not it serves its own narrowly defined economic interests. There are countless instances of the US backing military coups, replacing democratically elected governments with despotic military regimes (especially in South America). The worst example is the blood bath of Indonesia in the 1950s. The US oversaw a coup which resulted in the slaughter of one million people who were affiliated to a democratically elected government. Yes the US and General Suharto remained very good friends for his whole term as dictator. Basically, if you're a weak country and you're not towing the US's line, you had better watch your back.

Israel has imprisoned 8 cabinet ministers from the democratically elected Hamas party of Palestine. Has the US put pressure on Israel to hand them back? Not a chance. Because of this blatant Israeli show of "might makes right", Hisbolah has stepped in to show their disapproval.

If Israel stuck to its internationally recognized borders none of this would be happening. The blame for the current crisis must therefore be placed with them, and the US for encouraging them.

[sagenz]

"If Israel stuck to its internationally recognized borders none of this would be happening" internationally recognised by hezbollah? - as in none at all? You cant be writing that and seriously believing it. There is blame on both sides.
But Iran is not paying any price for its meddling. perhaps its time to start.

[phillipjohn]

If the Palisitinians and Hisbolah were occupying Israel would'nt you expect the Zionists to respond with force? I imagine you would condone it. In fact you would probably be all for the US supplying as much military aid as is needed to defeat Israel's enemys. Well isn't that what Iran is doing for it's fellow Arabs? Take your blinkers off and see that this is a matter of a people trying to resist invasion. There will never be peace in the middle east as long as the US and Israel have a mission of colonisation. Hell, if a foriegn culture came here and attempted to rule New Zealand I wouldn't go down without a fight. Would you?