I know only a little and understand less about the Mideast but reading about its political and cultural history has always given me the same creepy feeling instilled by my early encounters with the quicksand concealed in superficially attractive ponds.
That suggests to me that diplomatic wisdom would dictate that outsiders limit their contact to a detached policy of keeping a safe, observant distance.
Too many of the heedless, deluded by avarice and hubris, have had their ignorant incursions reduced to a very, very costly sucking sensation.
Can we learn from the Dick&Bush debacle?
Sanctions are tough.
But maybe Iran should reconsider its support of Hezbollah and Houthi terrorists. And maybe cease the execution of gay people.
As well as abandoning plans to build nuclear weapons.
4
If Trump i increases sanctions on Iran he will only make tensions worse. Instead he should lift them since they are cruel and will only hurt women and children. Furthermore you don’t make friends of your enemies by punishing them. As usual he is making a foolish dangerous move
1
Trump can forget reelection if he continues to torment Iran
Shock and Awe was all about getting Saddam Hussein. That it killed over six thousand civilians that night (and hundreds of thousands afterward + millions of refugees) was just collateral damage. George W. Bush and Richard Bruce Cheney terrorists par excellence. It runs in the family. George H. W. Bush bombed a poor Panama City barrio killing hundreds because the CIA was having a dispute with Manuel Noriega over a drug deal. Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger bombed Hanoi at Christmas again killing thousands in order to force the North Vietnamese to the peace table. Sorry folks, but this is just how our military/oligarchy establishment rolls.
1
I've never been a fan of sanctions. The regular powerless folks at the bottom (and middle) suffer while the fat cats at the top stay fat. Of course pulling out of the nuclear deal was ludicrous, but setting that aside, isn't there a better way in general to pressure a nation than sanctions? I hate to see the people of Iran suffer through no fault of their own. Remember they live in a dictatorship. What are they supposed to do? Ditto for N. Korea.
1
Iran's problems have been mounting for the past 40 years. Corruption is rampant. Hypocrisy is evident in the lives of elites in North Tehran and abroad. The ruling class has been living on the stolen wealth of citizens for years. Iran's Islamic Regime has violated human rights. The systematic persecution against Baha'is in Iran should be discussed in articles about Iran. They are and have been scapegoated, had their lands stolen from them, treated as second class citizens, spat on, told they're dirty from childhood, and not permitted to attend Universities or even operate their own (BIHC). Any discussion on Iran should be tied to a human rights discussion. The Baha'is in Iran live in fear every day, their property could be seized, their businesses sealed off, they're denied service and more. My heart breaks as I write this. [The human rights atrocities are much larger than just that particular issue - Religious and Ethnic Minorities, LGBTQ Minorities, and of course Women entirely. The protests against hijab is the true movement in Iran today]
3
Of course Iranians feel they are at war right now... It's the war of attrition, an old strategy used in ancient times where besieging cities was the normal process, cutting off all food and water supplies. This is the war U.S. do, not having the ability to deploy 'boots on the ground', and being somehow reluctant to use the usual 'carpet bombing' killing hundred of thousands civilians in the passage, which was the case in Iraq... Only, the most notorious country using this 'tactics' has been lately Myanmar of Rohingya infamous memory...
These sanctions on Iran are wrong. you do not make friends with the enemy by starving its people and children, Mr. Trump, please dump Bolton and Pompeo and do the right thing for America. WE do not want war with Iran: in fact we want out of the Middle East and some peace and quiet.
“Iran learned to swim during its war with Iraq”. Does this include the use of children soldiers as young as twelve by Iran? Babies. Estimates have put the number of these “soldiers” killed as high as 100,000.
Why has Iran consistently used a growing economy to harass its neighbors in the Middle East? Where is the free press?
It appears the politicians, who really want women to wear burkas, should have invested their riches in diversifying the economy and letting the people of Iran be free to innovate.
3
The IRGC blows up buildings, gives money to Islamist terrorists, ships missles to Gaza and Lebanon to be fired at Israelis, and tortures and kills people in Syria for Assad. They check pretty much every box on the terrorist checklist, and they are controlled by conservative Islamists who chant "Death to America" and "Death to the Jews" every Friday at the state controlled mosques.
Given how many Christian's, Kurds, Sunnis, and Jews have been killed in or have fled from Iran since 1979, I would disagree with the authors implication that tolerance is a part of the Iranian state policies.
The original Iran nuclear deal was weak, regardless of how you think about Trump leaving it. Iran could still develope ballistic missles (the delivery mechanism for nuclear weapons) and there were no provisions about the terroristic acts of the IRGC around the world. They would still maintain a capacity to develope a nuclear weapon within 8-12 months and there was no provision to destroy any nuclear material or sites. It just froze Iran at the brink of developing a nuclear weapon, and they have never stopped developing new missile tech and explosive lenses.
I personally think that Iran is a bad actor but also that Trump made a mistake in pulling out of the deal. Now that he has though, I think that the best option is to squeeze Iran and try to get a stronger deal. We shouldnt respond militarily to these Iranian provocations, economic pressure seems to be working well by the account here.
3
it's hard to see which side - the USA or the Iranians - is more wrong, with both sides are pursuing impossible objectives. maybe the whole situation is just coasting along on inertia, a roller coaster neither knows how to get off. what possible resolution could there be with both positions so entrenched, antiquated, and divorced from modern reality? the Iranians are (rightfully) still furious the USA toppled their government and installed a hated despot friendly to American oil interests, and so turned to medieval religious fanatics to run the country, hoping for both the material benefits of the 21st Century and a government fixed in the 9th Century. the USA wants to make Iran into Ohio, c 1952, and of course our current government is in thrall to interests still lusting afer Iran's oil and simultaeously wants to flip Iran's foreign allignments away from Russia and toward America and Israel. keeping the stalemate going at a low simmer is the very best we can hope for considering both governments are locked into backward-looking policies of madness.
I think its a clash of egos. Trump is vaguely a little boy who has to be humored, sadly. South American leaders and some others have figured this out and just do it to bide time till he's out. Euopeans too, some. Iranians won't do it on principle or pride or something. Sad.
Sanctions work. The Iranian people will will eventually grow weary of the inconvenience and look inward for a solution. In a country where the majority of the population is under 35 and there are bazaars devoted exclusively to cell phone sales, it won’t take long for them to figure out that what’s happening now isn’t working. Soon the mullahs will be gone.
5
I don't get it. For the four years when the nuclear deal has been in effect the Iranian people are not any better off even though sanctions were lifted and the oil was flowing. Why is that? Could it be that the cash flow is not going to the people? And if not, where is it going?
2
The NY Times is doing a public service by publishing this piece by an Iranian writer. Not only is there a description of what is going under sever sanctions but also that Iranians are coming together under national unite in the face of an existential threat. Iran lost thousands of combatants and civilian during the Iran- Iraq War of the 1980’s. Estimates are any where from 300,000 to 750,000. The writer reference that war and let’s us know that the Iran will not capitulate to Trump’s terror tactics but rather stand more unite despite political difference. The question is, do the American people want to engage in war in which the Iranian population resists with all of their lives and a conflict that has the potential of going global?
2
There are complex geopolitical issues. Sanctions designed to discourage Iran’s support of insurgent Middle East groups + nuclear aspirations are offset by crippling the Iranian economy. Ultimately, at West and Middle East level, relations will coarsen which has profound consequences for both sides.
The article touches on the critical human elements which most other articles overlook. This is not just a human interest story nested in political chaos, rather these story are crucible in foreshadowing future events. Ultimately, we want to know how life is affected beyond parochial headlines. In pitting one leader against the other, West against Middle East, media can reinforce stereotypes. By knowing that people in Tehran can not buy fuel, have difficulties with medical bills, and struggle to put food on the table is prescient to a precarious future, globally. I am concerned that extremism has typically been bore out of unemployment, hate out of despair. I am concerned about young people being recruited into extremist groups in times of struggle. Trump's broad and ostensible intent to diminish Iran’s nuclear and regional influences may work in the short term, but the US administration would be well served to consider the long term consequences of their policies. We live in a globalized economy. Isolation is not the answer. Like any human story: food, shelter, family and a decent job to get up in the morning to begins the road to peace. In Chicago and in Tehran.
1
This is a Trump-made fiasco. Really smart people negotiated long and hard on the agreement under Obama; Trump and his team managed to ruin it.
4
We are not yet at war and we still have time. Both sides need face saving solutions. A shooting war is not worth it to either party. The president needs a deal that he can call a win and Iran needs further sanctions relief to make such a deal worthwhile. The alternative is continued suffering for Iran's people and increased risk that we stumble into a stupid and costly war for no reason.
10
Given that it is the Trump administration handling the foreign policy piece, this probably isn't going to end well, for anybody.
3
Solar, thanks for this essay. It’s informative, and shows on the street resistance to trump & co. warmongering—you were my writing prof at CCNY a few years back. You knew me as John Lewis. Really great to see you’re alive and kicking.
2
I agree entirely with commenter Jonathan:
"We have received no benefit from pulling out only new, worse problems than we had before the deal. And the Iranian people do not deserve this."
I also note, though, that nobody ever went broke predicting that Americans can easily be whipped into an anti-Iran frenzy. Though I think a US/Iran war would be a huge mistake for both countries, I'm fully aware that my view on this is in the minority and that such a war could easily happen.
2
As William Beeman correctly points out:
"The idea that [the Iranian people] are committed to the "destruction of the West" is an artifact of Fox News propaganda."
In December 2009, the NYT published an article reporting that Iranian protesters were chanting "Death to America," as they often do. But that NYT article also reported that those very same Iranian protesters were chanting "Death to the Leader" (meaning Kamenei). In photographs of those protesters, none of them had his or her face obscured.
In short, Iranian protesters tend to chant "Death to ..." pretty much everyone. That doesn't mean Iranians -- even those protesters -- don't like Americans, or, indeed, anyone else. I've never been to Iran, but I've heard nothing but good reports about the Iranian people from other Americans who've visited the country.
I think a "deal" can and should be reached with Iran. No more "forever wars" in the Middle East, especially in Iran.
3
A great article and timely reminder that people are people--even in cultures far different from our own. That said, there does seem to be a mindset amongst Iranian leadership that they need to be agent provocateurs around the world. I wish that they, and we, would exercise more humility and tend to our own needs rather than attempt to police the world.
If Iran makes a misstep at this time, they will bring US wrath upon them with death and destruction following. The US, unfortunately, is already geared for battle and looking for a fight after Iran's efforts against our troops in Iraq, their indirect attacks on our friend, Israel, and the many terrorist attacks sponsored by them around the globe.
May both governments behave wisely.
3
The particular manner in which President Obama crafted the Iran deal paved the way for President Trump to withdraw from it. Obama made the deal on his own presidential authority, in the face of significant domestic opposition, without seeking or receiving approval from the Senate or the Congress. He was able to do this, and to skirt constitutional requirements for senatorial or congressional consent, because he made the deal as a political commitment rather than a binding legal obligation.
So, the 'deal' was not approved by Congress, had no potential to remain intact unless the next president continued with the political 'commitment.' Additionally, most experts said the deal was not a good one, and certainly did not stop Iran from doing as they like, which we've seen even before Trump walked out of the 'deal' when Iran bought missiles and sold/gave them to NK.
For so many readers and the NYTimes to believe/state that the US walked out of a legitimate deal is a joke. I'm certain that after Trump is out of office, the next president/Congress will nullify his executive orders and changes that he instituted without the approval of Congress.
6
The deal was actually working and it was never intended to address issues beyond nuclear weapons because that is what the 6 parties to the deal agreed to. Republicans in the Senate were not going to give any agreement regardless of It's merits negotiated by Obama approval because McConnell had vowed to oppose everything Obama did. The fact is the deal was achieving It's stated goals. What benefit was there to pulling out? How has withdrawal helped the U.S.? We have received no benefit from pulling out only new, worse problems than we had before the deal. And the Iranian people do not deserve this.
4
Interesting comments from armchair admirals and pretend foreign policy experts. Their ignorance is matched only by their belligerence. "Iranian blood will flow!" "Turn Iran into a parking lot!". And Americans' favorite little ditty, "Bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Eye-ran!" I suspect most of them can barely place an order at their local Walmart snack bar, let alone formulate effective foreign policy strategy.
7
Beyond that, they couldn’t identify Iran on a map, state the language spoken by its people (it’s Farsi — although I’d bet my bottom dollar these ignorami would shrug and state “Iranian”) — or offer one single fact about the country that demonstrates even a modicum of reflection given the gravity of the situation. We are deep trouble precisely because we celebrate amateurs as our leaders in the name of “sticking it” to the elite. And that will be the cause of our swift downfall, now already well in motion.
5
@Touran9--Actually that "Bomb, bomb, bomb Eye-ran" ditty was created by the late John McCain.
2
Thank you for writing this piece. As an American, I am sickened by the US government support of Saudi Arabia and hope that Trump will be gone soon before he does any further damage to your country. Most Americans were pleased that Obama had negotiated a peaceful agreement with Iran. Iranians are not the enemy of the US only the lunatics that are now in power feel this way.
9
trump is a pathetic excuse for a man. Literally controlled by his deep sense of insecurity and his ego.
7
So Mr. Trump has put the trouble-making kid in a box and sits atop it smiling.
Problem is, the kid has a gun and unless released from the box will be forced to use it.
3
It is sad what has happened to the lives of Iranian Citizens, but have the ruling clerics worried about the citizens when spending their oil wealth on Hamas and Hezbella and propping up Syria and the rebels in Yemen and so on and so on. The West will be more sympathetic to Iranian Citizens when their own leaders care about them more than using their Nation's wealth to keep the Middle East in chaos. Use your wealth for Peace and Prosperity.
13
So true. It isn’t only the sanctions. Iran has spent years, resources and depleted its own treasury to maintain the Shia corridor to Lebanon. They spend a horrendous amount of their GDP on maintaining armies in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. None of this was in the article.
6
@Michael W. Espy
I would like the wealth of my country to be used other than to keep the middle east in chaos. The US is a far greater offender in this category than Iran.
The coming war is entirely a partisan affair - we have a President too stupid to mistake campaign rhetoric slamming the Iran deal with reality - that it was a decent deal that the whole world signed in on and he has no better alternative. Republicans and only Republicans should pay for and die in it.
