Matt Wood called me over the weekend and expressed some concern about Iran's nuclear standoff. Now that I'm done moving Nina into her new apartment, I can rest my bulging muscles and join the conversation.
Iran broke U.N. seals at a uranium enrichment plant earlier this month and said it was resuming nuclear research after a 2½-year freeze. Western countries are in an uproar, and the UN, US and EU are taking action to stop Iran's nuclear advances. It's good that the UN and EU are taking the bull by the horns this time around because the US cannot (potentially) go to war against Iran alone. Our forces are strecthed too thin trying to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq.
The West received some bad news last week when Syria, to no one's suprise, announced its support of Iran's nuclear standoff.
"Considering that Syria is the steadfast party confronting Israel, and Iran is the defender of the Islamic revolution, this obliges us to have more consultation and cooperation," said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Take note that Syria and Iran also border Iraq on opposite sides and harbor terrorists that attack U.S. troops. Terrorists don't just grow on trees in Iraq.
The US is bound, in my mind, to the Iran conflict by:
- Its own will (W.'s Axis of Evil proclamation)
- Its occupation of Iraq
- Most importantly, its alliance with Israel
Israel's defense minister accused Iran and Syria on Friday of masterminding a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that wounded 20 people, and, while reinforcing Israel's committment to diplomacy, Israel’s defense minister Shaul Mofaz said yesterday:
“Israel will not be able to accept an Iranian nuclear capability, and it must have the capability to defend itself, with all that that implies, and this we are preparing.”
The message is clear: Israel is ready to rumble. This is the reason why Matt Wood is so concerned. A history major at WWU, Matt recalls that in 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and alliances elevated the conflict to The Great War, or WWI. I don't believe this conflict will escalate to that level (we should learn from, not repeat history), but I echo Matt's concern.
Random thoughts:
- How is Osama bin Laden alive and able to cut audio tracks?
- Will Harry Belafonte just shut the f&#! up?
Interesting op-eds I found at USAToday.com: