Iran, Not Syria, Is the West's Real Target

[unhappycamper]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/30-3



A general view shows a heavily damaged street in Syria's eastern town of Deir Ezzor on August 26, 2013.

Iran, Not Syria, Is the West's Real Target
by Robert Fisk
Published on Friday, August 30, 2013 by The Independent/UK

Before the stupidest Western war in the history of the modern world begins – I am, of course, referring to the attack on Syria that we all yet have to swallow – it might be as well to say that the cruise missiles which we confidently expect to sweep onto one of mankind’s oldest cities have absolutely nothing to do with Syria.

They are intended to harm Iran. They are intended to strike at the Islamic republic now that it has a new and vibrant president – as opposed to the crackpot Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – and when it just might be a little more stable.

Iran is Israel’s enemy. Iran is therefore, naturally, America’s enemy. So fire the missiles at Iran’s only Arab ally.

There is nothing pleasant about the regime in Damascus. Nor do these comments let the regime off the hook when it comes to mass gassing. But I am old enough to remember that when Iraq – then America’s ally – used gas against the Kurds of Hallabjah in 1988, we did not assault Baghdad. Indeed, that attack would have to wait until 2003, when Saddam no longer had any gas or any of the other weapons we had nightmares over.

[Democracyinkind]

1. Rec. This is all about Iran, sorry for those who can't see it.

[Cryptoad]

2. Farther Proof

that not punishing the use of Nerve gas leads to it's farther use. The whole world is hoping, maybe Iran can soon have their a-bombs and they can share them with Assad the Asshole to use at his pleasure!

[sulphurdunn]

5. Considering what has happened

since the first Gulf War, nothing would be more stabilizing in the region than for Iran to have a nuclear arsenal not unlike those possessed by Israel, India and Pakistan.

[bemildred]

3. It is about the consequences of Bush's Iraq fandango: the destruction of Iraq,

the solidifying of the Shi'ia Crescent (around Iran), and trying to prevent it from becoming "worse" by making it worse, making the whole region a bloody fucking mess.

[cpwm17]

4. "Iran is Israel’s enemy. Iran is therefore, naturally, America’s enemy."

The Israel lobby in the US is arguably the most powerful US lobby. They help set our foreign policy agenda. It is no coincidence that our target list equals Israel's target list. Their interests mesh well with the powerful MIC lobbies which will support any war.

[sulphurdunn]

6. Correct in every particular.

Our government doesn't give a rat's ass for gassed Syrians anymore than it did for Kurds and Iranians, the latter who were gassed by the thousands on the orders of our ally Saddam Hussein and against whom we neither spoke, heard nor saw any evil.

[libodem]

7. No doubt