Bud Talkinghorn: The Danger of Iran

The Americans claim that Iran is smuggling weapons into Iraq. An entire truckload was apprehended. It has been known from the beginning that Iran uses the sacred pilgimages to holy Shi'ite mosques to filter in spies and political agitators. Who the intented recipient was we don't know. Most Western intelligence agencies agree that Iran is harbouring top al-Qaeda and Taliban members. Why a fanatical Shi'ite regime would shield organizations that hates them is mystifying, especially as al-Qaeda in Iraq attacks Shi'ites, even in their sacred towns. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" maxim comes to mind as a possible answer. Perhaps Iran is simply waiting until the flash point is reached and the Iraqi Shi'ites openly attack the Sunni. Then the Mullahs can send military aid to their co-religionists, as well as solidify their positions in the south. Meanwhile to keep the Israelis on their toes, they will continue funding Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas in Palestine.

All this mischief could be tolerated, if Iran weren't actively pursuing nuclear weapons. For a starter, there is Mr. Rafsanjani, who came second in the last Iranian election, openly stating that, should Iran get a nuclear bomb, Iran would use it to wipe out Israel. . . and the guy who won the presidency is thought to be more extremist than Rafsanjani. The idea that in some self-induced religious frenzy, the mullocracy might decide to get their virgins all at once, and trigger a nuclear war with Israel, is an outside possibility. An Armageddon impulse that
would involve the Americans and who knows who else.

The Mullahs, who control The Revolutionary Council are the real rulers; they understand that their 'vision' for the country is under enormous pressure from the educated young and middle class urbanites. From the demographics, this group will soon be a large majority. The ruthless use of illegal detentions and goons from the slums of south Tehran to break up student demonstrations have sufficed so far, but the Mullahs know their day of reckoning is close.

Today's announcement that Iran has broken the final seals on their nuclear conversion sections has alarmed France and Germany, who now side with the U.S. in proposing sanctions against Iran. Even wishy-washy Canada has called for sanctions. Iran immediately issued two thinly-veiled threats. First, they reminded the West that they partially control oil supply--and its price. Next, they suggested they could be influential in the Iraq conflict . . . or they could be otherwise. Or if you wish, a one-two punch. These are not threats that the West can take lightly. Not unless you want to see signs that say--"brand new SUV, fully loaded, $2,000 or best offer". This blatant defiance of their semi- supporting European allies is a bad sign. Are the Revolutionary Council mullahs hell-bent on producing another "Islamic Bomb", as they refer to it? Their very term is chilling. Can you imagine President Bush referring to America's nuclear arsenal as "The Christian Bombs"? Stay tuned for furher tension.

© Bud Talkinghorn

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