Really Pissed Off!

Iranian President Mahmaud Admadinejad’s request to speak at Columbia University and to lay a wreath at Ground Zero has Americans going ballistic! Perhaps we should take a second look at the request, as it may be a signal to the West, and particularly the United States, that Iran may wish to resume some form of diplomacy. If it is, we should take full advantage of it, as it is impossible to exclude discussions with Iran, with the expectation that we can succeed in Iraq. Iran is THE key player in the “Political Solution” that we hear from the Bush Administration, as well as the Presidential candidates.

Nearly all Americans know about Iran is from President Bush’s State of The nation Speech of 2002, when he erroneously included Iran in the “Axis Of Evil,” the Iranian attempts to go nuclear and possibly their recent efforts to help arm Shi’ia insurgents in Iraq. What most of us forget that Iran was instrumental in our initial success of “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan. After the fall of the World Trade Center on 9/11, Iran was the only nation in the Muslim Middle East to hold candle light vigils and among the first to condemn the attacks. Both nations shared their intelligence to remove the Taliban and it was Iran who “sold” The United States to a reluctant Northern Alliance, who did not trust our commitment. Furthermore, Iran played a significant role in Bonn, Germany through the Geneva Group to establish the rebuilding of Afghanistan. What was their reward? The Bush Administration branded them as a member of the “Axis Of Evil,” and destroyed an opportunity for open diplomacy with Iran. To top off their stupidity, with Iraq on their agenda, it ran contrary to common sense not to keep Iran on our side as they planned “Operation Iraqi Freedom!” Even with these diplomatic blunders, Iran was initially helpful with reconstruction efforts after the fall of Saddam and advised various proxy groups as well as ad-Dawa and the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution among the Shi’ah to cooperate with the process of reconstruction. You don’t hear that from the Administration or the Media!!!

What we hear from Washington is sword rattling and the threat of air strikes or even worse and that’s why Mahmaud Admadinejad won in the election of 2005. In the runoff election, the “moderate,” former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was defeated by hardliner, Admadinejad. His victory was attained the same way that George W. Bush won the Election in 2004…..”The Fear Factor!” No matter what country you live in, the most important consideration of any citizen is Security. If you are in danger, or believe that you are in danger, you will default to securing the safety of you and your family. Bush used the fear factor to win a second term and never had to run on his record. The Democrats were unable to shake the handle that America would not be as safe with the Democrats in the Executive Office as they would with George W. Bush. Of course, had the Democrats had any brains and had run General Wesley Clark, he would have neutralized the “Fear Factor”…..how much safer can you be with a Four Star General as President! We, in fact, created our own monster. Any hope of a reform candidate winning the Iranian Election of 2005 was eliminated by the veiled or not so veiled threats of the United States!

The interesting fact is that President Admadinejad has very limited authority. Unlike the President of the United States, or any other country, The Islamic Republic is run by the mullahs and not the President. He’s basically a showpiece, and Admadinejad was the perfect showpiece for a threatening United States. He has placed a bold front to Iran, not only to the US, but to the United Nations, making certain that the world should not consider any interfering with Iranian policies or interests. We’ve seen some recent shuffling in Iran, with the personal letter to President Bush by Admadinejad and now an attempt to extend his visit to the opening of the United Nations into “open exposure” to the American people. He may be showboating, and flaunting his arrogance, but he does so at his own personal peril. The big question is: Are the mullahs sending a message to the United States to resume some form of diplomacy? Remember, there will be no “Political Solution” in Iraq without the involvement on Iran. We are loosing lives waiting for it to happen! Let’s find out and call their bluff.