The First Day of Spring.......

The first day of spring is upon us. Farsi speakers throughout the world celebrate this day as the day to begin anew..to let go of the old and start with the new possiblities:



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I have also been heartened by this message that President Obama sent on this joyous occassion:



May this be the advent of a true day of hope and new possiblities.

An Interesting Week...Yet Again...

We saw off an interesting week. The economic slowdown is continuing which is a bit of good thing due to a change in demand. The Dollar is starting to strengthen yet again. Oil has falling almost 25%. Commodities are starting to fall rapidly. Gold has fallen below $ 800. The Fed seems to be the hero right now. The question in my mind is whether the potential free fall in the economy may have been averted and we would look forward to a period of reasonable growth.

The Presidential Campaign continues to be in full swing. Barack Obama and John McCain talked to Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. The questions Pastor Warren had were not "softball" at all. I talked about it at length in my current affairs blog, http://www.outsiderviews.com. It was a civil discourse, although Senator McCain seemed to be more prepared and direct. Senator Obama seemed more deliberative in his thoughts. It was a discussion that I enjoyed. It was a discussion that was necessary.

The party nominating conventions will start in about a week. The pundits are continuing their analysis of who is going to be VP, how will the Clintons play their cards and how the campaigns will fare after the elections. The Saddleback Forum proved to me the reason why the election is so close. It will be quite fascinating to watch and write about.

As for the world, Georgia and Russia went at it. The foolish move by the President of Georgia continues to baffle me. Iran, of course, surprised me yet again. The country launched the delivery mechanism for the delivery of a satellite. It has entered the space age. This is just one image I have noted that was broacast by the Iranian State Broadcaster: (source: http://www.irna.com, retrieved August 17, 2008):

We certainly do live in interesting times....

What a World.....

It has been another eventful week. As I continue to analyze the world and write about it in my current affairs blog (http://www.outsiderviews.com) , I continue to be concerned and taken aback by the utter disregard that our political leaders around the world seem to show towards the long-term benefit of our world. The latest sabre-rattling has to do with Israel. This is on top of the fact that the U.S. Economy continues to deteriorate, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae' stock tumbled on fears of being under-capitalized and yet somehow, our leaders want to potentially start another war. We have to step back, focus on the fundamentals and also push the need to negotiate. Diplomacy has to be fashionable again. It has to be so for the sake of the world we live in.

The Bush Adminstration & Iran....Cont'd....

Seymour Hersh is reporting in the New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_hersh) that the United States has escalated covert activity against Iran. It has entailed spying against its' nuclear capabilities and working to undermine the current folks who are in charge in Iran. If it is in fact true, I don't understanding the thinking in Washington. There is enough on the Administration's Plate without having to add additional strain to the issues. I am not really surprised since the Bush Administration does not seem to want to talk..only shoot its' way to a solution.

The Iranian IRGC Commander had an interview today threatening to wreck havoc on the Middle East if Israel attacked Iran. What I am afraid of is another massive miscalculation that would result in another Iraq. When will the Bush Administration wake up?

The Middle East, Today....

General Suleiman, the New Lebanese President, entered the Presidential Palace and began the process of rebuilding the political institutions of the nation. Hassan Nassrallah also spoke today and committed Hezbollah to work on strengthening the Lebanese State. As for Israel, Jimmy Carter noted that Israel has 150 nuclear bombs in its' arsenal. Also, the IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) reported that Iran is yet to come clean on its nuclear program. Yet, interestingly enough, Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reports that the U.S. is the main culprit in how Iran has been perceived and Iran continues to believe that it is fully transparent and its' program is fully peaceful.

As I reviewed the day in the Middle East and continued to listen to Al Jazeera, I wondered if it was a typical day....not quite!!! It shows how challenging the region is and how the United States has truly misread and mishandled the matters at hand.

President Bush's Speech At the Israeli Knesset

The President of the United States just got done speaking at the Israeli Knesset. Israel is to be commended for its' achievements. But, the credit also goes to the people of the United States to have supported Israel to the tune of Billions of Dollars per year. That support is right. But the rights of millions of Palestinians has to be addressed. The President did not do that. He has given Mahmoud Abbas promises to no avail.

