On Trump's war with Iran

Seeking War with Iran

Veterans Today,
22 June, 2019

…by Akbar Montaser, Professor Emeritus, George Washington University

The President’s stroll to a possible war with Iran is approaching a crossroad. For example, on April 8th, he named the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

On May 29th, National Security Adviser, the Iraq war architect, Mr. John Bolton, went on the offensive against Iran. He charged Iran for the assault on four oil tankers at an anchorage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) without offering a shred of evidence that Iran was guilty.

The U.S. just lately dropped waivers for nations purchasing Iranian oil. China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Turkey met U.S. sanctions to import Iranian oil. This news of “attacked” oil tankers close to the Strait of Hormuz alleged by the U.S. comes at the time extra measures were taken by President Trump to stress Iran’s economy and further threaten the Iranian government. Conveniently, one of the tankers assaulted last week was displaying Japan-related cargo! One has to be foolish to accept the claim as proof!

As Russia rightly and repeatedly has stated, the U.S. is trying to instigate a war with Iran, twisting the knife in the wound beginning with the President’s judgment to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from Iran Nuclear Deal, and increasing gradually since then harsh economic sanctions and then sending military forces to the Persian Gulf.

Two days ago, President Trump decided to post about 1,000 more U.S. troops to the Middle East against a background of mounting tension with Iran. The former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan declared the troop increase.

He said, “The United States does not seek conflict with Iran. The action today is being taken to ensure the safety and welfare of our military personnel working throughout the region and to protect our national interests,” indeed certified drivels!

The Pentagon resorted to likely a fabricated video followed by a made-up high-resolution picture purportedly showing Revolutionary Guard members trying to erase proof of the attack on a Japanese oil supertanker last week, neglecting that the individuals in the boat were plausible members of Israeli forces if not the CIA!

Iran has continuously maintained it has no awareness of the bombing events and did not command surrogate forces to strike Saudi oil facilities or the Persian Gulf shipping. Indeed, inquiries into the earlier alleged assaults in May conducted by the UAE discovered “sophisticated mines” were used, but fell flat in accusing Iran as the offender.

Indeed, UAE officials have been cautious not to directly blame Iran for the attacks, stating alternately that the sabotage was the job of an unnamed “state actor.” Still, Misters Bolton and Pompeo, without the proof, insist that Iran “was almost certainly involved.” The alibi is too perfect to have been real! The White House still has significant convincing to do!

Misters Bolton and Secretary Mike Pompeo, effectively disguised Israeli citizens, are trying to create a deliberate incident to justify what Israel desires, that is, war with Iran. Iran does not endanger Saudi Arabia, a nation to which the U.S. is peddling $100 billions of weaponry while being guarded by the clausal U.S. military power.

The power is assembled in Al Udeid in Qatar, Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Khalifa in Saudi Arabia, and Military City in Saudi Arabia. With so much military power nearby, how can Iran intimidate anything the U.S. has in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, or the neighborhood? Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate, and Israel, allied with the U.S., have much domination.

5th Fleet headquarters, Bahrain

Claims by Misters Bolton and Pompeo are fabricated inventions. President Trump recklessly goes along with them because he is not mindful of the region’s past and lacks the essential cerebral range needed in a President.

Had the President read a single book on the history of the Middle East, he would have understood the long list of democratically elected governments overthrown by the U.S. since 1846. American governments have fashioned over 66 coups in the World, one being in Iran in 1953 when the U.S, united with Britain, overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh.

Last week, two members of Congress–Democrat Elissa Slotkin and Republican Matt Gaetz–informed the public that Mr. Trump professes that the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) signifies he can go to war with Iran without Congressional support.

Representative Elissa Slotkin further stated, “We were absolutely presented with a full formal presentation on how the 2001 AUMF might authorize war on Iran.” Today, the House voted to revoke legislation that has been abused by three presidents since 2001 to rationalize wars in nineteen nations.

The President and his cruel cohorts are earnest in drawing this nation into a fierce new war, again for the benefits of Israel. The destiny and care of nearly half a million veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq suffering from mental ailment are unimportant for this Administration. Approximately 8,000 veterans commit suicide each year.

The unnecessary conflict with Iran would be even far more costly and deadly than the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria combined. It is a civic duty to deter Misters Bolton and Pompeo from continuing American government wars by appending another prey to the U.S. 18-year-long war with 83 million peaceful people to Make America Great Again!

Mr. Trump is seeking the Presidency in 2020 and announced it last night in a rally in Florida with 20,000 present. A speech similar to “Mission Accomplished” rhetoric by President George W. Bush would help his campaign.