Both countries have positives and negatives. Both had similar foreign policies—my way or the high way before the JCPOA agreement which put limits on the idiocy. Iran complied as did the US until Trump violated the agreement, tore it up, is now doing his best to make sure none of the other signers can comply without suffering severe pain and punishment.
What I can't understand is, it is clear from centuries of war, oppression and cruelty it makes things worse, there are never any long-term winners, but there are definitely millions of losers.
One thinks of human sacrifice as a barbarity from antiquity. But world leaders regularly use people (including their 'own' people) as cannon-fodder, sacrificing them to achieve their narrow-minded, instant gratification, myopic goals, which are often self-serving at best.
The majority of people all over this world just want to get on with, and enjoy their lives, secure a position from where they can offer their children well-being and prosperity for their future. Yet, a handful of egocentric, maniacs still decide the rules of the game for billions. When are we going to evolve, grow up, and become an aware and wise species? We had a chance with the JCPOA, it started to carve a new path into a better future for all. But now courtesy of one man's ignorance, need for attention, and self-serving bent we are again retreading a well-worn path of failure that again includes suffering, pain and cruelty to others, and no doubt ourselves.
7
As an American, it's hard to feel sympathy for a country whose leaders demand its citizenry routinely chant "death to America" and promise to obliterate Israel from the face of the earth. America did't throw Iran into the sea. It chooses to live in a small pond of its own creation with the hope that it will expand into an ocean in which it will be the sole shark.
Despite its well documented flaws, the JCPOA offered Iran the perfect opportunity to "return to land" as a responsible nation. Instead it made a mockery of the good faith president Obama had offered by using its new found wealth to to support proxies in spreading terrorism, facilitate regional hegemony and develop missile technology capable of delivering the nuclear weapons the current regime is intent on possessing.
The irony of course is that before America was declared "the great satan", Iran was a prosperous, cosmopolitan country that benefitted from being our ally. That all changed when self described "students" attacked our embassy, held it occupants hostage for over a year and tortured to death CIA personnel. Those actions changed the whole middle east dynamic. Saddam Hussein became our ally and precipitated a Arab war against Iran that has never ended even if the combatants have.
Middle east oil is no longer of any consequence to the US. Nuclear weapons aside, neither is Iran. The President seems determined to drain Iran's pond. Without firing a shot it is already draining. I hope he stays the course.
17
@tim k: Iran was a modern parliamentary democracy when the CIA overthrew its government for wanting to charge too much for its oil, in that fateful year of 1953, when the US fell down the "under God" rabbit hole of conceit it festers in now.
"I remember that momentous summer night in 2015 when President Hassan Rouhani of Iran announced the nuclear deal with President Obama. I joined the tens of thousands celebrating in Tehran."
I'll bet you did.
But it seems that you did not later join the tens of thousands who demonstrated against the regime when they learned that the new found revenue was being shipped out of Iran and to support the Ayatollah's personal armies, like Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, not mention the Houthis in Yemen, and the Revolutionary Guards on the Syrian side of the Golan.
https://israelunwired.com/iranians-chant-death-to-palestine-in-protests-against-iranian-regime-across-iran/
So, it seems to me that you are crying crocodile tears. Tears for the "lost hope" of the nuclear deal, while many of your compatriots protested the export of post-nuclear deal funds to the Ayatollahs' regional armies with an agenda for a Shi'ite "arc" from Iran to Lebanon.
Time for you to let the Ayatollahs know that you want to be free. Truly free. And freedom is never cheap.
18
As a result of being a volunteer at the Red Cross in Linköping, Sweden for the past 18 years I have met countless Iranians and have a group of friends who report often on the harm that sanctions do to their families.
This program to harm individuals and to prevent Iran from benefiting from its major natural resource, raw materials for producing fossil fuels, serves no American purpose.
But of course, this program is as nothing compared with President Trump's repetition in an NBC interview of Hillary Clinton's declaration, also in an interview, that she was fully prepared to "obliterate" Iran.
Madwoman and Madman at work expressing their readiness then and now to engage in genocide, the obliteration of a population of 80,000,000 people.
If my country of birth were the country it pretends to be it would treat Saudi Arabia and Iran equally. Instead, all of us who are as old or nearly as old as I am, know that for reasons we will never understand, Iran, the country that is in so many ways like my USA is to be put down, whereas Saudi Arabia, the follower of the worst possible form of Islam, is to be embraced.
As Mark Thomason noted in a comment several days ago, if the USA remains intent on destroying Iran either step by step or to use the Clinton-Trump word, obliteration, our USA will in the end commit its own suicide.
Where is the Shakespeare we need to portray this madness?
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
5
Fourth largest oil reserves & educated. Had zero involvement in 9/11, (was) leaning towards moderation. Someone please explain why we have a problem with them? Saudi Arabia supports radical clerics spreading anti-USA venom and had almost two dozen of their citizens involved in 9/11. Someone please explain why we have no problem with them? What’s really going on.
20
@Outer Borough - Saudis also savagely murder their own people (see Jamal Kashoggi), approve honor killing of young people who commit the sin of falling in love outside of religious/family approval, throw gay citizens off of roof tops, imprison women for wanting to be free of the chains of being considered chattel. The younger generations of Iranians want to be free of their overbearing theocracy just as trump's evangelicals are trying to establish one here.
7
the Saudis cemented their decades long friendship with America (eg, the Carlyle Group and the Bush gang) by helping Trump and Kushner out of their debit problems. also, American defense corporations make big money selling their products to Saudi, some of which winds up as "campaign contributions", aka free speech, aka bribes. the Iranians humiliated America by taking over our embassy and holding our citizens hostage, then working against our allies and falling in with Russia, our biggest adversary.
The episode has ex[posed the ace up in the Irani's sleeve : threat to annihilate the oil rigs oil refineries oil wells in the entire ME in case of an American attack. This is what probably deterred US response . ( Trump has convinced American that innocent Iranian will die. Always ready to believe in the existences of the good nature of the leaders , divine intention of the leaders ,and courage of the leaders Americans have accepted it . Also has been told by the same leaders to forget about propping up rebels in Syria and supplying arms to Saudis to kill Yemenis and the obedient voters have ignored the unending horrors).
Question is if the threat form Iran were made known to Trump before the imminent attack.
2
Sanctions are more than just a word, or some abstract idea that comes up in conversation. Sanctions grind down and destroy millions of innocent peoples' lives all over the world.
The United States is the Goliath of sanctions, of arms sales, of endless wars. We're the world-wide imperial bully forcing other nations into submission to our conquering agenda.
When those countries resist we call them terrorists. But when we move in on them to shove down their throats our rule of empire, we say we're bringing them democracy.
This is Orwellian language saying that war is peace.
To puncture the numbing Orwellian bubble we're living in, we need to question what's actually being said, by whom, and why they're saying it at that particular moment in time.
oz.
1
So Obama’s deal with Iran worked because Obama wasn’t a greedy cow with investments in Russian oil. Along comes the cow, he breaks the agreement to try and force allies to buy oil from Russia by sanctioning Iran. I would call that the first provocation. Iran has every right to hold on to what is theirs by any means necessary. They will continue to be a bad actor when you take away everything from them except their means to defend themselves—which is their only export. Iran becomes less of a bad actor when they are allowed to build their economy.
2
I'm not sure what punishing the populace of Iran is going to accomplish. We tried that with Saddam for years without success. Do we want regime change? The only way to do that is militarily. As we are learning here in the US, its not that easy for the populace to get rid of corrupt leadership.
3
From the moment Mr. Trump unilaterally abrogated the JCPOA and unilaterally imposed sanctions on Iran, ignoring the advice of all the other signatories to the Agreement, we have been heading for a showdown with Iran. Mr. Trump continues to disparage the Agreement, but as this op-ed demonstrates, the Agreement was having the desired effect of improving the lives of ordinary Iranians and changing the dynamics of Iran's relationship with us.
The destruction of this progress is a tragedy for all concerned. Under Trump's policy, the USA can count on one hand the allies he has in a confrontation with Iran (Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Israel). We stand virtually alone in this war of attrition with Iran that can blow up at any minute. Trump will face more agonizing decisions like he did Thursday night. Did he understand this when he pulled out of the JCPOA? He made an ego driven decision and such decisions usually turn out very badly.
3
There’s an old American saying... “ you made your bed, now lie in it.” Oh and this one to. “ Mess with a bull, you get the horns.”
2
While Iran may not be a great country, we must recognize that the people who live there are human and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. I can only hope the best for people in Iran, North Korea, China, and other such places.
5
This would be a good time for everyone to view Rick Steve's Iran available on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/CYoa9hI3CXg
3
It’s really a shame that so many Americans seem immune to irony.
A nation operating under the pretense of Christian values, claiming moral superiority over the civilization which gave us Zoroastrianism.
I suppose it’s a good thing that we stopped valuing the truth.
6
Iran’s theocracy is creating their own problems. Forty years of hostility against the west in general, constant threats to ‘wipe Isreal off the map’, and the general funding & fomenting of terrorism around the world make clear that Iran is the problem, not the US. I’m weary of this constant ‘blame America’ posture. If Iran wants US sanctions & pressure to end, then grow up and behave like rational global citizens.
12
@Once From Rome - You can say that with a straight face after what we did to them in 1954 -53, what we did in Viet Nam, several South American countries, and the catastrophic display of hubris in Iraq... and with our own would be mullahs (Pence, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, etc.) trying to install a theocracy here... wonders never cease.
4
Vietnam BTW was the enforcement of the Truman Doctrine.
Well, Iran did nationalize (steal) British-built & owned petroleum assets. Not exactly a healthy respect for the rule of law.
Speaking as a former manager---responding to a problem with no goals and no plan does not end well---as we found out in Iraq and Afghanistan---
2
Sad! We have no intrinsic conflict with far away Iran, it is a matter of foolish, expensive, dangerous, and unnecessary and overextended US involvement in too many places and Iran's foolish, excessive and dangerous intervention in their region. I didn't think I could feel sympathy for the Islamic Republic of Iran with their stupid, unnecessary obsession with "death to Israel" and their persecution of gays, Bahais, suppression of rights for women... but I must admit they lived up to the nuclear deal while it is the US, with its history of overthrowing an elected government there, shooting down their civilian airliner, and now imposing sanctions to cripple the Iranian people and building up our military on their border, that is provoking Iran, not the other way around. We'd be best off mostly withdrawing from the region, we don't need their oil or their wars.
4
It’s a moment to be cherished. Buttigieg, the media darling, is imploding, while Trump, the villain the media loves to hate, emerges from the Iran fiasco unscathed. Facts on the ground just have a way of defying narrative.
4
@Edward Each to his own bubble.
But Iraq was so easy, we can take Iran down in not time then life will be grand. Wrong! The John Boltons of the world, have little wisdom and will replicate the mistakes of the British and French in the last two centuries, and plunge us into continuous regional wars just like Iraq and the battle with ISIS, which by the way is not entirely over. Then we can conquer China.
2
To have attached Iran would be to give them what they want. This was their free one. The next time they try will be their last.
2
Have been riding motorcycles and sailing my whole life. I fully understand the great joy of having a genius mechanic to be expertly adept dealing with a 1972 BMW bike. At the same sailing more than just a few times to Bermuda and back, I also know the value what a floating platform affords in savage weather at sea. I for one do not discount the Iranians. Iran/Persia has been around a bit longer than the British creation of the current Middle East. Iran with an educated population of 83 million is close to the same in population as Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq of 89 million
combined. Mr Bolton and his cohorts would do well to study a little history. As for a "hot" war, I'd say enough already. Time for some serious "hot" talk rather than "hot" bluster.
3
The current Iran regime:
supports Syria and Assad who has murdered his own people with chemical weapons, supports Hezbollah whose sole, stated purpose is to destroy Israel, is allied with Russia.
4
he gives the same respect to treaties that he has, for all of his life, given to business contracts... almost none. his sanctions have had ruiness effects on the economy of that nation. just what is it he expects? Most of the nations on this planet, erstwhile allies.. loathe us, have no faith in our words or our motives...won't support this imminent war. so, I ask this question, who's isolated? He may blunder into war yet, and the collateral damage will be " phenomenal," "magnificent," " beautiful." My guess is he won't be strutting his Guccis, in peacock style.. on the Mc Cain! DANGEROUS AND TRUSTLESS in WASHINGTON!
2
Have a Summit with the Ayatollah, Donald.
Better than bullets, missiles and waking up years to come thinking 'why in heavens name did we ever start this'.
3
That is Trump's philosophy of life. He that has the most power and advantages will be the winner.
But that philosophy does not work so well when your opponent's options are either to endure or acquiesce to your opponent's demands.
The problem for President Trump is that his words and actions are not hidden from public view as were his words and actions in private life. He can no longer use "fixers" like Michael Cohen to do his dirty work.
Probably for the first time in his life, Donald Trump is held accountable unavoidably for his own words and actions. That is why all the retractions, misinterpretations, and lies have become a matter of public knowledge.
No one can deny the truth for long who is actually held to account!
2
I feel bad for the people of Iran. Like most people they are pawns of whatever government rules them. If there were a way to punish a government without punishing its people, that would be nice. The Iranian people do not export terrorism, hold tourists hostage on trumped up charges, export rockets to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza to be lobbed at Israel or fund the militias that exercise outsize power in what is supposed to be the Republic of Iraq.
But it is hypocritical to punish Iran for doing these things when we are supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia who uses them to commit war crimes in Yemen. Let us also not forget that it was the CIA who helped overthrow a democratically elected government in Iran and installed the Shah, who was a tyrant and the impetus behind the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Sanctions rarely affect the lifestyles of rulers. Kim in North Korea has a fleet of luxury cars and does not look like he missed a meal. And the Ayatollahs of Iran look none the worse for wear. But Iranians have seen what happens when you try and remove an oppressive government. How'd it end a Tienanmen Square, Syria or Venezuela?
History is replete with average people getting the short end when the governments that rule them do not want to relinquish their power, and strong men abusing their people and ignoring international opposition. My hope is that this crisis ends peacefully so that no one has to lose a son or daughter in a avoidable war.
8
I suspect that all Donald Trump wanted to do was to obliterate another of President Obama's achievements, so that he could replace one Iran agreement with another that would have his name on it. He of course failed entirely to consider how his behavior would come across to the various factions in the Iranian government, who constantly scheme against one another and so aren't a trusting lot. After Donald Trump's actions, how can any American president have the credibility not only to reach to an agreement with the Iranian regime, but effectively to bind her/his successors?