The President only focused on Iran. I am convinced that The President of Iran is an idiot. Yet, President Bush just wants to find a new enemy. In 2003, it was Iraq. Now, it is Iran's turn. I can't wait for January 20, 2009. It will not happen soon enough.

Comedy Classic (Act II)

This past week saw the Bush Administration present, behind closed doors, proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Syria and North Korea were developing a nuclear bomb. Also, the rhetoric against Iran intensified. I was very disappointed when Senator Clinton said that she would annihilate Iran if Iran attacked Israel. I think the so-called President of Iran has a big mouth, which has led to such rhetoric. I don't know the man, but I think his speech in Qom recently on 9/11 truly led me to believe that he is living in a different planet. Furthermore, in my view, his bark is bigger than his bite. He is a mere "clerk". He has positioned himself as a man of the people. Yet, the people in Iran seem to be further and further on the edge of the abyss. Inflation is rising, unemployment is estimated at around 25-30% and the future is not as bright for the majority of Iranians. How can he position himself as a man of the people when he seems not to be aware of the plight of the ordinary folks who are suffering?

As I have thought about the predicament we face today in the Middle East (largely of our own making) It seems to me that no one seems to even know how to spell Diplomacy. I wonder when reason prevail? When we will stop rattling our sabres and start talking? Maybe I am expecting too much.

Another Interesting Week...With Our Esteemed Vice President & Other Tidbits

Our esteemed Vice President is on a tour of the Middle East to help push the so-called Middle East Peace launched at Annapolis. He visited Israel and voiced support (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7310012.stm, retrieved March 22, 2008). I don't truly understand how the United States can have any credibility at all after what has happened in Iraq, the regimes that have little or no semblance of democracy (with the exception of Kuwait) and the fact that Gaza continues to suffer. I understand the need for Israel to be secure. Israel's right to exist is non-negotiable. However, Israel must adopt a way to disarm the very reason that Palestinians should pick up arms. But, at some stage, there needs to be peace. The last seven years has been a total waste. Only one man is ultimately to blame: George W. Bush. How can George W. Bush say that Iraq is a success when mortars just landed in the Green Zone? (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7310173.stm, Retrieved March 22, 2008). There is of course Juan Cole and his reporting on what is actually going on. He reported today that the Awakening Movement is on the verge of striking because its' fighters have not been paid in a while. Professor Cole has documented a number of issues that should be of concern. But, of course, the Bush Administration will not listen to voices of reason.

As the train wreck continues, there was also a story in today's Financial Times regarding the latest push against Iran. They're trying to shut down Iran's Financial Sector. They have said that the entire banking sector is off limits. Now that they have destroyed Iraq, they're after Iran now. But Iran is not Iraq. Iran is a more formidable adversary. But, Iran does have its' profound challenges. The vaunted Iranian military machine is vulnerable. The Iranian Navy was destroyed (according to certain reporting in Jane's Defense Weekly). The Air Force is not as modern--although a lot of investment has been made. But, the key players in the Iranian Regime are not fools. They have been at it for almost thirty years. The current Supreme Jurisprudence, Ali Khameini, has been in charge of Iran for almost twenty years. (By the way, I like what Juan Cole calls it, not what the rest of the world calls it..Supreme Leader...because that is in fact his role with the literal translation of Farsi). He has made enough mistakes to understand what it takes to hold the country.

Our world is in a state of flux. I am fearful for our world...and wonder about its' viability.

The struggle goes on....

Iraq & Imperialism

Well, there was a report that up to 500,000 Iraqis may have died. Yet, this is never being discussed in the so-called "main stream" media. Also, interestingly enough, the US just dropped off 40,000 Tons of bombs on a suburb of Baghdad. Is the surge working? If it is, then WHY is there such firefights?

