A Warning to Iran

[Annie]

From the Kasmir Times! It's still the US's fault, but 'might triumphs over right...'

http://www.kashmirtimes.com/

For Iran clock starts ticking
US pushes for possible sanctions for its vested interests

AFTER wrestling for weeks with aims, implications and words China and Russia have ultimately arrived at an agreement over the stand the United Nations Security Council would take on Iran's highly controversial nuclear enrichment programme. On July 31, the 15-member Security Council, with Qatar alone dissenting, passed the resolution No. 1696 asking Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment programme within a month, i.e. August 31 or to face the consequence in the form of economic and even political sanctions. Now, it is for Mohammad El Baradei, Director of the International Atomic Agency, to declared after August 31 whether Iran had followed or flouted the Security Council's directive. If then he says that Iran had not, then punitive action against it could be taken under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

Now, the question is, whether the elusive unity between China and Russia, on the one hand and the Western powers on the Security Council, on the other, forged on its floor on July 31, survives that long or not. Russia and China have always given the impression that, while they are critical of Iran's nuclear programme, they are not in favour of any threatening action that may provoke Iran's hardliners and create an explosive situation that they want to avoid. Once bitten in Iraq the US is now twice shy to act alone against Iran. US has already too much in its hand in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Lebanon crisis may soon find itself involved there too. So the US, though itching for action against Iran, is still hesitant to act alone. And, it is this expectation of disunity among the P-5 that stokes Iran's defiant attitude.

However, when in the words of John Bolton, the US ambassador to the US, "the clock has began the tick" for Iran, it is time for the world to pause and to think how far it is moving in the right direction leading to peace and justice. The question haunting the world since the emergence of the present Iranian crisis is, why should not Iran enrich uranium? After all, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have done, then why such an uproar over Iran's venture in this field? In fact, the entire US-led opposition to Iran is based on the former's suspicion that Iran was trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran, however, strongly denies all such allegations. This means that the US is seeking to take punitive action against Iran only on the basis of suspicion, just as it had taken against Iraq. US accused Saddam Husain of storing WMDs, but after Iraq's conquest no trace of any WMD could be found there. So, there are strong reasons to doubt the authencity of the US' suspicion or information. Rather, there are strong reasons to believe that the US, with all its influence and control over the media, is only creating a climate of opinion that will ultimately enable it to take pre-emptive action against Iran to take possession of its oil resources and strategic location vis-a-vis the resource-rich new-born states of Central Asia and Trans-Caucasia. Otherwise, why of all countries, it is the US which is the most worried over Iran's alleged nuclear programme. Russia is Iran's next-door neighbour, but is not worried over its possible possession of nuclear weapons. These confirm the suspicion that the US has some ulterior interest to serve, as in the case of Iraq only three years ago. Should US be allowed to play the role of a global policeman, out to enforce on the world its Pax Americana? It will be a very sad day, indeed, when might replaces right.

However, Iran too should take into cognizance the fact that, in the bad real world we are living in, might usually triumphs over right, as it has recently done in Afghanistan and Iraq and is going to triumph in Lebanon, also. So, taking lessons from the reality around, Iran should be less provocative, must not make it difficult for China and Russia to support it, and must take measures to avoid the ferocity of American aggression. After all, instances are there to prove that if the sole super-power decided to take action none will come forward to save the victim, in the name of right and justice. So, with all India's support for Iran's right to enrich uranium, India would request it to be more realistic and, hence, restrained.