4
Going to war would hopefully be an absolute last resort to resolving a conflict. War involves terrible loss of life and destruction, and when the wars are over, it seems humanity is diminished. Before taking such an irrevocable step, should not at least the Congress be given the opportunity to have a role in the decision? I believe the majority of Americans are against starting another war.
3
I’m still mystified by the Iranians and their US apologists (trump haters). Are their foreign adventures really worth the price they are paying? Why does a smallish country with the fourth greatest oil reserves really need a nuclear program? This would all be over if they simply shut down the nuclear program they don’t need, and stopped supporting foreign terrorist organizations, but apparently those initiatives are more important than prosperity for their citizens. I’m at a loss to understand any of it.
8
Thank you for publishing this essay.
Ultimately you can look at just about anything in many ways but this strikes me as pretty spot on.
If war does happen, it will be the latest undefensible action by the USA, and right up there with the most absurd.
3
There are millions of Iranians like Mr. Abdoh -- thoughtful, sentient people who carry no ill will toward the United States. It is indeed tragic that they live in a country controlled by a religious regime that supports terrorism.
My heart goes out to the people of Iran, but I also support US policy which aims to alter Iranian policy.
(The JCPOA did nothing but give Iran a pass to continue its support for terrorism, and would have allowed Iran to continue its nuclear enrichment activities once the accord lapsed.)
7
Iran is at war, and has been for a number of years now. In its military support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, its participation in the civil war in Syria, support for Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, attempts to takeover control of Iraqi politics, support of rebels in Yemen, conflict with Sunni countries, and more generally its efforts to undermine political comity throughout the Middle East in order to put its stamp of revolutionary Shiite ideology onto the world. None of this is mentioned by the author of this piece, who would have you believe that the Iranians are just innocent bystanders in all their suffering.
9
@Mark: Nothing is more stupid than getting involved in religious schisms.
2
Excellent article. A minor correction. Trump did not re-impose sanctions. The sanctions against Iran that were eased that were linked to JCPOA had been authorized by the Security Council in 2010 (UNSCR1927). Trump's sanctions are a new creation devised by Bolton to be imposed without the authorization of the Security Council and without EU laws that required compliance by SWIFT with the 2010 sanctions. The Bolton plan for regime change relies on the attractive power of the U.S. market. If a country wants to trade with Iran it will be cut out of the U.S. market. Trump's sanctions and his exit from JCPOA was engineered using the emergency economic powers of the president without the consent of Congress.
5
I used to live in Tehran. The irony is that a lot of people there are not so different than New Yorkers -- modern, educated, and often at odds with the far-right religious leaders who are trying to drum up a conflict to support their own goals and their own popularity. By driving Iran into poverty, we are driving it closer to the far-right. You can't starve and bomb people into the 21st century.
In most countries, a dictatorial leadership-style is always tenuous and not terribly popular, particularly when the economy is doing well. Trump is doing so much damage to Iran, and for what? We had a nuclear deal that was working. His utter incompetence and desire to bolster his own poll numbers, along with his desire to please the Saudis and Netenyahu, are a terrifying combination.
18
@RVC
We did NOT have a nuclear "deal" that was working, as the "deal" allowed Iran to continue to spread its support for terrorism, Hezbollah, etc, with no penalty.
4
@Frank J Haydn
Maybe that part never made it in because the US refused to stop its meddling in other countries.
Step by step. With Iran no longer isolated, its enormous population of highly educated young people who want freedom would have had more leeway to activate for and make the changes they want to see for their country and future. But now with pain and suffering imposed by the US they will be forced into fighting for their own nation, thus putting their freedom on the back burner.
(In the US, people have traditionally rallied around a war president whether they agree or vehemently disagree with him. Why would anyone expect other countries to behave differently?)
No one wants to be a vassal state of another country, no one wants a puppet of another nation as their leader telling them what to do - there is no freedom in that. It didn't work when the US tyrant puppet, the Shah, was thrust upon Iran by coup in 1953. The current leadership and state of affairs, is a direct result and backlash to that. And it won't work now.
Step-by-step. All or nothing is a fool's errand, a highly unwise, unintelligent and self-defeating recipe for violence and hate, pain and suffering.
5
@Frank J Haydn In the same way, we support Saudi Arabia, which is doing horrific things in the war in Yemen, where children are starving to death right now in probably the worst human rights crisis in the world. We can't demand moral authority from other countries that we do not demonstrate. If we stop supporting Saudi Arabia, with their regime of terror and murder of journalists, perhaps we can pressure other countries to do something similar. In the meantime, demanding something from Iran that we will not demonstrate is laughable.
3
I would not defend the Iranian government. They do some bad things and I am glad I was born in the US.
But there is history some people don't know.
After WWI, Britain and France divided up influence and control in the Middle East. See the Sykes-Picot agreement. They put rulers in countries that were under their control.
Britain was still the world power and its naval fleet an important part of that. Coal was being replaced by oil. Britain didn't have oil. BP began their presence in Iran.
Look up the 1953 Iranian coup. The US and UK helped a coup to overthrow the elected prime minister and replace him with the Shah.
During the Iraq-Iran war, the US under Reagan and other western countries sold raw materials and technology for Saddam Hussein to create chemical weapons that he used on Iran. Chemical weapons have been outlawed since WWI.
Iranians I have spoken with do not think most Americans are bad but they do know the history of our government.
9
@Independent
Here’s some more history Democrats and so-called ‘progressives’ never seems to know:
— During WWII, Iran was occupied by Soviet and Western forces to secure the oil supplies and to ensure a southern route for American (mostly) war materials to the USSR.
— Soviet occupation troops did not leave until the late-1940s. In the parts of Iran they occupied, they purged the local population of any opponents and set up a strong Stalinist communist party presence.
— In 1953, the US and the UK overthrew the ‘democratically-elected’ Mossadegh precisely because his coalition required heavy communist support for its survival. With communists in power, it would have been one man, one vote, one time just like in Eastern Europe when the USSR consolidated power after WWII. There was no way the West was going to permit a Stalinist regime to control the Persian Gulf oil supply. Period.
— The Shah was grossly imperfect and his Savak secret police were rotten to the core but, unlike life under the Mullahs, urban women were relatively free, homosexuals were not hung from cranes, teenage boys did not clear mine field with their bodies, and terror was not exported worldwide.
— Oh, and the precursors to chemical weapons you claim the Reagan Admin sold to Iraq knowing they’d be use as chemical weapons again Iranians were common agricultural products. I suspect if those common products were withheld, we’d be hearing today how the Reagan Admin tried to starve the Iraqi people.
6
@Independent
That history is pretty well known.
@EGD
Your arguments sound good.
But the Iraq-Iranian war went on for 8 years.
The CIA knew Iraq was using chemical weapons.
It violated the Geneva Convention.
The US could have brought this to the UN among many other things.
More, we supported Hussein when he was helpful and attacked him when he wasn't.
And we have supported dictators in countries all around the world who did bad things to their people if they sided with us instead of the USSR.
I am thankful I was born in the US and not the USSR but we are not so much better when it comes to meddling in other countries for our own interests at the expense of their citizens.
3
Iran is guilty of the worst possible crime in this current environment: having come to an agreement with President Obama that worked.
There is no consistent current US policy except to undermine President Obama achievements.
282
@Daniel. Yep.That is so true. I think it all goes back the The White House Press Corps Dinner when Obama roasted "The Donald" to the amusement of the room. Liddle Donny was in the audience and we all know what a vengeful 'liddle' fellow he is.
22
@gilmas
Many people would put the blame on W Bush and our 2003 Iraq War against non-existent weapons of mass destruction.
Add to that, I remember Netanyahu testifying before the US Congress saying that taking out Saddam Hussein would bring great benefit to the Middle East.
Didn't quite work out that way.
8
@gilmas
Pretty sure it was Bush the younger’s illegal and ill conceived war on Iraq that created the current ‘huge mess in the Middle East”.
9
“I remember that momentous summer night in 2015 when President Hassan Rouhani of Iran announced the nuclear deal with President Obama. I joined the tens of thousands celebrating in Tehran. We imagined that a new chapter had opened in Iran’s relationship with the world...”
Trump mocks diplomacy as somehow weak, but look how effective it was. Iran was made accountable to the United States and other countries. Their economy boomed, life was improved, and they were joining the fold of a global community.
Trump, predictably, undid Obama’s achievement and took an opposite posture. Trump treated Iran as a pariah, reverted to sanctions, and threatened our ( at least previous) allies to do the same. All bullying and threats. Trump just won’t stick with what’s working if it was initiated by his predecessor.
377
It is so easy to dehumanize citizens of an adversarial nation. But, at heart, they are just people, they are separate from their government, and Iranians by and large want what we do - namely for themselves and their families to live in dignity.
442
American supremacy has always been based on dehumanizing non-white, non-(Protestant) Christian people. It's codified in the Constitution, and was the basis of our genocide of indigenous peoples, enslavement of Africans, and justification of massive wars against the people of North Korea, Vietnam and Iraq (not to mention countless smaller wars in Latin America) who gave us no direct threat except that we didn't like their systems and that they might, someday, challenge us.
No one in the US government today, Republican or Democrat, acknowledges how our overthrow of the Iranian government installed the repressive Shah, the consequences of which give us today's Iran and Middle East. As always, we break it, and then we condemn the broken for being broken.
Nothing changes over the course of our history, nor will it ever. It's the real reason the 2nd amendment is so important to us - not for self defense, but to keep fostering the culture of conquest that defines America.
20
@NM Trump is doing the same thing to the Cuban people. Under Obama things were much better for all nations!
12
@NM
At the end of the day, the Iranians are responsible for their government, and its promotion of terrorist, anti-Western and especially anti-Israeli murder.
The Iranian public made Khomeini god - they can fix the worldwide problem they have caused.
As much as I dislike Trump, I hope he continues to bear down until the Iranians decide to change.
6
The sanctions are to soften up Iran and goad the Iranians into actions.
Trump, like previous American presidents, need a just-in-time war to raise his popularity with voters.
Once the killings start, patriotic Americans will flock to him to defend Americans from rape and pillage, and he will win the 2020 election.
Why do you think he reneged on the JCPOA, other than to spite President Obama b/c he is a person-of-color? Trump took a leaf right out of Bush2's book on WMD lies (and the Gulf of Tonkin lies too). Old hat, old trick and as American as apple pie.
3
In the first place there was no rational decision by Trump to reinstate the sanctions on Iran, ostensibly driven to undo Obama's decision. His last minute decision to refrain from force against Iran, though a reasonable one, doesn't emanate from genuine concern to Iranian loss of life, as he proclaimed, rather it is the ultimate concern of jeopardizing his reelection probabilities, a threatening scenario to a narcissist, largely concerned with himself.
2
Civilians always pay the price for the adventures of their government. Iran’s leaders could not care less about urban Iranians. They are trying to goad Trump into attacking Iran so the people unite against a foreign enemy. A centuries old playbook. Why else plant small bombs above the waterline of tankers in the Strait? No one is hurt. No large oil spill. Just a show to see if Trump took the bait. This time Bolton did but Trump didn’t. So Iran will have to escalate its tease to get the war its government so deeply desires.
2
Make America Proportionate Again!
He stole that right from under the libs who ready to castigate him if he overreacted to Iran. Now he’s outwitted them both. The US can now go before the UN Security Council with greater support from our allies. He has also disarmed his domestic critics who were hoping he would do something rash to jeopardize his reelection chances.
2
What is interesting is how Trump picks and chooses which autocratic regimes he like and therefore are our “friends”.
Putin is no more a friend of ours than Iran. He would like to see us go down just as much.
I always remember my dad’s friend who had interviewed German prisoners after WWII. the prisoners said give us guns and we’ll help you fight the Russians. You’re going to have to do it anyway.
5
The entire fault for this unnecessary crisis lies with #45 and his chickenhawk regime. Bolton and Pompeo must go, along with this clueless president. Trump pulled out of the nuclear non-proliferation agreement with Iran, for no reason at all, except to ruin all of Pres. Obama's legacy. For this alone he should have been impeached. I'm with the Iranians on this one, who are NOT Sunni Al Qaida nor Isis nor their enablers. Regime change DOES need to happen though, just not in Teheran-- in Washington, DC.
6
The premise of the Iran Deal was that it is not acceptable for Iran to exterminate millions of Israelis with nuclear weapons but it is acceptable to do it with ballistic missiles. It is also acceptable to undermine governments like Lebanon's with terrorist groups completely unaccountable to the national government and sponsor terror and money laundering as far away as Venezuela. The undermining of the Iranian economy is the best foreign policy decision of my lifetime.
The Iranians write on their paraded ballistic missiles "we will destroy Israel" in Hebrew, so no one can doubt their intentions. This is a violation of the UN Charter and their paean to genocide are violations of international law. Where is the international community's moral outrage? It seems it is reserved for migrant families at our border.
If Iran was not supporting an army in Syria where it is accused of horrific human rights abuses, if it wasn't propping up Maduro's thugs, if it wasn't smuggling weapons into Gaza and Yemen there would be plenty of resources for the Iranian people. Why did we ship millions of dollars in pallets of cash in the middle of the night to these tyrants? If it was their money, certainly it could have been given in medicine or food?
Trump's dithering over retaliation is unfortunate, the strangling the Iranian government economically and denying them resources to terrorize the world is a success. Obama and Kerry's moronic deal was a complete failure.
Godspeed Donald!
2
as iran is a Theocracy and celebrates death to America day twice i will not weep. theocracies deserve destruction and those who call for killing those i care about are my enemies. secular and non warlike iranian get my sympathy. it is indeed, as a vassal of trump knows, embarrassing and frightening to be under the heel of fools and clerics as are those in both countries. a pox on mullahs. a pox on evangelists. a pox on the rulers of the us and iran and upon any who support serve or aid them
3
“My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.” (Forest Gump) The quote would be a better model to describe the situation in Iran. The inability of some Iranians to recognize that their government is hypocritical is the reason they find themselves in a middle of a Cold War. Unlike the Iran Iraq war, where the aggressor chose a military path, the USA has chosen a path less traveled. The objective of a Cold War is to allow the citizens of the target nation to self realize the failure of their leaders and replace them. A Cold War is costly but is intended as a lesson. Imagine that same king in the story presented being left at sea with his crew but not allowed to come back to land until the king relinquishes his title. The crew will eventually rebel and overthrow the king.