I am also listening to Tariq Aziz's lecture titled Imperialism and Democracy Don't Mix. It is available at (http://www.tariqali.org). He is one of the few reasonable voices in an incresaingly unreasonable world. May he continue his great work!!!!

Reflections on 2007.....Hopes for 2008

Before I talk about 2008, the year we just finished was quite interesting, to say the least. The year, for me, was defined by Iraq and all that was going on. It was defined by the "surge" and how President Bush decided to send more troops. There were over 16,000 people who lost their lives in 2007, according to the BBC. Yet, the Adminstration claimed that the "surge" had in fact worked because there were less people dying. The yardstick of progress is frankly laughable. It reminds me when Joe Lieberman said that Iraqis had a lot of mobile phones, which led him to believe that there was progress. What bothered me the most was that we were lied to. Unfortuantely, no one was held to account.

The year also saw Pakistan also getting closer to the Abyss. Pervez Musharaf finally retired as Chief of Army Staff, but his policies (with the support of the Bush Adminstration), radicalized Pakistan even further. What the Bush Adminstration tried to do in pushing Benzair Bhutto to co-habitat with President Musharaff blew up in their face. Ms. Bhutto was assassinated and those plans were thrown into disarray. Ms. Bhutto's son was named as Chair of her Party. But, Pakistan has become increasingly radicalized. Whether the Bhutto clan that has apparently stolen over 1.5 Billion Dollars over the last twelve years has the crediblity to lead the country remains to be seen. I am certain that Tariq Ali's comments on Democracy Now last week (http://www.democracynow.org) was based on documented proof. At least the Pakistani Armed Forces will insure the country will remain united. In all these games (including Nawaz Sharif positioning himself as a future leader), the average Pakistani seems to be lost.

I can't help but reflect upon the current forgotten war: Afghanistan. It was a year that saw the lies of Pat Tillman (which I talked about),it saw the Taliban roaring back stronger than ever and Afghanistan becoming the biggest poppy producer in the world. Yet, Hamid Karzai went on the BBC and at the White House announced that everything was great. When Karzai was asked about the poppy production, he claimed that poppy was actually decreasing. Karzai also invited the "good" Taliban to join him. Why the Taliban want to join a corrupt, discredited government is beyond me. Karzai also has no credibility. Tariq Ali, the Pakistani/British Commentator, told of Karzai's younger brother running the Heroin ring and also running a weapon smuggling operation. I am just amazed as to the nerve of this man standing besides President Bush and going off telling us how things are great. But, I guess an ordinary face in the crowd like me is not supposed to understand and question, just believe what he's being fed.

The year 2007 also saw the rich getting richer around the world. Some of the wealth controlled by folks like Carlos Slim, Roman Abravomich, Prince Alwaeed of Saudi Arabia and others is beyond imagination. Such extravaggance allows folks like Prince Alwaeed to pay almost 400 million dollars for a Airbus 380. Carlos Slim controls a staggering percentage of the Borsa in Mexico and is a dominant player throughout the Americas.

The year 2007 also saw Vladimir Putin continue his dominance of Russian Politics and engineered a "managed democratic" transition. It also saw a Russia that became a leading international player by virtue of its' new found wealth because of high oil prices. This led him to be named Time Person of the year for 2007. Tsar Putin is clearly the man in charge--although he agreed to serve as Prime Minister under his chosen successor. In addition, Iran continued its' "my way or the highway" approach to International Relations. Iran continued its' nuclear program, Ahmadinjead continued his speeches while the ordinary folks in Iran continued suffering from economic difficulties. Of course, Ahmadinejad's visit to New York and his appearance at Columbia University was also a comical act. Not withstanding Columbia President Lee Bollinger's Speech, Ahmadinejad did not help himself by the rather odd and off the wall comments that he made. 2008 continues to be a challenging one for Iran. It is especially so because the U.S. and the rest of the world is out for blood due to the Iranian Nuclear Program.

