We are at a point in history where the Iranian nuclear crisis could take many different directions. The two options most talked about are crippling sanctions that everybody knows will not work and precision military attacks by America and/or Israel that will most likely escalate into a far wider conflict. Both contain the strong possibility of causing major disruption to the world economy and may even result in the eventual use of nuclear weapons.
What if Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear industry, would that not be the best solution? Of course many juicy carrots would have to be offered to the Iranians if they were to be persuaded to end their nuclear ambitions.
Below is a scenario much preferable to the two options above, assuming world leaders have the creativity and courage to make it happen.
Iran agrees to totally dismantle its nuclear industry and not pursue nuclear technology in return for the following incentives and agreements:
American agrees to withdraw all its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan,
America closes down all its military bases in Central Asia,
America withdraws all its naval forces from the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman and closes down all its military bases in the Middle East,
America enters into a favorable twenty-year agreement with OPEC for the supply of oil and natural gas to the United States, in return for stringent conservation programs to eliminate wastage throughout American industry and society, as well as a ten fold increase in the use of renewable energy,
America insists that Israel's nuclear arsenal be placed under the control of NATO by January 2007, or all aid will be cut off and crippling sanctions imposed,
America supports and assists Iran to join the World Trade Organization,
America removes all trade sanctions and signs a fair and favorable trading treaty with Iran,
America would publicly admit to the mistake of destroying Iranian democracy in 1953 by conducting a coup and installing a dictatorship and Iran in return would apologize for the taking of the American Embassy hostages and would compensate them and their families in some way that would be acceptable,
America provides significant financial support to secure the Afghan side of the border so as to eliminate the smuggling of all drugs into Iran,
America returns all frozen Iranian assets in American banks, plus the interest generated over these past years,
America agrees to support Iran's position on the division of the Caspian Sea boundaries,
America agrees to support Iran's ownership rights to the three islands in the Persian Gulf,
America agrees to the building and use of a crude oil pipeline between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf,
America implements new U.S. tax incentives for Iranian-Americans so as to encourage investment in the Iranian economy,
America and Europe provide funding, technology transfer, and establishment of a solar and wind industry in Iran so that by 2015 fifty percent of Iran's energy is derived from alternative energy sources,
America provides assistance and funding in the establishment of an Iranian version of the Small Business Administration,
American and Europe assist in the establishment of a venture capital industry in Iran,
America in cooperation with France, Germany, England, and Australia fund and establish a hundred universities in Iran by 2010 with focus on the following fields: business management, finance and economics, medicine, agriculture, sciences and engineering, computer sciences, transportation, international trade, communication, comparative religion and peace studies,
America and Europe support the entry of Hezbollah as a political party into the Lebanese democratic process after it has disarmed,
America and Europe enforce the favorable settlement of Iran's war claims from the Iran-Iraq war,
America agrees to fund strategic alliances and joint ventures between Silicon Valley and Iranian companies,
America and Europe help modernize and expand Iran's capital markets,
America and Europe return all historical items discovered in Iran, and which are now in museums around the world,
America and Europe would agree to abide by and enforce the implementation of stringent environmental laws for the Caspian Sea as a condition for further oil and gas exploration and development,
America and Europe would cooperate in the establishment of a Middle Eastern alliance similar to NATO, which would renounce and ban the deployment, or use of, all weapons of mass destruction.
One of the first steps if the above was to be implemented would be the immediate establishment of a hot line between Tehran and Washington to make sure no unforeseen or unauthorized confrontation takes place between American and Iranian forces. This would require the public acknowledgement that some extremist in both countries do not want the re-establishment of good relations but would prefer military confrontation.
Finally if all of the above is agreed to Iran agrees to implement and enforce the democratic process on all levels of Iranian society and dismantle any governing offices headed by non-elected individuals. Iran would also recognize the right of Israel to exist, and end all its support for non-Iranian resistance groups like Islamic Jahid, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
So, which is the better option, sanctions that could trigger world-wide economic depression, military confrontation that could quickly escalate into a regional war, or abandoning nuclear activity and imperialism in exchange for peace?
