Tush Factor is an important parameter for those Iranians sitting on the side lines and passing pseudo intellectual comments in the form of geopolitical analysis. All the while, regurgitating the same old rhetoric and labels trumpeted by mainstream US corporate media. The repetition is an exercise in drone indoctrination. People the likes of Dr. Ahmad Chalabi. Hand picked and trained to play the odds and the numbers for a future subservient Iraq as envisioned by the Zionist project.
The long sanctions and the war have resulted in heavy destruction of Iraq. Was there anything Iraq could have done to stop the war? Hindsight, we must ask ourselves would have a nuclear-ready Iraq helped to deter the war and the destruction?
While we all freedom loving Iranians do loath the current Islamic rule, we must not be blinded by our hate for this regime. We all do agree, the regime is theocratic and certainly holds elements of ultra conservative Islamic views but no where close to mindless self destruction. For lasting social and political progress, we must work with forces from within Iran and with Iranians who are already engaged in the struggle for democracy. Democracy takes a great deal of efforts and progress will come in incremental changes. There are no short cuts to democracy.
We have to put Iran's desire to acquire nuclear technology in context. Worst case scenario and probably the most likely scenario is that the war is inevitable. The only way it can be avoided is only if we reach a stalemate by having Iran ready to go nuclear at a heart beat but not necessarily armed with nuclear weapons.
For the past 14 years, state of Israel has been getting ready for a war with Iran. It has clearly articulated its plans and polices towards Iran. To put this in prospective, I would like to refer the readers to a book “Open Secrets: Israeli Foreign and Nuclear Policies ” by Dr. Israel Shahak published a decade ago.
It is still very relevant (From Chapter 4, “Israel versus Iran”, 24 February 1993):
“Since the spring of 1992 public opinion in Israel is being prepared for the prospect of a war with Iran, to be fought to bring about Iran's total military and political defeat… “
“… Provoking Iran into responding with war or measures just stopping short of war, is also elaborated by many other commentators.”
“… First, Israel always seeks to persuade the West about what its 'true' interests and 'moral duties' in the Middle East are. It also tells the West that by intervening in the Middle East they would serve the authentic interests of Middle Eastern nations. But if the western powers refuse to listen, it is up to Israel to assume 'the white man's burden'.”
“..since the early 1950s already, is that in the Middle East no other strong state is to be tolerated. Its power must be destroyed or at least diminished through a war. Iranian theocracy may have its utility for the Israeli Hasbara, but Nasser's Egypt was attacked while being emphatically secular. … Israeli hegemonic ambitions, Orientalist 'expertise' requires that natives of the region always remain weak, to be ruled always by their traditional notables but not by persons with intellectual capacity, whether religious or secular. Israeli Orientalism, on which Israeli policies are based, is no more than their belated replica.”
All it takes for them to create a new bogeyman. There is no law when Islamic bogeyman are around. “We apologize, but I can't tell you that we wouldn't do the same thing again” in going after Ayman al-Zawahri, McCain said.
Let us not kid ourselves: we are faced with a predator who believes it is going to a 'generational war '. Iran has to prepare for worst case scenario. Iran must be ready to defend itself. In final analysis when the “Abu Ghraib” business goes Franchise in Iran, We only have ourselves to blame for inaction.