To achieve his goal, the Administration use lies about the so-called aggressive behavior of the Iranian government. The hoaxes are pathetic. It is apparent that apartheid Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and their American collaborators deep inside the seventeen intelligence agencies of the United States are responsible for the bombing of the tankers in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Along with the President, the two Mafia chiefs are determined on regime change all over the World. To support a war with Iran or Venezuela, Misters Bolton and Pompeo use all duperies and deceptions they can without the aid of Satan!

The author does not profess to be competent in establishing that there exists no God. Equally, I cannot determine that Satan is a fantasy. However, there exists ample proofs that Misters Bolton and Pompeo, along the foreign policy establishment in Washington DC are certified carnations of Satan! Individuals who promise to flatten, for example, Iran and slaughter 83 million peaceful people are worse than Satan!

The two warmongers have brothers that constitute, as Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tags them, the “B Team.” For example, the Israeli Prime Minister claims to be engaged in a never-ending struggle to create peace in the war-stricken Middle East.

He alone can create floods of blood of innocent people by resorting to about 400 nuclear weapons Israel possesses. The four men are accountable for nearly all miseries in the Middle East, along with the greatest western powers headed since FDR by our governments: Democrats and Republicans.

Americans must not wait for miracles to prevent wars. The critical question is why there is a need for a war with Iran. Can the U.S. mention a single Iranian provocation, with verified proof, as grounds for bombing Iran before starting it? It has been challenging for the U.S. to provide a piece of solid evidence. Whatever has been presented thus far is suspicious.

To increase the extent of intimidations, the U.S. already had informed vessels that “Iran or its proxies” could be assaulting marine transportation in the neighborhood. The U.S. used the pretext by deploying an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter declared, still-undefined perils from Iran.

Increased tensions around the Strait of Hormuz this week

Indeed, the U.S. will use the recent incidents to continue increasing its military forces in the region, stamping pressure on Iran. The conduct is moving the whole orb closer to war. In short, for 40 years, the long-standing U.S. foreign policies concerning Iran are being implemented by all Presidents, but how?

Since particularly 2009, the deep state developed detailed plans to justify the long-sought dream of war with Iran. The signing of the Iran Nuclear Deal and then retreat from it may be considered as parts of the plan. In an overlooked book in 2009, “WHICH PATH TO PERSIA?

Options for a New American Strategy toward Iran,” six authors from Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings Institution first acknowledged the dilemmas of US-led military invasion against Iran!

In its report, it stated “…any military operation against Iran will likely be very unpopular around the world and require the proper international context—both to ensure the logistical support ……..” and to lessen the blowback from it. The report then described how the U.S. could look to the World as a negotiator and portray Iran’s treachery of a “perfect deal” as the pretense for an otherwise unwilling U.S. armed response!

The safest way to reduce worldwide ignominy and increase backing was to hit Iran only when there is a popular belief that Iran is an evil adversary, indeed as Israel insinuates. The plan was to present to Iran a reasonable offer, but create conditions for the Iranian government to reject it, suggesting Iran was hellbent to procure nuclear arms and wants to obtain them for the evil reasons.

Under such circumstances, Israel and the U.S. can represent their actions as taken in grief, not hatred and at least some in the world population would presume that the Iranians brought it on themselves by rejecting a bargain. Is not the agenda well planned to attack Iran?

It was this plan that President Obama, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner, started to implement purposely in his second term, not in his first term! His plan was to put off a deal so the next President could use all excuses to tear apart and set the conditions for attacking Iran! How convenient!

The 2009 book also outlined how to drive Iran into war! The global diplomatic and domestic political imperatives of the assault on Iran would be lessened with a “sweet deal”. In short, the bigger the unsalted Iranian agreement, the less the U.S. is perceived to be driving Iran to war, thereby reducing hurdles for a devastating war to take out Iran. Alternatively, the provocation could be staged, for instance, copying the Gulf of Tonkin incident in Vietnam.

The Brookings report also reveals the improbability of Iran befalling into U.S.’s trap, grieving, “……..… if Washington sought such a provocation, it could take actions that might make it more likely that Tehran would do so.”

Since 1979, Iran has been hesitant of doing something to provoke the U.S. Thus, the U.S. may never become lucky! Of course, past incidents could be the opening of a range of staged incitements. The ultimate intent is ending Iran’s political order and dividing Iran into separate states to fleece its resources.