Our answer to the author is a simple Arab proverb. “Yom Asal, Yom Basal” one day honey, one day onion. The Iranian people have the choice to make.
3
The “Maximum Pressure” on Iran does not seem to working quite like Trump and his neocon Republican war criminals said it would! When the first cruise missile or bombs strike Iran, Trump and the GOP neocons, as Bush/Cheney WMD in Iraq, will have a conflict even more of a strategic blunder and deadly war than Iraq! Trump Iran policies are driven by Israel, AIPAC and apparently Saudi Arabia supported by the GOP base of evangelical Christians in the U.S. If Trump & Republicans want war with Iran, reinstate immediately National Military Selection Draft with no "bone spur" exemptions and then we will see whether Americans want war with Iran! It is immoral and morally corrosive to send the less than 1% of Americans who serve into repeated combat while there is absolutely no sacrifice, NONE, asked of the majority 99%! Have we learned nothing from the Bush/Cheney War Crime of invading Iraq
7
I have had a number of dear Iranian friends over the years. I have heard their stories of the immense suffering their relatives are undergoing in their homeland. Especially heartbreaking is hearing about the suffering of elders not able to obtain the medication and healthcare they need.
Now, my friends don't even feel safe to go back home for a visit because they are afraid of being excluded forever from the jobs, education and families they have established in this country. Thank God for email, Skype, etc. that (at least of this writing) still enables them to stay in touch with the folks back home.
The Persian culture is ancient and rich. Those familiar with scripture will recall that it was the Persian King Cyrus who so kindly helped re-establish the Jews back in THEIR homeland of Israel after the cruel destruction, capture and slavery imposed on them by the Babylonians (who lived in modern-day Iraq). Read more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_the_Great_in_the_Bible
Yes, the Iranians have had some awful leaders... but the people themselves do not need to be punished for the decisions of their government. It is wrong to impose such misery on these people, and I am ashamed that our country has chosen to do so. Not in my name!
8
Iran’s future is entirely in its own control.
Option 1: Continue to terrorize the world. Attack innocents throughout the Middle East (but especially in Syria, Israel, and Yemen.
Option 2: Stop the warmongering. Return to civilization. Ideally, become an actual Islamic republic, instead of a mullah led dictatorship, but that’s probably too much to hope for.
No doubt the mullahs and the Iranian Republican Guard enjoy the dictatorship. Iranian people need to recognize its up to them to stop them.
7
@BB
History of US intervention around the world to the present day, some with the US accused of state sponsored terrorism: Over 72 overt and covert US operations for regime change and vassal status for other nations.
"I believe that if we had and would keep our dirty, bloody, dollar crooked fingers out of the business of these nations, ... they will arrive at a solution of their own design and want ... that they fight and work for." --
David Shoup, former Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and member of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, speaking at Pierce College, 14 May 1966
Source: Millett, Allan Reed; Shulimson, Jack (2004), Commandants of the Marine Corps, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 978-0-87021-012-9
Think on it.
I ask for a Trump 'Deal of the Century', where both sides acknowledge that the root cause of despotism is corruption. In exchange for trump releasing his tax returns Iran would create a commission to stop the religious elite there from sucking the economy dry.
1
I would love to see the Iranian people finally rise up and take down the corrupt and cruel regime. Tehran could be a wonderful place again if suppression by religion dogma was gone.
4
Iranians are paying the price for the Revolutionary Guard, which is nothing more than a modern day Schutzstaffel (SS). The military branch of the Iranian theocracy, the Revolutionary Guard is committed to the destruction of Israel. The "Quds" (Jerusalem) Force, of the Revolutionary Guard, has its members pledge themselves to the annihilation of the Jewish state.
The Iranians also deserve to be punished as a nation for the takeover of the United States Embassy and the abduction of our diplomats in 1979. If there is some way to make the Iranians even more miserable, I am all for it.
2
There is a better way.
2
I don’t understand why Americans, or at least half of them, are not marching in the streets against their government. Put your feet where your mouth is please and stop your wars.
8
@Jo Ann
Switzerland exists as an independent nation because the US (mostly) defended Western Europe for 45 years after WWII from Soviet tank divisions.
Do you really think they would’ve left you alone if America didn’t protect you? (You can thank us later).
As for 2019, it is still the United States that protects a defenseless Western Europe and tries to keep terror nations like Iran from exporting terror to Europe again as it did in the 1980s.
4
Iraq ruined, North Korea safe. Lesson: better get yourself some WMDs, specially nukes. Iran would be foolish not to follow the North Korean example.
2
@Nima
Kinda like those fearsome Canadian nukes protecting a safe Canada, I suppose...
1
No hostile power is threatening Canada. Very poor analogy
1
If I were advising the Iranian government, I would recommend that they do what the Russians, Saudis and Israelis do:
Send some of your wealthy citizens to the US. Have them invest in the US, spend lots of money, manipulate the immigration system and get citizenship. Have them raise families in the US and get citizenship for them too (like Melania).
Then, thanks to Citizens United, they will be able to spend unlimited amounts of money influencing American elections. You'll be able to have a few representatives and senators -- and maybe even a president -- in your pocket, just like all the other billionaires.
Citizens United has put the US government on the auction block, for sale to the highest bidder.
10
Speak ye comfortably to Washington and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
1
Trump is accomplishing exactly what he wants with his actions.
First, he wants to undo anything Obama did.
Second, he wants chaos and the attention it brings.
6
This is an old story. Trump needs a war to bolster his white male base. Remember GWB strutting on an aircraft carrier in a flight suit? Deja vu...take a Middle Eastern country, throw in some sanctions and allegations, and toss a match on it. Instant flames, photo ops, and a second term. Never mind all the people who die along the way.
62
His "base" seeing their children return home in bodybags from war with Iran will not make particularly good reality TV for the Reality TV Presidency.
3
@WindlePoons
I'd pay good money to see Trump in that getup. Of course, it'd be as a donation to the Democratic nominee.
1
@WindlePoons Trump won a majority of all white female voters in 2016. It's not necessary to gratuitously attribute all of Trump's sins exclusively to white guys unless you want to keep losing elections unnecessarily.
Not surprisingly, this is written as a sympathetic meme for ‘poor Iran’ as mean President Trump and America punish innocent citizens. To put a touch of reality in this story, let’s remember that Iran foments violence and war all over the world on a daily basis, and the most oppressive force in Iranian citizens lives is its own terrorist government. The toothless nuclear deal that is praised for bringing prosperity to the economy was so effective that the government announced this week that they would ramp up weapons grade fuel that they are not supposed to even possess. Wars of any kind are painful, including economic ones, but the prospect of a nuclear Iran is worth whatever measures are necessary to prevent the carnage that would produce. America has always been a beacon of freedom for the world, a significant reason the world is trying to migrate here, and that is the true underlying story of problems in countries like Iran.
5
@HENRY: If "the prospect of a nuclear Iran is worth whatever measures are necessary to prevent the carnage that would produce" are you disappointed that Trump didn't order military strikes on Iran? How many lives are you willing to sacrifice toward that end and when do you propose to start?
3
Maximum pressure is itself a declaration of war and the only reason we are not in a shooting war is the slim hope that the other signatories to the nuclear accord will yet show the necessary resolve and find a way to circumvent the sanctions sufficiently to steady Iran's economy and breath some life back into it.
Unfortunately, aside from posturing, they haven't done anything meaningful since Mr. Trump re-imposed sanctions and as time runs out, and we are just about there if recent events are any portent, it is unlikely they will be able to stop the madness.
Mr. Bolton and Mr. Pompeo will be happy, as will the mad Prince Bone Saw and the Machiavellian MBZ of the Emirates and of course our good friend Mr. Bibi but I would suggest their happiness will be short lived, as nearly the entire diversity of global leaders are saying DON'T DO IT, the four horsemen should take heed.
32
You cannot understand the reasons behind the US targeting of Iran without considering the current alliance between the US, THE Saudi regime, and Israel (whose Netenyahu has been begging for a military attack on Iran for years). Anytime you find someone listing Iran's involvement in terrorism in the Middle East - remind yourself of Saudi Arabian backing of ISIL and Al Qaeda and its crimes in Yemen. There is no justification for the war against Iran and the destruction of lives. Intervention in Iraq and Syria not only destroyed these countries and the lives of its peoples but generated more violence and more terrorism.
9
Sanctions hurt the most vulnerable people in a society in life-threatening ways. I think we as a nation should stop using them as a tool of punishment against governments we oppose.
5
It’s up to Europe to leave the US publicly and clearly isolated and alone on this disastrous course. This war mongering is illegal, immoral and unaffordable in every way conceivable. Iran would be insane not to procure a nuclear weapon because of our thuggish behavior. But maybe sense can prevail but only with the US climbing completely down and reversing course entirely and unconditionally. But that is impossible to even imagine happening even as the most liberal precincts of “permissible beltway precincts” prattle on about how attacking our toy drone was a “serious attack on our nation”.
4
Persians starve while The Supreme Leader sends your wealth to murderous groups in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.
I may hate Trump, but compared to The Supreme Leader, Nasrallah, Assad and Mashal, he's a gem.
9
If Trump thinks he can bully Iran like he bullies people he has all his life he has another think coming. (of course we know he's not big on deep thinking). He does not know any more about Iran and it's people than George W. did about Iraq and it's people, and we know what a total disaster that was for us. An actual ground war in Iran would be far more of a disaster than George's war.
Have any of these war hawks ever looked at a geographical map of Iran ? I doubt it or they would not be so anxious to go in there and as usual they would have no way of getting out again.
Why must we punish the people of Iran, just because there are people in the U.S. government that have a bone to pick, and are being goaded on by Saudi and Israeli muck rakers.
13
History is repeating itself.
The unfortunate irony of the Treaty of Versailles was that, despite its authors’ best intentions to ensure a world of peace, the treaty contained Article 231, which with its label “the war guilt clause” placed sole blame for WWI on Germany and its need to make reparations payments as punishment. With such extensive reparations payments, Germany was forced to surrender colonial territories and military disarmament, and Germans were naturally resentful of the treaty. Despite noble aspirations for peace, the outcome of the Paris Peace Conference did more to reinforce hostility by singling out Germany as the sole instigator of the First World War. The Great Depression and the economic protectionism it engendered would then serve as the catalyst for the hostility to manifest itself in the rise of the Nazi Party and increasing imperialist ambitions among world nations. It was then only a matter of time before small imperialist conquests would lead to the breakout of World War II.
5
@whipsnade
The Germans did the same thing to the French in 1871 after they won the Franco-Prussian War. They annexed Alsace and part of Lorraine and forced France to pay an indemnity of five billion francs. So it’s unlikely the demand for war reparations was much of a shock to the Germans in 1919.
1
Iran has for decades sown devastation and terror across the middle east.
5
One commentator has compared the current policy toward Iran to the USA policy of sanctions v-a-vis Japan, suggesting that these sanctions drove Japan into WW-2, likewise may happen with present-day Iran.
There are certain analogies, of course, between 1941 Japan and current Iran.
Japan then, Iran presently, were/are an example sin-qua-none for unmitigated pre-WW-2 aggression and wanton slaughter of civilians in the course of its military attacks of Manchuria/China .
These are/were analogous to present day Iran sponsoring global terror' 'proxy wars', from Lebanon to Syria to Gaza, to the wanton bombing of Argentina Jewish Centre, its nonstop "commitment" to the destruction of Israel, the US Barracks bombing in Lebanon slaughtering hundreds of our G.I. being there to stop the civil war there.
What other 'proofs' are needed to demonstrate to Iran's REGIME that one "Cannot eat a cake and have it too"?
3
@Jak. Good that you put “regime” in caps. Because the Iranian people, by and large, like Americans. That is, until we start killing them. Military action in Iran will not topple the leadership, but it will turn even more of the world’s people (Iranian and otherwise) against the U.S.
4
Pompeo says the sanctions are working. They are preventing Iran from selling its oil and, by all accounts, making life really miserable for the Iranian people. But to what end? Regime change? If so, we neverseem to get the type of regime we desire. The CIA toppled Mosaddegh in 1953 and replaced him with a shah whose Savak secret police so brutalized his subjects they overthrew him in 1979 and replaced him with Khomeini's mullahs. We got rid of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Iran's principal enemy, and wound up with a pro-Iranian regime in Baghdad. We tried to topple Syria's Assad, and drove him straight into the arms of Moscow and Iran. We had a nuclear pact that was not only honored by Iran but provided a diplomatic channel to Tehran. Trump unilaterally tore it up, undermining Tehran's moderates and yet again uniting the Iranian people behind the mullahs. Do Bolton, Pompeo, Liz Cheney, Lindsey Graham and the rest of the neocons really believe Iranians will now rise up and overthrow their own government?
17
The author is correct in characterizing the sanctions as an act of war. Let us look at previous U.S. wars on foreign soil: The Philippines, Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan--not a single one of these brought stability and integrity into the ensuing governments. Trump and his cabinet would do well to take a long view of history, but, of course, they are simply incapable of doing so.
13
Know one thing: No matter how much Iranians detest their regime, they detest the U.S.A., Israel and Saudi Arabia more. Iranians are politically aware, regrettably far more than Americans, and realise the U.S. is prepared to sacrifice millions of lives (two million lost this century alone) to protect the PetroDollar. The 30 U.S. bases surrounding Iran are not there "to bring democracy" but to facilitate the capitulation of Iran. It won't happen.
If there is a war, Iranians will overwhelmingly blame the U.S., and will support their regime to prevent the chaos caused by the U.S.A. in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen.
The last thing Iranians want is for their proud country to transform into a bloody playground for Al Qaeda and ISIS. We don't want our women raped, our men burnt in cages, our museums looted and, not least, our 200 churches and synagogues burnt to the ground.
The above are just some of the horrors caused by U.S. foreign policy. Will you never learn?
16
@Hamid Varzi
Sadly, no, as our history and current actions demonstrate.
1
Perhaps the 15 million in Tehran should support another Irani Spring. And Summer. And Fall. And Winter. Until there are gvt concessions. They'll be better off and so will the world.
