Thursday, May 12, 2005
Europe's Warning to Iran is All Too Familiar
Europeans warn Iran not to resume nuclear work (Reuters)
Tough European warning to Tehran (BBC)
Regarding these headlines, I just have one very simple question. Are you joking? Seriously, Iran getting a warning from ‘Big Bad Europe’ is like Mike Tyson getting a warning by Screech from Saved by the Bell. The Ayatollahs may be temporarily blinded from uncontrolled fits of laughter, but that’s about it. What is Europe thinking?
Europe warning Iran is reminiscent of England and France warning Nazi Germany not to invade Poland. Europe has absolutely no ability to stop Iran. They couldn’t even get the United Nations on the same boat with them because someone will be in someone elses back pocket when it comes to a vote.
A couple of days ago I jumped into a conversation about how to deal with North Korea since China is proving to be a ‘Neutered Dragon’ so to speak. I think it’s time to ask a similar question; How should we deal with Iran?
No thanks to the Russian Federation for selling them arms like they were candy over the last decade. Everyone saw this situation coming, but they just kept passing the buck. Now that things are about to hit the fan and Iran is readying their nuclear weapons program Europe is finally waking up to reality. (Reality to Europe = They are not as influential as the U.S.)
Here’s the deal. Iran has a strong and well-equipped military. They also have plenty of money and a blossoming nuclear program. This situation, which was allowed to fester by the same countries now trying to stop it, is a threat to the entire globe because Iran still holds the title as the single biggest supporter of Terrorism throughout the world. In a few years any nation who makes the Ayatollahs angry enough may find a shipping container with a nuke drastically changing their favorite city’s skyline. Either that or they will be introduced to Iran’s well-trained and eager military war machine. Who’s going to stop them?
Iran will not give in to economic sanctions. Let’s face it, sanctions never work. (Just ask Castro) They certainly won’t roll over to a military invasion like Iraq. The Iranian people are very proud and eager to defend themselves. Yes, they want a democracy in their country, but it won’t happen at the barrel of a gun.
The first possible solution is to rapidly increase internal support for political opposition to the theocracy currently ruling the country. People want change, all they need is more support and encouragement. Remember, a Democracy rarely invades or poses a threat to other Democracies. Such as Margaret Thatcher’s comments regarding her initial impression of Gorbachev, I’m confident the West could work with a Democratic Iran.
The second and more drastic solution is for a wide-ranging and diverse international coalition to enact diplomacy from 20,000 feet above Iran. Similar to NATO’s Operation Allied Force in Serbia; we could use precision weapons to take out Iran’s nuclear facilities, major military resources, and heads of state. Let the people rise up and fill in the vacuum. Of course I did not agree with how NATO handled Serbia, and I still see that situation as unstable and unfinished, but it had some merits to it.
The third and most unreasonable solution would be to let Iran do what it wants. Let it become a nuclear power and see what it does with it’s newfound clout. If they get too big for their britches then the world will have to smack it back down. Of course the cost of waiting until then would be much greater, both in lives lost and in wide-spread destruction.
So I go back to my original point. What’s the use of Europe warning Iran? It’s pointless and only shows how pitiful and egotistical most of Old Europe has become. They actually think people will take them seriously. Talk about the fall of Western Civilization; here’s the opening salvo. Europe looses all credibility and influence throughout the world.
Next thing you will hear is Europe claiming that the worsening situation is the fault of the United State’s isolationism, and that they’ve been awaiting our assistance for years. It sounds all too familiar to me.
Time to grab a shovel and dig up Churchill and FDR. (Sorry Putin, Stalin stays in the ground)
posted by El Capitan at 5:01 PM
1 Comments:
said...
Sounds to me a lot like the old Robin Williams routine concerning unarmed British cops:
"Stop! Or. . . I'll say stop again!"