The fools never realized that Iran’s influence in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza might be increased significantly. Still, Washington plan against Iran is to isolate it. It is based on U.S. capacity to advance economic and political “goodies” along with severe threats to friends and adversaries to achieve its ultimate goal.

The policymakers in Washington also have not realized after 40 years of sanctions, clandestine and open hostility, and surrogate conflicts have made Iran more formidable, achieving greater magnetism across the Middle East more than ever.

Still, Washington’s capacity for seeding geographical discord for dividing and destroying Iran should not be underestimated. For example, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton removed Mujahedeen Khalq, or People’s Mujahedeen, from the State Department’s list of designated terrorist organizations. The group now is excited, hallucinating they soon rule Iran! The competition is the misguided Reza Pahlavi and his senseless supporters.

he intentional agreement and then withdrawal from the Iran Deal was premeditated. The U.S.’ persistent military presence in the Middle East and sanctions aimed at Iran all symbolize that U.S. policymakers persist in isolating and weakening Iran.

It will last to do so until the U.S. geopolitical goals are met, or until a new global order produces conditions in the Middle East and throughout the global economy, forcing U.S. administration to change its policies against Iran, though very unlikely.

Iranians would be wise to stand on their feet and create everything in Iran to remain independent and eventually prosperous. The U.S. and its supposed “allies” have been enormous trouble makers in the Middle East as long as its war machine operates in the US and western countries to peddle their arms to the foolish monarchs of the Middle East, thereby filling the pockets of affluence more than ever.

Interestingly, while the U.S. is asking Iran even to have no nuclear power plants, this week, Congress is considering making the first down payments on $1.7 trillion for new atomic arms as if we do not have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the World many times!

Most of this colossal figure, indeed corporate handouts, must be devoted to urgently needed investments, such as education, healthcare, and climate change for a far better tomorrow for all people. Bizarrely, America spends nine times more on the Pentagon than on education or most other national affairs. Stone heads are running the country!

Of course, President Trump has other bull-headed advisers, beside Misters Bolton and Pompeo, who handle the President’s foreign policy conflicts. For example, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham on June 14th resumed his call for a Grenada-style incursion of Venezuela in an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show.

He said, “put military force on the table,” thereby frightening North Korea and Iran into crying uncle. Relatedly, in a short, but “inspiring” speech, Mr. Patrick Clawson, Director of Research at Washington Institute of Near East Policy had said “We Need a False Flag to Start War with Iran! ”

Yesterday morning, the increase in animosity with Iran advanced further with the report of a U.S. drone being shot down by Iran over Iranian territory. In contrast, the U.S. lied, insisting the drone was in international water, going to synagogue when Iran struck it without warning! The President reportedly approved, then abort Iran strikes. The “careful” plans for taking out Iran were indeed being implemented!

President Trump stated on Saturday ‘major additional sanctions’ on Iran to come Monday to stop the country from acquiring a nuclear bomb. He also warned that military actions against Iran are on the table.

Iran lost 100,000 men in Iran-Iraq war due to the chemical weapons the U.S. gave to Iraq. Does the President think having Israel in Middle East Iran craves for nuclear arms?

Mr. Trump also suggested Iran must use a new slogan, “Let’s make Iran great again,” neglecting Iran was and is great without the U.S. the Middle East.

Finally, to force a war with Iran, Mr. Bolton will likely soon resort to more laughable lies. One can imagine he will trumpet from the United Arab Emirate” Iran is liable for the cruel Malice at the Palace that resulted in a fight between the Indiana Pacers and the then-defending titleholder Detroit Pistons on November 19, 2004!”

Subsequently, secretary Pompeo will follow up asserting high-resolution fingerprints of the Iran Revolutionary Guards have been found all over the basketball! To Keep America Great, Fox News will interview the President.

President joyfully says, “Well, Iran did do it. And you know they did it because you saw the basketball!” Naturally, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, being offended by the fools, asks Iranians to burn American flags. Using the golden opportunity, President Trump will address the nation from the White House, announcing the start of Iran War to Keep American Great!

American diplomacy is alive and well, to boost Americans moral! Only decent American citizens can rise and stop barbarity in the Middle East.

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Akbar Montaser is Professor Emeritus, The George Washington University (Washington, DC) where he taught and conducted research for 32 years (1981-2012). He also served as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation for nine years.

Montaser is an antiwar devotee of human rights, an advocate of nuclear disarmament, and a partisan in the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. Aside from his field of chemical instrumentation, he writes on political subjects pertinent to Iran, the Middle East, and the United States.