Curmudgeon's Corner

Negotiating Our Way To Armageddon?

Posted by Al Campbell on Sept. 29, 2009

Economy, Political, Quality of Life, U.S.

Iran represents what is probably the most dangerous situation existing in our world today.  North Korea is in a not-too-distant second position in this regard but that country isn't run by the regime that runs Iran.  North Korea is run by a ruthless dictator.  Iran is run by religious zealots who happen to be ruthless, as well.

This is a problem that has been with most of our modern day presidents; it just happens to be President Obama's problem today.

We have negotiated directly, although without much success, and indirectly through the United Nations.  The UN sanctions have had no significant impact because there are strong members of the UN that prefer the status quo for economic reasons.  Among those are Germany and Russia and China.

We are all now saddled with an untenable situation.  There are no good solutions remaining.  It is obvious that Iran will not end its quest for nuclear weapons and the associated delivery systems.  If we stand by, as we are now doing, then Israel will be forced to take whatever action it believes it must.  Israel is, after all, the nation that Iran's leaders continue to say they'll exterminate as soon as they're able, and they're very, very close to being able today.  Remember that Iran denies the holocaust; the regime is a brutal regime and that isn't going to change.

The choice open to us, to the world, would appear to be that of the lesser of evils; certainly not a good place to be, but that seems to be where we've gotten ourselves.  Even the selection of the lesser of two evils is difficult.  The United States can take out the nuclear program of Iran but will certainly drive the price of Middle East oil through the ceiling.  Israel can put a huge dent in Iran's nuclear program but probably not so big a dent as the U.S. could make.  Oil prices will escalate in either event.  Our economy is not in the shape one would like in the event that another military undertaking is necessary.  We're already vacillating about our options in the Afghan/Pakistan arena.

Most all the nations of the Middle East would probably be in favor of such a strike, but they're moot for good reason.  None of them wishes to be the third country put into the box of Iranian hatred.  They fully understand that Iran would be happy to include them in any decisive action if necessary.  There are religious differences involved and Iran is run by its brand of religion.

This is that classical spot between a rock and a hard place, and we've put ourselves in that position through the various administrations' acquiescence to the Iranians and to the 'selective' outrage of other of the world's nations.  It will do nothing but get worse, so there needs to be some action decided and taken soon. 

The rock gets bigger and the hard place gets harder with every passing month.

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The Curmudgeon Blog today is titled "Fired In Anger Or Warning Shots?".