By Kenneth J. Theisen
As regular readers of this site are well
aware, the Bush regime has escalated a series of verbal attacks against
Iran over the last several months. Iran repeatedly has been accused of
trying to acquire nuclear weapons, supporting terrorism, destabilizing
Iraq, etc. The purpose of this rhetoric may soon become clear.
Asia Times Online recently reported that, according to an “informed source”, the Bush regime plans to launch an air strike against Iran within the next two months. Also according to Asia Times, two Senators who were briefed on the attack had planned on making their opposition to the attack public. Asian Times identified the source as a “former assistant secretary of state still active in the foreign affairs community.” He was also reported to be an ambassador during the Bush I administration.
[This Asia Times article is also consistent with a recent report by Israeli Army Radio which quoted a top Israeli official who claimed that in Bush’s recent trip to Israel a senior member of Bush team revealed that Bush and Cheney were of the opinion that military action against Iran was now appropriate. Of course the White House immediately denied the report.]
According to this Asia Times source, the attack would target the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force’s headquarters and other Qud’s facilities. Such an attack would be consistent with the Bush regime rhetoric, which has repeatedly charged that the IRGC has been training “special groups” in Iraq which then allegedly target American and Iraqi troops. Soon General David Petraeus, who was installed in his position as top Army commander in Iraq precisely because he is in complete sync with Bush and Cheney will issue another “report”, and he too is expected to charge the Iranians with backing these so-called special groups.
Bush could also “claim” congressional bi-partisan support for such an attack. The Senate in September of 2007 approved by a 76-22 majority a resolution urging Bush to declare the IRGC a terrorist organization As the Senate knew, Bush has said he will attack “terrorists” wherever they are. And a “terrorist” is whoever Bush/Cheney declare is a terrorist. Hillary Clinton, an aspirant for Bush’s job, voted for the resolution. Of course Clinton also threatened to obliterate Iran if it attacked Israel. McCain, the Republican candidate for president, has been fond of singing “bomb, bomb, Iran” as a “joke.” He has made countering terrorism and “Islamic extremism” a center piece of his campaign.
While the Asia Times article said the source reported that the Bush administration views the air attacks as a limited action, there is no such thing as a limited action in an area with such heightened tensions as the Persian Gulf region. “Limited action” could easily escalate into a regional conflagration and that is one reason why any attack on Iran must be vigorously opposed by mass action. It could be that the Bush regime is hoping such a “limited action” may force the Iranian regime to retaliate, giving the U.S. the excuse to escalate attacks against Iran, including attacks on nuclear and other military facilities.
The Asia Times piece also indicates that there may be an ongoing dispute within the ruling class about the possible pending attack. But do not expect this to deter the Bush regime. According to the Times source, Senators Richard Lugar and Diane Feinstein received classified briefings regarding the attack. The source reported that they would write a New York Times op-ed piece to express their opposition to any such air assault. But no such piece has yet appeared and it may never appear.
IAEA Report and War Preparations
In a related development, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report released on May 26th, that intelligence from a number of sources suggest Iran has conducted studies into making nuclear warheads. Iranian leaders have dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and stated the intelligence is “forged”. Given the “intelligence” which claimed Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 U.S. invasion of that country this is quite likely to be the case.
But the IAEA is demanding that the Iranians disprove the allegations. According to the report, “Substantive explanations are required from Iran to support its statements on the alleged studies and on other information with a possible military dimension”The alleged studies … remain a matter of serious concern. Clarification of these is critical to an assessment of the nature of Iran’s past and present nuclear programme.”
The report stated that the IAEA “is continuing to assess the information and explanations provided by Iran. However, at this stage, Iran has not provided the agency with all the information, access to documents and access to individuals necessary to support Iran’s statements”Iran may have additional information, in particular on high explosives testing and missile-related activities, which could shed more light on the nature of these alleged studies and which Iran should share with agency.”
The Bush regime immediately used the report to attack Iran. Gregory Schulte, the US ambassador to the IAEA, stated “The report shows in great detail how much Iran needs to explain, and how little it has. [The IAEA’s director general Mohamed ElBaradei] “does not report progress, he does not report cooperation.”
In response, Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, stated “We have left no question unanswered. We have given all the explanations needed as far as we are concerned. We have given 200 pages of explanations. We have dealt with this in depth.” He went on to say, “We will continue enrichment, while not suspending our cooperation with the IAEA.” The U.S. and it allies are trying to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for its civil nuclear program. The U.S. has continued to claim that Iran is using its nuclear program to mask its acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Top Bush administration officials including President Bush have stated that Iran will not be allowed to have nukes or even the knowledge to build them. In October of 2007 Bush stated, “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.” So for Bush the knowledge to have a nuclear weapon is not allowed and he has also said all options are on the table in regard to Iran.
As stated above we already know the attitude of Clinton and McCain regarding Iran. And for those who think Obama will be any different, he stated as far back as September of 2004, “The big question is going to be, if Iran is resistant to these pressures, including economic sanctions, which I hope will be imposed if they do not cooperate, at what point are we going to, if any, are we going to take military action?”
He went on to say, “In light of the fact that we’re now in Iraq, with all the problems in terms of perceptions about America that have been created, us launching some missile strikes into Iran is not the optimal position for us to be in. On the other hand, having a radical Muslim theocracy in possession of nuclear weapons is worse. So I guess my instinct would be to err on not having those weapons in the possession of the ruling clerics of Iran.”
One thing is very clear – whatever the pretext, whatever the justification, whatever international and/or domestic agencies and officials issue reports on the “Iranian threat” – any U.S. attack of any military magnitude upon Iran would be utterly unjust, immoral, and illegal, would involve the deaths of countless people, most of them civilians, and must be met with mass opposition, before it happens, and if one actually occurs.
The Bush Regime is driving the world into an even more dangerous and deadly place. War with Iran can be prevented, but our so-called national leaders will not stop it. You, and millions more like you, can do so through mass political resistance and opposition. What are you waiting for?
Ken Theisen is a veteran activist of movements opposing U.S. imperialism, its wars and domination of countries throughout the world, member of the World Can’t Wait national Steering Committee, and an advocate against domestic violence in the San Francisco Bay Area.