4
Hey Iran, want relief? Ok, bring home your militias from Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. Ok, stop intermediate range missile development intended to intimidate Europe when nuclear warheads are added within the next decade. It would also help if the rhetoric to destroy the " little Satan ( Israel ) " and the " Big Satan ( U.S. ) were ramped down. Maybe give some consideration to the toleration of other religions. Bottom line ... if you can't take the hits, then get out of the game of geopolitics.
4
@BD would you impose any of those constraints on us? Or can we continue to develop ballistic missiles and deploy our forces wherever we please? That’s the problem with Americans, strutting around telling the rest of the world what to do in their own lands and backyards while having a functionally illiterate population when it comes to global geopolitics.
6
Evidently the author wants us to disregard Iran's support of Hamas, Hezbollah, Taliban and Houthi terrorists. But the fact is that the Ayatollahs and the Republican Guard are the single largest generators of terror and destruction in Asia, while their progress toward nuclear weapons is completely unacceptabile. So long as these facts remain true, despite all Trump's legion of flaws, Iran is getting what it deserves.
36
@NRoad
Don't forget the hostage taking during the Carter administration. Not only are these religious fanatics unrepentant; they elected one of the hostage takers as their President (I'm a dinner jacket).
Maybe the Iranian people will overthrow the leadership that has destroyed served them so poorly. Same for Saudi Arabia; there are no good religious reactionaries.
4
@NRoad Trump's hotel is Azerbaijan was laundering money for the Iranian National Guard, a fact which was well-documented in The New Yorker and elsewhere. I don't believe for a second that Trump cares about anything aside from how this will help him.
14
@NRoad - Poppycock! The US is "the single largest generator of terror and destruction" in the ME. We have been making up reasons to muck around in their back yards almost from the day we formed as a nation - overthrowing their governments; installing our chosen, murderous dictators; stealing their stuff; killing their grandmas and babies…
We have no more right to intrude on the ME, than they do to intrude on Nebraska.
22
Our targeted attacks on a country's economy, whether Venezuela, Chile, Iraq Indonesia Iran or elsewhere are a consistent part of the pattern of US interference usually leading to bombing, invasion, and "regime change" coups followed by decades of violent repressive dictatorships.
Iran has seen this before with our overthrow of the democratically elected Mohammad Mosaddegh replaced by the brutal regime of the Pahlavi regime. It is past time we get out of the business of destroying and attempting to control other countries and begin addressing problems within our own.
13
I have tried to figure out whether Trump would have had a different view on Iran, had his son-in-law not been Jared Kushner, whose father is a buddy of Benjamin Netanyahu, who seeks to stay in power by pandering to ultra-right groups in Israel, which sees Iran as its existential.
Trump's reliance on wealthy pro-Israel donors during the 2016 campaign and his appointment of hawkish advisers - John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, two committed Iran-haters - in foreign and national security policies have made him the head of an anti-Iran crusade, with the Saudi Crown Prince, MBS as their cheerleader.
Trump’s “maximum pressure” – the withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, re-imposition of sanctions and desire to choke off Iran’s oil exports – is part of the strategy to bend Tehran to his knees, because he, as a narcissist, wants to dismantle Obama’s legacy and build his own.
Perhaps somewhere in his mind, he wants to emulate Richard Nixon’s ice-breaking policy with China, by sending messages to Iran’s leaders that he wants to meet them.
They are right to reject his overture, doubting his sincerity and hoping to manage the crisis without letting him gratify his excessive ego.
Meanwhile ordinary Iranians suffer from all these external factors.
7
@J. von Hettlingen
please read: sees Iran as its existential threat.
1
If a real shooting war comes...Iran will be destroyed root and stem. This is the ineluctable fact. Maybe the economic sanctions of the United States are war-like. I don't doubt the lives of the Iranian people are being seriously harmed. Economic sanctions on Iraq literally killed children in the cradle.
I feel much pain for the ordinary Iranian people. War is hell and they are the ones that will die.
Any provocations from
Iran, rightly or wrongly, will be met with fire and blood. I want peace, but the United States is ready for war and will be for a long time.
A generation of American soldiers remembers comrades dismembered and disfigured explosively formed penetrators, made in Iran.
An more importantly, the warhawks remember it too.
If an American is killed by an action of the Iranian government...rivers of blood will flow. Iranian blood mostly, and some American.
I know my country, the United States, will not change its warlike tendencies. I would beg the Iranian government to remember what happened to Saddam. The United States can and will deploy overwhelming force if provoked.
While it may deeply offend the national honor of Iran, it must submit. It must seek out peace and when possible, appease the United States. The only alternative is destruction.
9
@GradStudent69 Iran already 'sought peace' and signed an agreement with the US and several other major countries. Trump cancelled it unilaterally.
The US is falling apart, both physically and politically. The US can destroy much or Iran but cannot occupy it for long. The Iranian civilization has existed for thousands of years and will still be a unified civilization in a century. The US? We cannot be so sure.
Give up the warmongering, the US cannot afford another pointless war in the ME, a region it does not understand and that is no longer vital to its national interests.
37
@There
No country has an obligation to join another in wasteful self destruction unless absolutely necessary. Rarely has war been necessary for the US in recent decades. Learn about opportunity cost - the foregone best option to a choice that you make. The United States has wasted extraordinary resources and destroyed millions of lives - just counting our own - in recent wars. Who looks at the Vietnam war, the Afghani, and Iraqi wars and thinks we should have more of them?
10
@GradStudent69 Your post is the best argument I have seen for why Iran should develop nuclear weapons. Your belligerent "If one American is harmed we will wipe you from the face of the Earth" says it all. The US under Trump has shown that the only way to get any respect is to emulate North Korea and develop a credible ability to inflict massive harm to US civilians. What a sad state of affairs.
4
The USA foreign policy in general is stupid and with Iran is idiotic. DJM
7
There is no legality to Trump's sanctions after pulling out of the treaty unilaterally. Just because Trump can, does not make this obscenity right. Imposing retribution on anyone wishing to trade with Iran to strangle their economy is cruel and merciless when the consequences on the civilian population are so devastating.
Trump should be tried for war crimes to go with all his other serious misdemeanors.
14
If not bombs, it’ll be death by starvation followed by, finally, a counter revolution that actually works this time.
3
Listen to Iran. Just, listen. Why do we keep on trying to convince ourselves that Iran does not mean what they consistently say? They deny Israel's right to exist and want to wipe it off the map. They cry, "Death to America." Just listen and believe what they say
2
@Ernesto what if a foreign power declared the US Marines a terrorist organization (implying that it could engage in anti terror operations on any US Marine bases anywhere in the world). What if a foreign power steamed war vessels in international waters outside our major ports in New Orleans Los Angeles Miami New York? What if a foreign power denied US citizens and businesses access to monetary and financial systems to sell and exchange goods? We’d go to war against such a nation in a heartbeat.
4
@Ernesto Talk is cheap. Israel is more than capable of defending itself.
1
What are you suggesting; destroy another entire country in the Middle East, turning their population into a sea of refugees?? If Israel wants to be more loved, maybe stop voting for the Netanyahus of the world. If America wants to be more loved, stop voting for warmongering Trumps.
1
The USA started this war with Iran after they rightfully threw out the Shah and his secret police, Savak. We are the warmongers here and have been for over 40 years.
8
@Vimy18
The vast majority of Americans have no idea the extent to which our own government has been involved in overthrowing governments throughout the world, many of them legitimately elected. It interferes with the deeply held belief that we're always the good guys.
4
If the Supreme Leader cared about the Iranian people he would permanently stop development of nuclear weapons, permanently allow the IAEA to freely go where and when they want to assure compliance for only peaceful use of atomic energy, and allow the Iranian government to spend its revenues at home, helping the Iranian people.
But no, the Ayatollah wants nuclear weapons and wants to take bread out of his people’s mouths to fund terrorist organizations across the Middle East, Africa and South America (yes, Hezbollah is active in South America).
Keep up the sanctions pressure. It’s working. We can get to a permanently non-nuclear, non-terrorist, prosperous Iran.
4
@Frank You seem to have forgotten that Iran has ceased its quest for nuclear weapons in accordance with an international agreement it signed with many countries including the United States. That agreement included IAEA inspections. Iran did not scrap the agreement and neither did every other signee except one, the United States.
When the United States invaded and occupied two countries on Iran's borders, Afghanistan and Iraq, what did you figure their reaction would be? Did you think it might be the same as the United States' would be if Canada and Mexico were occupied by a hostile and vastly more powerful foreign power? Would it buckle under and do what it was told or would it resist with all its might?
Destroying Iran's economy and impoverishing its citizens is no more going to bring about a prosperous Iran than invading Iraq brought about a democratic beacon in the Middle East.
7
Such articles are always prick one's conscience.
Let's hope such and more relevant data of 'social interests' of a country and the actual life and consequent aspirations of a society are weighed against the rhetoric of that society's leaders and representatives, who are naturally more committed to the 'political and business' interests of that country.
Let's hope Trump was actually swayed by considerations such as 'loss of life' while holding back on imminent attacks.
Let's hope such a consideration further guides Trump's decisions to reconsider American sanctions in the light of the 'societal costs' to Iran.
But at the same time, what about the real political costs that are the base of the sanctions ?
2
As wars go, economic war is far better than the shoot 'em up and bomb 'em to the stone age wars.
The Iranians will suffer more than the Americans in either case. That's just reality.
Trump debases us every day. Khamenei is a theocrat who only receives direction from god conveyed through his inner channel to the divinity.
Only the citizens of each country can change the leadership of their own country. That's much easier for Americans than Iranians, but "ease" does not change the reality that everyday people suffer for the hubris of their "leaders."
5
@TDurk all wars are economic wars.
... and Iran honed their asymmetric warfighting skills perfecting enhanced IEDs against US soldiers in Iraq, lest we forget. This is the same government that has been attacking us with impunity much of my adult life.
I would love to see them moving freely among the nations of the world — there are some wonderful people among them — but not on the terms they’ve demonstrated to date.
9
@Forrest Davis: Maybe the USA with the help of the British should not have ousted their democratically chosen leader Mossadegh to install the Shah instead back in the 1950s? Because that led directly to the revolution that got them (and the rest of the world) Khomeiny. The USA is just reaping what it sowed.
@Forrest Davis
"lest we forget..."
History is a good start to not forgetting as long as you do not cherry-pick and decide what year it starts.
Well done. I found myself wondering at the beginning of the article how an Iranian writer -- who goes so far as to publish his Tehran street address in an article in the NY Times -- manages to remain clear of Iranian authorities' retribution. By the end the answer was clear. Thank you for recalling for us how our common enemy was Saddam Hussein.
3
Iran by their own choice has chosen its path, and will eventually lead to additional despair for the innocent segment of their people. Arrogance and defiance are deadly mixes in today's world.
4
Mr. Abdoh, you’re probably going to read all the comments to get a sense of what regular Americans think about all this. So, I will add my two cents: all the leaders in your neck of the woods are nuts. I’ve spent more time than most trying to figure out your religious sectarian differences—Sunni, Shia, whatever, going back centuries before America came to be, only to feel a massive headache come on and a strong desire to scream at all of you to just get over yourselves—we have planet-wide issues now and we would prefer that you be part of the solution instead of a constant problem.
With that off my chest, most of us here see that the United States and Iran hammered out an excruciatingly difficult deal. Five nations signed the agreement. Our Secretary of Energy at the time was an MIT nuclear physicist, so maybe for once we knew what we were talking about.
Trump reneged on the deal because he always reneges when he doesn’t like the terms of a contract—even ones that he’s made himself. If someone else, like Barack Obama, made the deal, then the agreement is going to be trashed out of pure spite and personal animus.
Your regional leaders are crazy, and my leader has no honor. That’s where we are at. Trump will be out in two years—hang in there. I’m hoping your educated, moderate citizens will not hate us but will instead see how we’re all being taken advantage of by feckless, vicious leadership and be willing to sit down and talk in a reasonable manner again.
12
I agree with many of your comments...however, there will be no change in the situation without a change in Iran’s top leadership. It takes two of like minds to tango....
1
@CF When Christianity was the age Islam is now, Christians were very busy killing each other over sectarian differences.
1
As corrupt as their government is, they signed an agreement in good faith. This will probably go down in history as the Trump administration’s most misguided and pointless foreign policy decisions; then again, we still have a year and a half to go (hope).
Enumerating and then debating the collection of idiocies and egos that have brought us to this place, again, is a waste of time. So I won't!
1
Another example of the cruelty that Trump and its cronies are inflicting all around them: babies separated from their parents, massive deportations of hard working law abiding citizens and as described in this article a complete lack of empathy for the struggling Iranian population.
5
Really? Read some of the other the comments. The majority recognize that the Iranian situation is a result of off balanced leaders and hypocritical jihadists. This is an atavistic culture with warped minds who lead it. They harbor and enable terrorists. Their leaders would love nothing more than to wreak havoc and terror on the US at every chance. In fact they have.
There is unfortunate fall out and I feel deeply for the innocent victims in Iran, Syria and other places. They are as much victims of their own leaders as they are of our sanctions.
2
Iran supports and exports terror throughout the Middle East.
They support Hezbollah, whose goal is the destruction of Israel.
Iran is no friend of America. They are going to develop nuclear weapons regardless of any treaty.
We need to increase sanctions against the regime until it discontinues its support of terror.
We don’t need to attack the Country militarily, but we can continue to cripple the economy by shutting it off from the financial markets.
If Iran wants terror - let them have it. Sanctions!
8
@JMS what is the US drone strike program in Yemen on your scale of “exporting terror”? Just curious if you have even a remote clue of what we do abroad?
1
Sanctions do not work to remove entrenched governments; isn’t that obvious by now?? Sanctions only harm the people trying to survive and have a life.
@RS
The US and Allied Forces (Saudi Arabia) carried out murder in Yemen. It’s tragic what’s happened and continues happening to civilians in that country.
However, as long as the citizens Iran support the regime, they will have to deal with the effects of sanctions.
An interesting sympathetic article on how sanctions interact with ordinary Iranians.
Iran maintains its nuclear energy programme. Sanctions prevent them trading enriched material with previous partners. By default ,Iran will breach the nuclear deal by exceeding the 300Kg threshold shortly. This may be an intended consequence of sanctions and would embarrass the other signatories to the deal.
Hopefully the UK et al can broker a deal which allows both parties to compromise but not lose face.