As for the United States, we are to have our first caucus. Iowa is scheduled to hold its' caucus on January 3rd. An interesting note on tonight's CBS News stated that the two leading Democractic Candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama, raised over $ 100 Million Each during 2007. It is a sad testimony that such is an absolute requirement to get to the Presidency and the average individual gets lost in the shuffle. The Economy will be of immense concern. The housing crisis will have a chilling effect on the economy for quite some time. Everyone within housing is facing challenges. It is scary and I see it getting worst before it getting better.

On the technology front, this year was the year of the iphone. It is a slick device. Yet, for some reason, I was not impressed. For a clumsy guy like me who drops his phone and uses his phone to death, I am not sure if a iphone is the phone to have. Many folks have it. I would imagine I may end up owning a second or third generation iphone. What is of huge interest to me is Google's Android Initiative. It is a Ten Million Dollar prize Google has put out to come up with the best mobile platform. In the December 31, 2007 edition of the Financial Times, there was a forecast that Google's stock will hit $ 1000. It also talked about Google's reach becoming ever more. They're going to go after the latest spectrum auction by the FCC and they're going to get it. It also was the year that the $ 100 laptop (actually $ 200) shipping. The idea was to bring the digital age to the dispossessed. And they seem to have succeed despite the odds.

As I embrace 2008, I remain hopeful. Someone once said that using the word "hope" reflects an element of uncertainity. I remain hopeful because we have an election coming up in the United States, Technology will continue to help drive the future, there is more of an awarness to tend to our planet and there will continue to be a move towards common sense. As residents of spaceship Earth, we have to step up and be responsible, help the dispossessed and live our lives in the most honorable and just way possible. I do get worried when the Financial Times tells us that corporations will move away from Corporate Social Responsiblity and will again turn inward to deal with profits at all costs. It seems to me that being social responsible and green is right and good for business.

As I go forward to 2008, I remind myself of what Sparky Anderson once said: "...People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present. I've got my faults, but living in the past is not one of them. There's no future in it.... ..." (courtesy of http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sparky_Anderson, retrieved January 1, 2008). As such, I will be marching along while embracing the challenges and the opportunities. The best is yet to come!!!

The Latest NIE On Iran

The latest NIE was just published by the US Intelligence Community. In a way, it vindicates Iran. It appears, though, that the response of the world community has been guarded at best. However, the President of the United States still told the world that he thinks Iran is a threat. The Government in Iran is not the issue here at all. Many around the world know and understand that Iran deserves a lot better than what it is getting today from its' government. It has a ruling clergy who is dominating Iran and is lining up its' own pockets. It has a President who is a fanatic and does not believe in fundemental economics. Yet, Iran is a country with immense potential. It is blessed with abundant natural resources, a smart, resourceful and young populace with great potential. We have to engage Iran to encourage and facilitate change in a way that would benefit the 60% of Iranians who are under the age of 30. Yet, Mr. Bush has chosen the path of confortation yet again.

Mr. Bush will be President for another 13 months. I am counting each and every day until the next Adminstration. Mr. Bush's last year will promise to be one of the tougher years in recent memory both domestically and internationally. Mr. Bush wants to bring peace to the Middle East. If his definition of peace is what has been done to Iraq, the disaster being faced in Afghanistan AND the continued challenges in Pakistan, he has done more than enough!!!

:-(

What a Disappointment!!!!

The United States just came through on its' threat and imposed new sanctions on Iran. As Philip Stevens of the Financial Times noted in his Friday column, the Government in Iran is not a nice bunch of folks to deal with. But, he reminds us not to make a second miscalculation. The folks running Iran today are ruthless, have scant regard for human rights and their management of economic affairs is a disaster. Iran has a President that does not believe in Interest Rates, is superstitious to the nth degree and does not understand the world we live in. The Iranian Constitution designates the President as the second highest authority in Iran and the head of the Executive Branch. But, in fact, he has NO authority. As a mere "clerk", he is usurped by the Supreme Leader in both domestic and foreign policy. Therefore, all the huff and puff going on about what the President of Iran says is just a smoke screen. Iran needs to be fully understood and all options needs to be exhausted before consideration is given for even one missile to be launched. Why can't we learn from Iraq? Isn't one fiasco enough?

