By Kenneth J. Theisen, 5/24/07
On May 23rd in a provocative move aimed at Iran, the USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz
Carrier Strike Groups and USS Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group
entered the Persian Gulf. This naval display of force was previously unannounced
and comes at a time of increasing tensions in the area. It is one of the
largest shows of military force since the invasion of Iraq in 2003
and involves three naval battle groups. In March of this year the Stennis and
the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group conducted a dual-carrier, two battle
group exercise in the Persian Gulf as well.
In a U.S. Navy press release Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff
claims, “We are conducting this training in order to gain valuable experience
across a wide spectrum of naval disciplines. This training demonstrates our
commitment to security and stability in the Gulf area, and our commitment to
regional partners”the timing of this exercise is determined by the availability
of forces, and is not connected to events in the region. The exercise is not
directed against any nation.” I am sure
this lie is comforting to the Iranian people.
On the same day that these battle groups entered the Persian
Gulf, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a report stating
that Iran
has increased its capacity to enrich uranium in recent months. The report also
said that the IAEA could not “provide assurances about … the exclusively
peaceful nature” of Iran’s
nuclear program.
The Bush regime immediately began to issue threats to Iran. Undersecretary
of State Nicholas Burns said “Iran is thumbing its nose at the
international community. We are not going to agree to accept limited enrichment,
to accept that 1,300 centrifuges can continue spinning at their plant at
Natanz.”
At a news conference on May 24th, President Bush said, “The
world has spoken and said, `You know, no nuclear weapons programs.’ And yet
they’re constantly ignoring the demands. My view is that we need to strengthen
our sanction regime.” He did not mention the provocative naval maneuver,
but then that threat is obvious to Iranian leaders.
Iran
claims that its nuclear program is for the peaceful development of energy and
legal under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. It also contends that
sanctions are illegal. The Bush regime
claims the nuclear enrichment program is aimed at making Iran a nuclear
weapons power. The regime has clearly stated this is unacceptable. At his press
conference Bush said he planned to tell the Chinese and Russian leaders that
“an Iran
with a nuclear weapon would be incredibly destabilizing for the world.” He
said his administration will propose more punitive penalties against Iran as a result
of the most recent IAEA report. In
December the U.N. Security Council punished Iran for its refusal to suspend its
enrichment process. Iran
responded by stepping up its program and giving the IAEA less access to its
nuclear facilities.
It is not likely that Iran’s reactionary fundamentalist
leaders will back down in the face of threats issued by reactionary
fundamentalist leaders of the Bush regime. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
recently spoke before Iranian Revolutionary Guards stating that any temporary
suspension of enrichment is out of the question. He stated, “The enemy wants Iran to
surrender so it won’t have any say in the world.”
The Bush regime has been using the excuse of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons to promote
“regime change” in Iran.
It has added charges over the last year of Iranian support of terrorism in Iraq and Lebanon. But its real motives are a
radical transformation of the Middle East and Persian Gulf region in the
service of U.S.
imperialist interests. This was the
reason for invading Iraq and
is the reason the Bush regime is trying to provoke a possible war with Iran. The
possibility of war is very real and the latest provocations make this even
clearer to those who are paying attention.