5
@Pat C
How on earth does it make sense to you that withdrawing from an agreement with a nation that was complying with the terms of the agreement, then imposing sanctions on that nation which subsequently forces that nation to violate the terms of the already abrogated agreement in order to survive will embarrass the other signatories?
As I see it, the other signatories think we're idiots and don't want to get involved in our stupid Middle East interventions anymore.
1
The author says not a word about how Iran has reaped the whirlwind with its military adventurism in Syria, its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen (and their strikes in Saudi Arabia), and the attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf. It's all too clear now that the U.S. pulling out of the nuclear agreement was a mistake, but this portrayal of Iran as an innocent target of the evil U.S. sounds more like Iranian propaganda then a reasonable opinion piece.
27
@David Godinez
When talking about Houthis strikes in Saudi Arabia,
let's not forget who started that stupid war, bombed the Yemeni people for 3 years, and with whose military equipment, bombs, and support.
When talking about Iran's support for Hezbollah, let's not forget about the United States' unconditioned support for Israel, and all their massacres and war crimes against Palestinian and Lebanese people over the past half-century.
And when calling Iran's fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq a "military adventurism", do not forget that Wahhabi ISIS, started after the US invasion of Iraq and supported by those that were both firefighters and arsonists, was about to take over Baghdad and then head to the Iranian borders.
5
Iran successfully swindled billions of dollars from Obama for a temporary deal that would give Iran time to build up their strength, economy and influence in the region so that when the deal expired, they could extort an even greater sum from the US. The “deal” favored Iran disproportional to the other participants which is why it was a bad deal.
Obama knew he couldn’t pass the deal in the legislature and enforced the agreement without senate approval, and in doing so he made it so any president could simply void the plan. It was a promise by Obama to Iran, not by the American people or it’s elected representatives.
32
@Kev I disagree. I think your view is one of fearsome shadows on the wall. I agree with President Obama's premise that carefully, thoughtfully cultivating mutual success with our international counterparties, when possible, is the path to peace and prosperity.
Your comment highlights the inevitability that some people will paint an entire country with the monstrous, mythical stereotype of its regime that they've been fed by propagandists. I don't want such narrowminded people in positions of national leadership.
And while we're on the subject of swallowing myths, do you understand that the legislative impasse during President Obama's tenure was a purely political machination by Mitch McConnell and not a reflection on the president or his policies?
85
Adding to Jonathan's comment, Iran did not "swindle" billions from Obama as Kev claims. The funds were Iran's and which the US had grabbed from international payments due Iran. The US can do this because most international transactions flow through the US financial system even when no US goods or services are involved in the transaction.
The international community was growing weary of the US capture of these funds and starting to no longer favor the US grabbing others' funds. Iran was going to get its funds anyway over time one way or another. Thus, Obama gave up little regarding the funds and preserved the US role in international payments.
94
@Kev that's one way of looking at a deal that almost everyone in Europe, and more than a few people in the US saw as the most productive way to keep Iran from creating nuclear weapons.
Actually this sounds like barely recycled neocon rhetoric, or perhaps one of Sean Hannity's marginally rational rantings. I really don't care, you desperately want a war with Iran then suit up and leave the rest of us out it.
38
Iran has been at war with the US for 40 years by their own choice. That we have pretended that it isn’t so hasn’t stopped the steadily mounting death toll of Americans at the hands of Iran.
27
Do you not know that we engineered the overthrow of a democratically elected leader so that the autocratic shah could take power, and that the Islamic revolution was a reaction against that imperialistic and autocratic reality?
204
@KBronson, don't kid yourself. A real war with Iran would make Iraq look like a playground brawl. Iran has a sophisticated, well-equipped military and well over twice the population of Iraq.
At this point Iran hasn't been attacking American troops, but that would change. Iran has already begun to escalate in response to U.S. escalation. Iran has supported groups like Hezbollah for decades, which means that they have the ability to conduct asymmetrical warfare throughout the Middle East.
What steadily mounting death toll of Americans? I can't think of any incidents. Can you?
21
@KBronson Huh? You think the US had nothing to do with that "war"? Time to dig back into the history books a bit?
And as for the mounting death toll. I don't make light of even a single death and Iran has been involved in it's fair share of violence. But you have you looked at the billions of dollars of support we gave Saddam Hussein and Iraq in their war against the Iranians? We are complicit in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iranians in that war.
So there's that. I guess we all make choices don't we.
37
My the list of Democratic priorities is growing fast:
Open borders
Socialism
Reparations
Iran bearing nuclear weapons
Can’t wait for the debates to begin . . . .
27
@John Doe, is that what Fox News is saying?
Democrats are not for any of those things. Would you say that Trump is for Iran having nuclear weapons because he withdrew from the treaty?
17
It’s sad to hear all those points mentioned with zero substantive discussion of all the details and subtleties. Do you not know that America already has many “socialist” attributes and programs? Do you not know that the nuclear agreement with Iran was working? Do you think unchecked climate change will end well for your descendants?
21
@John Doe Well, it appears you haven't comprehended anything to date, will watching a debate change that?
There is a Persian saying, "A blind man who sees is better than a sighted man who is blind."
Why bomb Iran, when squeezing them can hurt them more?
Except to please our establishment war hawks, and the democrats who will use it to politically undermine him.
The democrats are blinded .. with hatred towards Trump.
19
@Bhaskar, please. So Democrats are responsible for Trump's brinksmanship?
7
We don’t hate Trump. We just rightly believe he’s a pretty terrible person and leader. Thank goodness at least we can see that and state it, unlike his Republican sycophants.
17
@Bhaskar
Nonsense. The US walked out of a multi-national agreement with Iran, punished Iran, and then insisted Iran abide by the terms of the deal it had abandoned. And yeah, the Dems loathe Trump. But are you claiming that the Repubs weren't blinded by their hatred of Obama? Name a single Trump policy that is not anti-Obama: in fact, it's Trump's raison d'être.
24
Name one country that caved to sanctions and suddenly turned democratic. It just plays well to conservatives. So what stops Iran now from enriching again? Its their only leverage against the West. Shooting down drones is distraction while they spin up the centrifuges again.
10
@Bill: Isolation locks in dictatorships.
South Africa
Like any empire, the U.S. fears true dialogue lest its appear weak. The dialogue that Trump and Pompeo propose with Iran are surrender terms that no country still sanding would consider.
Obama tried a new approach that almost succeeded. But Trump and the whispering conspirators at his court clearly saw no reason to compromise when conflict would better serve the Israelis, the Arab oil sheikhs and the Adelsens.
15
Trump's treating the Iranians like they're the subcontractors he's stiff-armed through the course of his career. He doesn't realize that people in other countries have good reasons not to fold or settle for half a loaf. They have an actual country to protect, while the US is at best half a country worth protecting, plus some hangers-on.
2
I hereby nominate Barack Obama as ambassador to Iran.
The treatment of Iran by the US is nothing short of criminal, going back to 1953. America is a highly indoctrinated society. Certain terms immediately conjure up associations. Socialism and Iran are two of those.
Had the US played its diplomatic cards right, it could have had a solid and very influential country as an friend in this region.
How long until the lunatic fringe of Bolton and Pompeo get though to trump?
14
Their leaders are running a criminal enterprise that is in the business of spreading terror and death across the world. So while we may have sympathy for some of their people who are suffering, we still must do everything necessary to cause the regime to fail, even if it results in good Iranians to suffer.
4
Actually, the Saudi’s are the ones spreading terrorism around the world! The US’s actions against the Iranians since the 2950’s have caused most of the issues with Iran. Installing & supporting the Shah’s police state led to the mullah’s. Supporting Saddam’s war against Iran killed hundreds of thousands Iranians. We need to look in the mirror & see the real ‘terrorists’!
I hate to tell you Iranians something, but ask the Iraqis: a war would be way worse. Way worse. As an American, I would want no part of a pointless war, for neither us nor the Iranians. But believe me: war would be far worse than sanctions, far worse than overpriced shoes.
3
Iranians are a proud people, inheritor of one of the oldest civilizations on the planet...and many of them are clever and demanding enough to understand and dream of something else than an Islamic republic. But their pride and acute geopolitical realism will stand firm against Donald Trump's US.
9
It isn't like I'm a fan of US policy, but Iran has taken itself to war for power over the past 3 decades. What has the Ayatollah really done for the people of Iran? It's certainly not for their benefit.
Launching secret wars with its neighbors, promoting terrorism, hiding it's inept government by blaming everything on the US, if you lifted every sanction, you'd still have a garbage government in Iran.
The only thing that will bring prosperity back is if Iran stops its own version of never ending war. But then their leaders might be found out as the sham they are.
5
International air space or Iranian air space, it seems like we're threading a needle. As my mother (bless her soul) would say about this drone, "What were you doing in the neighborhood in the first place if not looking for trouble?" If it wasn't war it was at the least provocation.
15
American foreign policy, historically, hurts innocent civilians much more than the govt. they seek to punish. Shameful!
2
The author has the tone of pro-government celebrities.The misery in Iran is CHOSEN by their own people when majority of nation accepted theocrasy(Islamic Republic: a non-sense term created in 1979!).In the last sentences, the author writes the Iranians has learnt to swim ( with reference to a tale by Saadi) but this is totally wrong,if this was told for the people of china it was true but not Iranian.Which industries beside military and missile production is well established in Iran? OIl and petrochemical product are main sources of revenue and this is how it was 40 years ago so not much progress( swim learning) in four decades of theocracy!
4
Really, what reasonable human being can blame Iran for wishing death on their decades long oppressors??? I empathize with them and I'm left baffled as to how we allowed this to happen. Just when it looked as if their oppressors recognized their wrong and were attempting to introduce them into the world economy, we had an election that threw a pile of garbage on that prospect. The vaunted United States democracy looks laughable. One year an intelligent, benevolent and extremely capable president rolls out the welcome mat, the next year a silly buffoon who has no place in government, much less this nation's highest office, rips it away for no reason other than he can't allow his predecessors achievement to stand - in spite of the benefit the deal had on world peace. Who breeds terrorists through their actions predicated on an adherence to baseless rhetoric? The United States of America.
15
US military spending is greater than Iran's entire economic output. The US is the worlds military bully, agitating fights it knows it can win every few years.
5
@General Zod Where has our military power won in the last twenty years: Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya ? Being able to bomb a country is very different from achieving a specific result. I am sure our military leaders have read von Clausewitz "War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means." Sadly the war hawks such as Bolton, Pompeo, Cheney, etc. have not. They have no problem starting conflicts as long as other people's sons and daughters are the ones that suffer and die.
8
The devastating impact of sanctions is well deserved in Iran as well as North Korea. American Colonists declared their independence and dissatisfaction with British taxes. We fought the King and won. People died.
If the people of Iran and/or North Korea would like to escape this chokehold hey would be well advised to rise up. Many may die, but that is part of the cost of freedom.
Better that than Americans dying for those lousy rulers.
Think about it.
1
As an Iranian journalist said on NPR today, "Trump has done a great job of causing financial hardship and harm to average Iranian people."
And sadly, HE thinks he's "winning"!
And he won't stop winning until the world in in flames and thousands, or millions, of people die.
How can the USA Congress and courts stand by while an apparently deranged individual causes so much harm and engages in high crimes and misdemeanors on a daily basis?
6
I remember having dinner with some young Iranian students many years ago in Paris and asking some general questions about Iranian (Persian) history and culture about which I was woefully ignorant. When I asked if the Shah ruled by “divine right,” they burst out laughing and told me that he ruled by “CIA.” They also told me about the Shah’s hated and feared secret police the SAVAK, which was set up with the help of the CIA and Israel’s MOSSAD, and which carried out a vast program of torture and execution of opponents of the Pahlavi regime until the overthrow of the Shah in 1979.
Negotiating with the Iranians to achieve something like the Iran Nuclear Deal may be long and tortuous, but American bullying will never work with them. Their memories are too fresh.
16
Trump is a wrecking ball surrounded by war hawks. Who will stop him from starting a war to rescue his pathetic attempt at a hostile takeover of America and the world? Remember the Maine? The fake WMD in Iraq? 911 for that matter? If Trump stays in power this fall, we are doomed to fascism and catastrophic economic collapse.
2
"Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, the spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife." Shakespeare, Othello
Look at the issue upside down. Maybe the best thing that could possibly happen would be to see the straights closed, no oil coming through and the rest of the world moving swiftly into alternative energy, thus breaking the strangle hold of petrochemicals on humanity and curtailing the rapid alteration of the atmosphere of planet. Think big. Maybe even Trump will stumble into this point of view. Let them close the straights and let them duke it out amongst themselves.
Humanity is up to the challenge of no petrochemicals. I'll wager that in the future they are forbidden and regarded as self-destructive of the species and the climate on the planet.
Why wait around for that reality?
1
Are we to believe that Iran--without the assistance or a direct hand from Russia--shot down a military drown of the United States? This kind of signaling and acts of aggression is another instance of Russia taunting the United States internationally in the region. Does anyone really believe that the Kremlin has not aided and abetted Iran for decades? If so, I have an Israeli-Palestinian bridge to sell you. It's an old battle. Different turf, same battle.
1
Trump does not know the difference between Iraqis, Saudis and Iranians because he Is stupid, uneducated and unread. He does not understand that Iranians are Persians and that although they may share a faith with the Arabs they are a very different people with a long and distinguished history quite separate from these other groups. America, unfortunately is an uneducated world where in school there is too little focus on history, if it not American history. Thus although America was heroic in WWII there remains a shameful empty space in American knowledge of the world and an arrogant pride in American stupidity born of American isolationism and over emphasis on WWII wartime heroism.
9
It honestly makes me so sad, sick, of what we are doing to this country for no reason. I wish the rest of the world would step up and tell the big bully where to go. I hope they can hold out for a couple years till we get rid of these insane war mongers in this admin.
3
I adminiser these economic sanctions against Iran as part of my duties in my work as a Federal law enforcement officer and may attest to their efficacy and penetration into many layers of a given transaction. The existing sanctions are quite severe and encompassing without necessitating the further escalation into outright warfare. Trump is contriving a conflict to distract from the Mueller report and its all-too-disconcerting allegations of his treasonable conduct, and hoping to deceive the gullible into believing he is ruling the USA effectively with his transparent attempts to pick a fight.