As for the State Department, they seem to be not paying attention to the world--at least at the political level. They seem not to be aware of history--or just ignore it. Nicholas Burns, the State Department point man on Iran,supposedly gave a speech accusing Iran of supplying the Taliban. I guess if you just keeping spreading misinformation, it will eventually be believed. Mr. Burns seems to forget that Iran almost went to war with the Taliban. So, this nonsense that is coming out of the mouth of officials blows me away. Of course, for a government whose proof of the weapons of mass destruction was the joke of a speech by Colin Powell, anything is possible.

The BBC reports that the Vice President continues to push for a military strike against Iran. It appears that at least Mr. Gates and Ms. Rice have stood up to him. I wonder how long though? The United States has pressing domestic challenges, yet we want to go out and strike Iran. This Administration has no clue how to spell the word diplomacy and only pays it lip service when it serves its' own narrow interests--whatever it may be. Iran is the new bogeyman...to divert attention from the fiasco of the last 7 years....

It is time for responsible adults to get back and take the reins of government. We have serious challenges that require serious, deliberative leadership. On all fronts, the first MBA president has failed us. I am sure many will disagree with me. But look at the record...and judge for yourself.....

:-(

Another Interesting Few Days....

The French President, Mr. Sarkozy, is an interesting fellow. He rose to be President in a society where it is tough to pull yourself up. Yet, he did. My hat's off to him. He is passionate about France--as he should be. He is France's best cheerleader. BUT, I think he's a bit full of himself. This came home to me during the G-8 Conference. All the leaders were walking together and the only guy on the phone was The President of France. Some of the other leaders are, I am sure, just as busy and engaged as well. Furthermore, he does not have the best record anyway. The riots in 2006 are a black mark. Although, apparently, the French People gave him a clean bill and elected him anyway.

I am also disturbed by the push the President of France is making on Iran. In this case, he's trying to outflank George W. Bush. Again, the present government is not the issue. Every attempt must be made to avoid war. Yet, Mr. Sarkozy would want to do otherwise.

As for President Bush, he keeps feeding us this fiction on "things are getting better in Iraq." Yet the killing seems to go on. What is bothering me is that George W. Bush misled us and will not be held to account. He says he is the decider. Well, nobody crowned him King. The drumbeat towards war does continue. It does not help when guys like Glen Beck do "research" on the 12th Imam and the end of time and keep pushing the drumbeat on war. Glen Beck had a pastor on his show on CNN Headline Prime. I heard the guy speak for a minute about building up the government of Iran and creating this myth of a government that is going to attack us tomorrow and putting it in biblical terms. I am glad I only saw a minute of it only. He is entitled to his opinion. But, they should not silence those of us who have questioned the wisdom of this policy which has been misguided and has cost so much in lives and treasure. It is a policy that has cost us dearly in our personal liberties.

Now, onward to Iraq.....General Petraus had a interview on CNN. He openly accused the Iranian Ambassador of being a member of the Quds Force--and by implication a terrorist by U.S. Government Standards, telling the world that there is "no question". We are supposed to believe him. But, no one questions the honorable General about the PKK. Yes, Sean McCormick did condemn the cross border raid and the resulting death of 13 Turkish Soldiers. But, The government of Kurdistan (because Iraqi Kurdistan is for all practical purposes independent) allows the PKK to operate at will. This is another example of a policy that is a non-policy. The chaos is mind-boggling.

I can't end this thought without talking about Afghanistan. I had talked about the fact that the apparent gains made by NATO forces were pretty much gone. Beyond that, one of the things that further bothers me is that Afghanistan continues to break all record in poppy production..another success story by President Bush....

We do have a vibrant stock market....unemployment is steady.....interest rates are for now reasonably under control....but, world challenges do remain.

I look forward to my contribution to Blog Action Day on October 15. We have to do something to preserve Spaceship Earth (as Jay Barbere of NBC News reminded us on Meet The Press this past Sunday). Hopefully, this is a small step!!!

