Iran and Nukes

Make no mistake about it. Iran is a problem that we created a long time ago. Our support of the Shah of Iran was similar to what American leaders have done in other parts of the world before and after the Iranian Revolution. The issue has generally come down to our support of an autocratic government for fear that a radical government would emerge. Yet our support of a strongman has frequently led to unrest because of the economic gap between the few who run a nation and the masses that have little control over their lives, economically or socially. This brings us to Iran. Shah Reza Pahlavi represented the modern, wealthy side of Iranian society. The poorer masses resented their position and turned to fundamentalist Islamists who decried the Westernization of Iran and called for a return to traditional Muslim ways. The denizens of the streets of Teheran and elsewhere were a prime audience for revolutionary rhetoric. The odd thing is, we were taken by surprise by this. Jimmy Carter was president at the time and certainly accountable for much of this, but the coddling of the Shah pre-existed our greatest ex-president.

So now we face a sabre-rattling Iranian government that hates the U.S. and looks for street cred in the Middle East by calling us the Great Satin and threatening the annihilation of Israel. Iranian nuclear ambitions are well known. How far they really are in their program is hard to say, but the most out-spoken anti-American state in the region seems bent on getting the bomb. Logic should dictate to Iranian leaders that a nuclear attack on U.S. interests would yield nothing but their own destruction. That is, of course if we have political and military leaders in place who are willing to go all the way if necessary. If a small-scale terrorist attack using a nuclear device should take place, the sources for that weapon would be a limited family of nations that already have the technology, or one who is anxious to join the clan.

Will we see the first modern instance in which nuclear weapons are used in hostilities. The U.S. bears the distinction of being the only nation as yet to do so. Will Iran ultimately take such a step. The results of elections in November could narrow Iran's options. But don't expect Israel to sit idle while Iran plots her demise.