6
Frankly, who does the United States think it is, imposing sanctions (which often includes bullying other countries to support sanctions) on country after country?
5
@Gordon Alderink
You support Iran - you support terror.
Sanctions, not military action will force the government to change its ways.
If not, it suffers the consequences.
I am assuming the exact same arguments can be made against sanctions on Russia: citizens suffered, whatever you think of the government. Yet, I believe Congress and the NYT team generally favor sanctions on Russia and would protest loudly, should Trump choose to withdraw such sanctions. Consistency would help readers make up their minds whether economic sanctions are a legitimate tool for international pressure.
7
@Georgiana
That has already happened. Trump did refuse to impose authorized sanctions on Russia and he also eased sanctions against Russia that had been imposed in 2015 as penalty for the Russian hacking of US political parties.
See Treasury Department website.
There is no consistency.
The USA is heading towards becoming an Island of one, Trumpland. The problem is that the machinery of globalization is needed for the American economy to prosper and this evolves other National successes like China, even Iran. Maybe the American Hawks can evoke a war every ten years and win. However, it ain't a smart way for billions of people to share earth.
11
@Terry brady
On the contrary, it's Trump's critics who are increasingly withdrawing into their own little world, where every single even on the globe triggers their Trump animus and rage.
The refuse to see and believe nothing, which leaves them uninformed and increasingly ignorant of the world.
2
Iranians will suffer from war and economic sanctions between the US and Iran far more than I will as an American. Your country's government has no power whatever to affect my life directly. But whereas I empathize with your people and my fellow human beings, I fear that your government has several hard lessons to learn. These were lessons that I--and many adults throughout the world-learned as young children. One must play nicely in the sandbox if one wishes to make friendly with the big kids. And if you, a little kid, display aggression and act tough and aggressive enough, you will eventually catch the attention of the baddest, strongest and most fear kid on the playground. You--Iran--have caught the attention of the baddest kid on the playground. And my government is no play thing. The stage is set. Every other kid is watching. Tread lightly. As for you and I, we can do nothing about the playground politics because neither of us is permitted to leave the endless spinning of the merry-go-round.
2
@Joshua Folds
I'm sorry, but they were playing quite nicely in the sandbox--they were abiding by the nuclear deal. The other four signatories to the deal did not pull out. Just Trump, and he did so because he has chosen to side with Saudi Arabia, the nation who sent us 14 of the 19 pilots on 9/11.
The lesson I learned as a child is that nobody trusts someone who reneges on a deal ever again. America has lost that trust worldwide. There will be consequences--for us.
24
@CF... Iran is playing nicely in the sandbox, you say? Are you kidding? They have defied international law for decades by attempting to enrich uranium to build a thermonuclear weapon. There are doubt that they ever ceased from developing their nuclear program after signing the deal. Although the remaining 4 signatories did not back out of the deal, Iran waisted no time reneging on key aspects of the deal. And they just shot down a drown of the USA. That's a major act of taunting and aggression. It's the equivalent of the wimp on the playground throwing a rock at the hulking big kid. The USA could crush and decimate this entire nation within 10 minutes. But, instead, our wonderful President Donald J. Trump decided to save 150 lives. This act was unbelievably humane and send a very powerful message to the world leaders concerning the ability of the USA to avoid an outsized response in retaliation for a minor act of aggression.
Regardless of any deal, no one on Earth, with the exception of Russian, trusts Iran in the first place. And Russia is a "no one" whom the United States need not concern itself with for myriad reasons. Trump made reneging on the deal a clear part of his policies since the campaign trail. At last, we have a President who has kept every solitary promise he campaigned on... something I'm sure an embittered, wounded Hillary voter loathes to admit. From an IR perspective, Trump doesn't signal. He does what he say. I know that must be novel for a Dem.
@Joshua Folds ... and the most important life lesson: might makes right ... not
The whole thing about sanctions ( a term invented and accepted with the ONU's blessing) is to protect Israel's dominion over the region. And it didn't start with Trump, but with the intransigence of two previous US presidents and a choir of "expert advisers" that set the stage for the crisis Trump inherited. He is now taking political advantage of that flawed process at the expense of Iranians. No question that the so-called sanctions are hurting the Iranian economy, but as long as Iran sees itself surrounded by US interests growing strong in the region, they feel atomic weapons guarantee their survival as an Islamic nation. Trump was right in stopping the bombing in response to Iran's bringing down the drone.
11
@Mephistopheles - You seem to ignore the fact that Trump ORDERED the bombings in the first place. He did it rashly without giving due consideration for the consequences, then changed his mind WHILE THE OPERATION WAS UNDERWAY. So saying Trump was right is true to stop the bombing is factually correct but, like many of his other crises, are completely self inflicted.
Also, to blame the prior administrations for creating sanctions is disingenuous. The prior administration imposed sanctions as a non-military tactic to get Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons. It was used to ultimately bring them to the bargaining table and work out a deal. Regardless of whether you think the deal was good or bad, it was not meant as a tool to beat up the citizens of Iran.
Trump's use of sanctions is, frankly, unlawful because WE are the ones reneging on the deal that WE signed. That's the crazy part. You seem to have conveniently left that out.
24
One cannot withdraw from an international treaty unilaterally. One cannot designate the regular army of another country as terrorists. These are two unlawful actions of the United States. Its officials are talking about regime change as the ultimate goal of such unlawful actions. US first should change its regime under which such unlawful actions are allowed without any resistance or sanctions. US should learn from its experience in Iraq that no regime change is possible by foreign forces. US should try to amend the nuclear treaty if it wants. US should respect international laws in trying to make America great, whatever that means. US should start to discuss with Iraq about the possible amendment of the nuclear treaty. Maximum pressure might have worked in NY real estate development business. It would only destroy international laws. The current situation of the Trump - Kim dialogue also demonstrates the poor achievements of such strategies. This is not a ruthless NY business world. This is the international community where every nation has sovereignty. Trump should re-think about the basis of his foreign policy.
35
@Young-Cheol Jeong...Preposterous! The United States didn't withdraw from the Iran Deal unilaterally. We had the support of several key allies in the region, including Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United Arab Emirates' Foreign Ministry, Bahrain's government, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry and Egypt. Get your facts straight.
2
This perspective has been sorely missing from all coverage of Iran and analyses by the "experts." It is not all about how the "regime" is affected as those who impose and/or are impressed by these inhumane sanctions would want us to believe.
Depriving a nation of 82+ million from its means of livelihood only shatter hopes and bring more unnecessary hardships to the ordinary people of Iran who have already suffered too much for too long.
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@Sama
Corrected:
.....
Depriving a nation of 82+ million from its means of livelihood only shatters hopes and brings more unnecessary hardships to the ordinary people of Iran who have already suffered too much for too long.
1
@gilmas
You seem to willingly ignore an important point in all your posts: people vs the regime. If we were to follow your way of looking at things, then the electorate in the U.S. and Israel would be in a much worse position, for they choose their leaders in "free and free" elections. How about imposing draconian sanctions on Israel and U.S for giving the world Bibi and Trump?
Maybe China's voice would be helpful here. If we say a word about Tibet, Xinjiang or Hong Kong if quite vigorously defends the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. Perhaps it could encourage Iran to respect that principle in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Gulf States, and of course assorted bombings of Synagogues and the like in places like Argentina. If Iran were to respect the principle perhaps other countries in the region would be less eager to involve the USA.
5
@Bob Not at all apples to apples. Iran is surrounded by Sunni countries that are hostile to Iran, as well as numerous US bases. China is not at all in that situation.
6
@Bob
You realize, of course, that the US has meddled and interfered in other countries for well over a hundred years. Iranians still remember how their democratically elected PM Mosaddegh was overthrown by the CIA in 1953.
3
Imagine, a medieval siege, laid by the most powerful country on the planet, against the wishes of most nations, by a man elected on a lark.
That's the nature of our lives, being imposed on us too, by that same one man. It's time the American people deprive the executive of so much power. It's too dangerous in the modern era.
60
The pressure that Mr Trump is putting on Iran reminds me of the economic strangling of Japan that encouraged that country to join the Axis in WW2.
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@Laughingdog
You are historically correct - although 'selective' as well, therefore forwarding a wrong conclusion.
The sanctions against Japan were following Japan pre-WW-2 aggression and terror war in Manchuria and China, and the then-League of Nation unable and helpless to stop it.
Hence, the then-USA resolve to act on the issue.
1
So you were OK with Japan invading China?
My heart goes out to the Iranian people, who don't deserve to be on the receiving end of crippling US sanctions and the stupid missteps of our incompetent president.
However, Iran is the epicenter of state-sponsored terrorism and malfeasance in the Middle East. Chances are, they are behind the attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and are sponsoring the Houthi rebels in Yemen. And they don't need to develop nuclear weapons. Perhaps the Iranian government should consider cleaning up its act and putting its citizens first instead of last.
25
As far as I can see, the Houthis are not terrorists, they are a militia fighting for Shiite people in Yemen. As for not needing nuclear weapons, what does that mean? Who is to say who does and doesn’t “need” nuclear weapons? When you are surrounded by adversaries, regardless of whether you are a good guy or bad guy, nuclear weapons are a totally rational choice for self-preservation. We might nit like that, but that’s the reality.
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@Dan. By that logic, every country needs nuclear weapons. Is that a world you want to live in? And these days it seems like the countries that want these weapons the most are more interested in the self-preservation of their dictatorships than the well-being of their people.
4
@Bob I don't want that world, but that's not what was asked. What was asked is whether countries should need a nuclear weapon. From their perspective, in many cases yes they need a nuclear weapon. That has nothing to do with whether I agree or disagree or think it's good or bad.
6
The US defense forces are reduced to the status of a mercenary force fighting other people's wars and being compensated by way of weapons purchases by those countries. There is no high moral principle involved here. The POTUS behaves like the greediest salesman for the weapons vendors in US, He cites potential sales to Saudi Arabia as a reason to condone their atrocious behavior.
Some of the commentators write that Iran is a theocracy that needs to be overthrown. I am no apologist for theocracies. But lets also overthrow the regimes in UAE and Saudi Arabia which are worse than Iran and Egypt (a military dictatorship).
35
Outrageous to publish this and even more outrageous to read comments here supporting the Iranians. They have been a force for evil and supporters of terrorism around the world for many years. Among others, let's never forget the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon and the bombing of the Jewish Center in Argentina - both directed by Iran.
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@Bob
I don’t know about the doings in Argentina, but the bombing of the marine barracks in Beirut was a military response by Hezbollah to the US waging war against them, including the USS Missouri bombarding innocent villagers with fifteen inch shells. The US intervention in Lebanon was a disaster all round.
8
@Bob Need i remind you of the number of dictators all over the globe and the insurgents, too, which the US has backed over the decades. Choose a country in Latin or South America, the Caribbean or the far east where Americans have not interfered. Just because your own government is the one doing something, does mean that the country that it's being done to sees the US as a noble actor and not a state sponsor of terrorism. It is a myth that American is and always has been a benign actor.
7
@Bob How about the list of all the illegal bombings, assassinations, and coups that the US has conducted *all over the world* for the last 7 decades?
2
The sanctions are destroying Iran’s economy. Now if you know nothing about history, you would think that they would beg the U.S. to start negotiations or rise up and against the Mullahs if they do not.
During World War II Germany bombed British Vivian’s and Britain and America bombed Germany civilians in the certain hope that they would beg for mercy or rise up against their leaders., it made them determined to stick together and defy the ruinous attacks.
The trick is to never make people feel that they have no choice but to stick it out. It makes them resist with recalcitrance. Trump has lost his ability to control events because he’s ignorant.
28
@Casual Observer I agree. The siege of Leningrad comes to mind.
1
@Casual Observer - This is totally off topic, but you bring up a very interesting point. While I despise Trump and can't wait to see him get voted out of office, I can't help but think that the constant anti-Trump stories on CNN, MSNBC, NYTimes, etc. is, in some ways, similar to your example of Germany bombing Britain. It didn't make their citizens give up but rather gave them even more resolve.
Same goes for what's happening now. That's why no matter how many accurate and, frankly, harrowing stories are put out about Trump, his approval ratings almost never dips below 45%. The Trump base is fully hunkered down and willing to stick it out with Trump no matter what.
1
The ironic thing in all of this is that Iranians consider. themselves to be Persians.
3
@Michele, they are Persian.
@Michele They are the Persians; they are not arabs.
Let's distinguish Persians from Arabs. Sunni from Shia, as they do. They have been and are still (endlessly) waging a (religious) battle before and after the Ottoman Empire collapsed, out of which the USA should be. The problem is that our favorite Israel, which is in warfare with the Shia, is involved. Other than Persians v. Arabs (oh I forgot oil), there's no reason we should be involved and possibly provoke just another war. I'm sick of war and am a no longer regular army officer who served from 1967 to 1974, during another senseless war.
If we reduced the money we spend on the military-industrial complex and spend it on our children, grandchildren instead, and for those who helpless and hopeless in our own land, what would that do for us and them who see us afar?
30
The best comment on this thread.
What a great article, I've known a few Persians when living in Southern California, great people, good morals and very much in sync with American society and values. Their rugs are spectacular! Sadly, the government in Iran has talked about obliterating Israel, they denigrate women, lock people up for political purposes, will not tolerate anyone that doesn't agree with them, and are truly run by religious zealots. Why in the world we'd sign any agreement to give them nuclear weapons is beyond me. Can you imagine how we'd react if Mexico wanted nukes to send them our way and destroy us? Think there'd be an Obama type agreement allowing them nukes in say 10 years, after he's out of office, of course?
11
@DJOHN No one was giving them nuclear weapons after 10 years! It was guaranteed to keep it OUT of their hands for 10 years, with the hope that within 10 years, something would change. It's better than where it was, where Iran was very close to getting one.
In part it is because of Obama admin's actions that Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons right away since their ability to do so was crippled. But if that deal hadn't been made, they may well have had it by now. Furthermore, since everything was suspended for 10 years, there were other opportunities for diplomacy at play which if a Clinton had been president, she probably would've pursued.
But now, the only option seems to be war. War should be avoided at all costs. This is just going to be Iraq 2. If there is no war, then I think it's likely that Iran will indeed become nuclear capable. All they need to do is do what NK did and it'd be over in that region.
Critical thinking man...
12
You have your facts mixed up. The agreement which Trump left was to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It applied for fifteen years.