Despite all the challenges, I'll continue to keep the faith....I have no choice....

Are We Safer?

This question was the premise of a question that Lee Hamilton and Tom Kean, the Co-Chairs of the 9/11 commission asked in a Washington Post Article (that I just got done reading in the Weekly Edition of the Washington Post). The answer, as I read it, is a resounding no. As for Bin-Laden, he seems to have rebuilt his organization. Now, they even have a media production company. And, yet President Bush tells us that Al-Qaeda is out of Business.
It seems that the drumbeat of war has turned on Iran. It seems that the Adminstration does not understand or appreciate history. David Walker, The U.S. Comptroller General, warned us all about the Roman Empire. The lesson seems to be lost. And the struggle continues......

Iran seems to be torn, but it is still a beautiful, rich country with a lot to offer the world. The tribute by the departing Tehran Bureau Chief for the BBC was very moving for me. I wanted to feature it here because she reflects upon what is in fact right about Iran despite all that has been done to it over the ensuing years.

Enjoy!!!

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/
from_our_own_correspondent/6277172.stm, retrieved July 8, 2007

Farewell to a changed, subtle Iran
Frances Harrison is moving on after three years as the BBC correspondent in Tehran. It has been a period of change, she writes, but generally not for the better, particularly for women.


Iranian women arguing with a man during the 2005 election
When I first came to Iran the reformists were still in power, not the ultra-conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But to me as a newcomer, the government then did not seem particularly liberal.

The reformists were not quite what they had been cracked up to be in the West.

Reform, I soon found out, was not a euphemism for regime change - it just meant more respect for the rule of law and human rights, in order to preserve the Islamic system of government, not overthrow it.

With the benefit of hindsight, many look back on the reformist period as a sort of golden age, where a smiling well-dressed President Mohammad Khatami spoke honeyed words about democracy, even if he did not deliver on many of his promises.

The contrast between then and now is huge.

Media crackdown

When my predecessor left, he threw a lunch party for officials. They were friendly and urbane and unfazed by the fact that I was a woman bureau chief which is still a novelty in Iran.

Now things are so bad that officials from the ministry of Islamic guidance who are helpful on a personal level did not come to my farewell lunch hosted by the BBC.

I did not take it personally. The atmosphere is now one where Iranians are afraid to mix with foreigners for fear of being accused of spying.

If they do talk to foreigners they certainly do not want to do it in front of each other.

One Iranian journalist working for a foreign news agency even asked if we had foreign diplomats coming to a farewell party in our house because, she said, if there were it would not be safe for her to attend.


Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been Iran's president since 2005
During the two years of President Ahmadinejad's government, I have watched friends have their press cards taken away by the government.

It is not that this did not happen before but now there is a sense of a widespread crackdown on the media.

I have struggled with my conscience interviewing people lest I put them at risk.

At one house, the mother-in-law of a student activist accosted me in a most un-Iranian way, saying: "Why are you here? He has children and he's just been released from jail." It is un-Iranian because of the innate sense of hospitality here.

People have come to my office with information and I have found myself warning them to be careful about coming again.

It gets to a point where you find yourself questioning the motives of anyone brave enough to speak out.

Either it is a trap or perhaps they are really naive - in which case why are we interviewing them?


Subtle opposition

But let me tell you about the subtle ways in which Iranians articulate their opposition.

This is not a culture where anyone says anything directly - and it can sometimes be infuriating for a foreigner.

But it has nuance, subtlety and a playfulness that is lost in the one-dimensional views you see in news reports.

The other night I was at a private party and two young Iranian women performed a song about a bird. It was indescribably sad and beautiful and had many of the women in the audience in tears.

Women are not allowed to sing in public in Iran - it is considered un-Islamic for men to hear them.

These women - who in today's Iran can only perform in houses of friends - sang about a bird, a crane, whose wings had been clipped and whose mouth had been covered.

