Target Iran

American is in transition; again. For the puritan that wishes for a world that encompasses what the founding fathers envisioned and the “Devine destiny” of the mid 1850s, they will be happy. For the liberal that wants large scale change to America and change the complexion of the country, sorry you are out of luck. For the middle of the road citizen that feels that there is a balance somewhere in all the direction and redirection we are experiencing, stand by and don’t get stressed and don’t run around giving high fives. There will be compromise and sit back and enjoy the ride.
There has been a flurry of activity in Washington. The majority of this has been domestic and North American regional activity. We hear rhetoric about Europe and the Mid-East but it is more posturizing today than substance; but, considering the new administration the rhetoric will become reality. The one issue that has been in the news for many years, the one issue that was a part of the last presidential campaign and the one issue that has publicly called for “death to America” and the one issue that has gone quiet is Iran. I am confident that this issue will soon be very visible and it is probably a guarantee that this villain is being discussed in private and without fanfare.
The disconnect between Iran and the rest of the world is well known. Countries and causes align with Iran either publicly or behind the scenes for four main reasons. Iran has oil and the world runs on oil and Iran is willing to sell it. Also, Iran will sell arms to those that need to buy them and at the same time align the two countries as “friends”. The third reason of the cause for alignment to Iran is the supply of arms, training and financial aid support for terrorist causes. A fourth, and possibly the most impactful yet misunderstood is the religious zealots that use religion as a cause to launch internal and external chaos and destruction.
Many think of the Mid-East as a common thinking and common acting region that is committed to the same principles. Nothing is further from the truth.
When I first arrived in Saudia Arabia in 1978, I was told to not use the term Persian Gulf. Instead we were to use Arabian Gulf. We had been taught in school that the body of water that bordered both Saudi Arabia and Iran was the Persian Gulf but if the Arabian Gulf was to be used in Arabia then it would be so. Truth is, the term Arabian Gulf is not recognized by the United Nations. Also, the International Hydrographic Organization, the body responsible for naming bodies of water around the world recognized the term Persian Gulf. What this underlines is not the naming convention for a certain body of water. What is underlined is the animosity for Iran from Saudi Arabia and how different the two countries are.
While in Arabia I also heard that Iran does not like nor wants to be referred to as being populated by Arabs. They claim that they are Persians and this makes them superior to Arabs. So much for regional camaraderie.
This animosity and distrust spilled over during the Iranian/Iraqi war. Iraq invaded Iran and an eight year war ensued. Prior to the war Iran had a civil war that saw the property of the United States, the Embassy in Iran, stormed and the Americans held hostage. Hatred for America was evident as the government of Iran supported organizations that desired to overthrow or engaged in chaos in our country. While we view the people of a country through the lens of the government, that is not always the case. The civilians in Iran just as the civilians in oppressive countries such as Afghanistan and Russia and China and Venezuela have little say in who controls the country or the direction of the country. Most would love to live a country that offers the freedoms of the United States.
Though Iran is off the radar screen of the press, it is being scrutinized and future action will be forthcoming. We can not stand back and let a rogue regime support the terrorism we witnessed in Israel, the impact the Hutus had on world shipping in the Red Sea nor the support given to Russia while invading a peaceful country. There must be and will be consequences to Iran’s actions and under no circumstances can Iran ever possess a nuclear weapon.
We have our work cut out for us.

God Bless America, God Save the Ukraine and Pray for Israel.