It was a poetic symbol of censorship and the restrictions imposed on women. It moved the audience far more than any feminist speech or political agitation because it drew on their tradition and the Iranian love of poetry.


Persian culture survives

On the surface, Tehran is a place where you see women swathed in black and there are ugly grimy modern buildings housing rude officials.

The Islamic system of government has deliberately erased much of what was Persian culture and it is only by looking hard that you can catch glimpses of the past.

Some officials may be staggeringly rude but at home Iranians are so courteous that it overwhelms foreigners


Yes, some of the women may be covered from top-to-toe in black, but do not think that every woman who is covered up like that is submissive and docile - they wield huge power behind the scenes, often controlling the family finances.

Some officials may be staggeringly rude but at home Iranians are so courteous that it overwhelms foreigners until they get used to the ritual exchange of politesse that is rather beautiful to observe in action when done by a true professional.

The younger generation may eat pizzas and burgers and listen to rap music, but they still have a deep respect for Persian food, music, poetry and the language itself.

Of course, three years in Iran has brainwashed me.

I do believe that Iranians cook rice better than anyone else in the world, that Iranian women are the most beautiful in the world, and that the roses smell sweeter.

For all the ugliness of much of the politics here, there are still vestiges of a past beauty.

And as I leave, that is the Iran I want to treasure even though it is slowly fading.

Iran, A Nuclear Middle East & The Future

The psychological build-up against Iran continues. We have John McCain trying to make a joke to bomb Iran, we have US Generals stating that Iran is arming Sunnis, the Taliban and so on. The comment on the Taliban is attributed to General Pace. General Pace seems to convienently forget that Iran almost went to war with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Apparently, this Adminstration does not want to learn anything from the debacle in Iraq.

The concerns about Iran are justified. But, The Iraq disaster has allowed everyone in the Middle East to talk about the unthinkable: having the Middle East go nuclear. Iran will be one of the first countries who has to truly start thinking about life beyond oil. Iran has not had wise rulers such as the rulers of the United Arab Emirates who have already planned for life beyond oil The present government in Iran has been irresponsible, to say the least. It has squandered its' oil windfall and it is now being forced to import Gasoline. Furthermore, the government will be beginning a rationing program starting next month. If we talked to North Korea, it seems that we can start a dialogue with Iran. If the dialogue failed and the Adminstration had to make some decisions, then the moral justification will be there. I doubt that discussions will happen during the Bush Adminstration.

Iraq...The Nightmare Goes On.....

The Congress has finally begun to live up to what the Constitution envisioned it to do. We in the United States do not have Kings. We settled this issue over 200 years ago. Mr. Bush seems to have forgotten that. The President has promised a veto and a compromise will eventually have to be reached. But, at least the President is being reminded that he has to listen.

What bothers me is the the fact that John McCain and Joe Lieberman are taking to the Airways (and say on the floor of the Senate) that the Plan is starting to work. I don't doubt their patriotism or their committment to this country. But, I don't know what planet they're living in. If the "surge" is working, why is it that the Government has ordered all US Personnel to wear protective armor. Juan Cole, in his blog today, reports on a very disturbing development:

(Source: http://www.juancole.com, retrieved March 30, 2007)
"The US embassy in Baghdad circulated a memo to all Americans working for the US government in the Green Zone. It ordered them to wear protective gear whenever they were outside in the Green Zone, including just moving from one building to another. Guerrillas have managed to lob a number of rockets into the area in recent days, and killed one US GI on Tuesday.

The Green Zone is therefore actually the Red Zone. I.e., it is no longer an area of good security contrasting to what is around it. Senator McCain was more wrong than can easily be imagined. Not only can American officials not just stroll through Baghdad districts unarmed and unprotected by armor, but they can't even move that way from one building to the next inside the Green Zone..."

When will we see an end to this nightmare? What is worst that Iran is being targeted especially with what Chris Dodd and Tom Lantos have apparently just introduced. It seems to me that talking will achieve a hell of a lot more. But, the folks in Washington seem not to want to buy into it.