2
@DJOHN - Where did you get the idea that the Iran Nuclear deal was to give them nuclear weapons? The whole point was to PREVENT them from further developing nuclear weapons. There is no Obama agreement to give them nukes in 10 years. Let me guess, you probably also think Obama wasn't born in America, right?
What is your solution? To believe in Trump's tactics? Like how they worked so well in North Korea? Did you know that North Korea gets to keep developing their weapons simply because they sent Trump a big love letter? From Trump's own words, he "fell in love" with Kim Jong Un.
As for Iran, Trump's tactics didn't stop Iran's nuclear development program. It restarted and accelerated it. Iran is no longer bound by the agreement since America reneged so they are back to enriching uranium, developing a nuclear weapon, etc.
2
America has become part of the axis of evil.
The Iranian people are good people with crazy people at the top.
I like to think that there are a lot good American people, but we also have very crazy people at the top.
30
Perfectly said. Thank you for stating the obvious even if it’s unpopular and seldom said.
2
Theocracy in America- Bad. Theocracy in Iran- who are we to judge.
9
@Shamrock, I don't see anyone supporting the mullahs. Acknowledging that Trump unlawfully withdrew from an international treaty and then began escalating tensions with Iran is not the same thing as supporting theocracy.
Trump is the rogue actor here.
Why must we go to war with Iran? I'm still trying to figure this out. No diplomacy, just military force. What are we doing???
9
Why was the 6 nation agreement not sent to the United States Senate for ratification as a treaty? Therein lies the truth.
2
What truth would that be exactly? The US signed the deal officially.
2
Yes, it was signed. But the treaty was downgraded from a formal treaty, to something which did not require Senate confirmation, because Republican controlled Senate would not approve.
6
@Fred Shapiro. The reason why the Senate wouldn't sign it is because it was deeply flawed! A little like the Treaty of Versailles (1919). The Senate did not ratify it because it was deeply flawed as well!
2
It often seems to me that the in countries where the US supports the government, the people hate us and vice versa. Compare the people of Iran who have no issue with the United States, Cubans as well, to the vast majority in Saudi Arabia where the US is widely despised.
9
@Tim. "Death to America" is a frequently heard chant in the streets of Tehran. They don't like us. But, to be fair, after reading peoples comments it seems as though many Americans do not like the USA either!
I taught at the Community School in Tehran from 1976 to 1978, living in central Tehran a few blocks from where the Jaleh Square massacre occurred on 8 September 1978. Prior to moving to Tehran, I had lived in Alexandria, Egypt. One of the things that confounded me was how secular Tehran was when I arrived during Ramadan. Few observed the fast. I traveled from Istanbul to Tehran in the summer of 197. I stopped at the US embassy in Ankara. They were clueless about events in Tehran. The USA has no knowledge of Iran. Never has, except for overthrowing a democratically elected government in the 50s, supporting a dictatorial shah in the 70s, and shooting down Iranian passanger jet in the 80s.
33
America (even from Trump's base) and Europe will support the Iranian people if they stand against government sponsorship of terrorism. Nothing to do with Shiite v. Sunni. 99% don't know the difference. Until then, there will be no significant western outrage against economic sanctions.
2
And how is another country’s internal politics our business?
I am perplexed by the question: what can or will Iran do to placate the hawks in Mr. Trump's administration? That would include--Mr. Trump himself.
I don't mean to be foolish or simple-minded. But does he have a sheaf of goals for Iran? "Iran," he might say, "I want you to do this--and this--and this--and that."
The more I think about it, the more perplexed I am. Back during the Bush years, a term became current. "Regime change." And gosh! By and large, that was a departure for U.S. foreign policy.
Go into a country that had NOT provoked you or injured you or harmed you in any way--
--for no OTHER reason than: we happen not to like your government. We don't think you have a NICE government. We are proposing to INVADE your country (so do please pardon us) and install a "regime" more to our liking.
Is this Mr. Trump's goal in Iran? I am tempted to think that yes, it IS his goal--a goal, however, he has certainly not imparted to the American people. Or the world at large.
A cartoon appeared during the second war in Iraq. When militarily the war was going pretty well.
It showed what purported to be a principal's office. Mr. Saddam Hussein was being vigorously disciplined within.
Seated outside--glowering--silent were the heads of North Korea and Iran. Awaiting similar chastisement.
Boy, New York Times! Didn't it feel good to bustle about the world, slaying the dragons, toppling the tyrants.
And boy!
THAT didn't last long.
Did it.
6
@Susan Fitzwater You forgot one thing: Libya was American's good friend before it was not; so was Iraq. Cuba was useful for a time as was Panama until they were not. I could go on, but there is a pattern here and it's a disturbing one.
1
They are already at war with the US - and have been since 1979 when they chose to be at war with the US .
5
@Ambrose Rivers
You don't know our history with Iran. We chose to install a deeply corrupt Shah in 1954 after the CIA-inspired coup took place as their democratically elected President was overthrown. The Shah was deeply unpopular, had a ferocious secret police force, Savak, that regularly tortured dissidents. When Jimmy Carter permitted the Shah to come to the US for cancer treatment in 1978, Iran didn't take kindly to that. I often wonder what Iran would be like today, if we didn't overthrow their President over 60 years ago.
3
@Ambrose Rivers In 1980, the Iranians decided to remove the Shah who ran a brutal dictatorship, much like other middle eastern dictatorships, because he was an illegitimate leader imposed on them by the US government when the decided to overthrow Iran's democratically elected government in 1953.
As yourself what the US would do and how if would feel if the situation were reversed. The Iranians didn't go to war with the US, they took back what was theirs and threw out the representatives of the people who had feted the Shah in NYC and Washington, and later gave him and his family protection.
3
@Ambrose Rivers
They never "chose to go to war with the US."
Though after the US had:
1. Organised a coup d'état in '53 to overthrow the democratically elected government
2. Replace it with a ruthless dictator whose brutal SAVAK secret police crushed all dissent.
The Iranians finally overthrew him in '79 in an almost bloodless revolution
3. Just to top it off, the US gave the Shah asylum.
So, not surprisingly, they weren't too fond of the US, but any talk of being at war is rubbish.
1
American chicken hawks like John Bolton and Sen. Tom Cotton salivating over the prospect of an Iranian government collapse should think twice. Iranians are fiercely patriotic and willing to withstand enormous hardship to preserve their nation.
Above all, foolish monomaniacs like Bolton should abandon the fantasy that the terrorist organization, the Mujaheddin-e Khlaq (MEK) could ever assume power in Iran. The MEK was demonstrating today in front of the State Department for regime change with the shameful participation of US current and former officials. The MEK is despised in Iran, and if the United States tried to install them in power, that very US connection would absolutely doom them. Iranians are sick of American interference.
Mr. Abdoh makes an extremely important point. Iran is hurting, yes. But since the 1980s Iran has developed a robust internal economy, and a remarkable infrastructural capacity. It has the capacity to produce everything it needs to survive an American imposed siege. There are some exceptions. Specialized medicine is in short supply. Medicine should be completely exempt from sanctions, but somehow crucial medical supplies are not making their way into the supply. This humanitarian crisis must be alleviated. If Europe and other supporters of the JCPOA are serious, they should come to the aid of the normal citizens of Iran who are caught between the towering egos of Trump and the Iranian establishment.
161
Tom Cotton is a chicken hawk?!
I don’t agree with too many of his policies. But he served in the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2013.
Can you provide the readers with your years of service? If not, you ought to pull yourself together before you call a veteran a chicken hawk.
4
trump has done it again.He deliberately caused the problems with Iran and has no solution to the problem he caused.He backed off the deal because he's obsessed with undoing everything Obama did.The Iranians were following the rules yet trump makes them suffer. I can't blame any nation for defending itself. What would we do if Russia parked its' navy just off our east coast and started flying drones up abd down the coast? Would we worry if they were in our airspace when we shot them down?
16
There's no negotiating with ruling mullahs full intent on destroying their neighbors (mostly Israel). It's disappointing that their leaders could care less about their citizens, even more so than our leaders care about us. Trumps an errant atheist, but the religious zealot mullahs are determined to bring destruction at some future point (could be sooner than later).
3
Economic strangulation is war by a different name. Iranians feel that they are already at war because they are, waged by an impetuous US president who cannot live with the notion that his predecessor in office, a black man, no less, managed to manage effectively and properly in tamping down the potentially catastrophic tensions of a Middle east ready to explode in 2013. The region is even more primed for explosion now, thanks mainly to President Trump and his agitator-enablers at home and abroad.
26
The writer’s is dishonest to blame the United States for Iran’s troubles. It’s not just the US that the Islamic regime has made an enemy. Every single neighboring country surrounding Iran is either outright enemy or view the regime in Tehran with great suspicion. From Afghanistan to Iraq - From Azerbaijan to Saudi Arabia, from Israel to Pakistan - they all see Islamic Republic as a menace to safety and security of their countries. The writer has made an apt story from poet Saadi. It’s high time for Iranian people to ask themselves, would they like to drown with mullahs or free themselves from their true tormentors - Islamic theocracy.
7
@Mak J
The US is waging economic war on Iran.
For no reason.
2
This is completely false. Is this why they talk about Iranian influence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of Eurasia? Is this why there so many multilateral agreements across the “silk roads”.
What we are doing is imperialistic, pure and simple. Iran is part of the fabric of the region. We can not change that.
1
@Mak J I disagree. This is a religious war. Iranians are Shia Persians; most of their surrounding neighbors are Sunni Arabs. Think Northern Ireland Protestant vs Catholic, not terrorism.
2
Trump and Pompeo have said they don't want War. What are economic sanctions, then? A slow, lingering death rather than a quick one. Pompeo's 12 demands amount to Iranian abdication. I feel sorry for Iran: the guys who attacked us on 9/11 are the ones we are now fighting for, and giving nuclear technology to. We've just never been attacked by Shiite Muslims (Iranians) the way the Sunni have attacked us, and others in the West, repeatedly. Iran is active in the Middle East: is this a strange place for it to be active? It's literally their backyard. It's very sad they have a theocracy, and, like Obama, I would prefer they not attain nuclear weapons. But we can support Israel without warring on Iran (and that is what we are doing). Trump is trying to hang them, economically. But if this is to prevent their attaining nuclear weapons, surely they are aware of the fate of Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi gave up his nuclear weapons to make peace with the West. Gaddafi died in a ditch. Iran took a huge risk signing Obama's denuclearization accord. Their reward, so far, is no nukes and no economy. Trump simply doesn't expect them to go down without fighting. Nobody would. So, yes, Trump does want a War. It's already begun.
129
@Phil. He may want war, but what he doesn’t want is to take responsibility. He wants to be interviewed by Chuck Todd and play the big man, puff out his chest and so forth. He lied throughout that interview, as per usual, again to be the star, while misrepresenting the briefing he received from the military and his cabinet officers.
If voters had done a country wide search in 2015 to elect the worst possible person to give the power of the presidency, Donald Trump would have won hands down. As this crisis continues, that will be abundantly clear, even to a portion of the cult members.
51
@Phil A cornered animal is a dangerous animal. I agree, economic war is war.
9
@Phil
“So, yes, Trump does want a War.”
What Trump wants is a “win” so he can boast about how smart and tough he is when he is neither. He is a foolish coward who doesn’t think ahead of, or through, his actions and hides behind others who do the dirty work he takes credit for. He is an incredibly dangerous person to have the reins of power.
12
I could actually pity the Iranians because of the decision by the American Emperor Trump to drop out of the nuclear treaty for arbitrary reasons. This move then brought whimsical sanctions on the nation of Iran for perceived violations by the Iranians yet to be confirmed. The GOP is behind the breaking of the treaty, Trump is just the mule who carried the message.
8
All they need to do is stop funding terrorist camps, threatening neighbors and trying to build nuclear weapons. That sounds like common sense.
6
@Joe Yo "All they need to do is stop funding terrorist camps, threatening neighbors and trying to build nuclear weapons"...and let the US do all the funding of terrorist organizations/countries, threaten all law-abiding countries in the world, and build and use nuclear weapons? Where's the fun in that?!
1
@Joe Yo, if you don't want Iran to build nuclear weapons, why drop out of a nuclear treaty that prevents them from doing just that?
Do you really believe that Trump's actions are going to make Iran back off Hezbollah--or will they double down?
And let's be consistent. We're best friends with Saudi Arabia, which funded Al Qaeda.
1
@Joe Yo
You must be referring to Saudi Arabia, who is doing each of those things with trump's help.
The Iranian Ayatollahs are surely a tough bunch, however, their original desire to build political and military influence in the region has been more an act (for this proud nation with such rich history) of resistance and self-preservation than aggression.
Obama perfectly understood that in a way ignorant and ahistorical Trump is simply hopeless to match.
The fallout is now threatening to plunge the whole region into a colossally costly war.
11
@Daniel Solomon It is also threatening the dominance of the US dollar as the default international currency. The Europeans have been working to find a way to continue trading with Iran without using American currency or American banks. If they find a way, what then?
1
Salar, we need more essays like this poignant one you just wrote for the Times. It is so easy to forget that everyday Iranians live, breathe, eat, laugh, cry, hope and dream just like any other individual on the face of this earth. Iranians are part of our global family, and to confuse the man, woman, and child with government leaders is unjust and immoral. You, we, are powerless in so many ways, exploited by those who head our nations. I am not ashamed to admit that I rue the day when Trump pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal....an ignorant, foolish, and ominous action. I am not ashamed to admit that the stifling sanctions this administration has imposed upon Iran is cruel and thuggish. Innocent people are becoming victims and unnecessarily so. I am ashamed. Let us hope and pray that our two countries can meet, can talk, can negotiate an understanding. Persia was and can be again a great contributor to our world at large. And it is because of its own people.
16
Iran made an agreement with the Obama and administration and other nations to stop its work on developing a nuclear bomb. The agreement was limited and did not deal with other bad acts by the Iranian government, bit Iran did hold up its end of the bargain. If Trump wanted additional changes from Iran, he could have used his oft-stated prowess at making deals and negotiated terms with the Iranian government to achieve these changes. Instead he pulled out of the nuclear agreement and imposed crippling economic sanctions on Iran without a clear plan to move forward, particularly if Iran made the inevitable countermoves. Pottery Barn rules now apply Mr. Trump, so it's time to demonstrate how a stable genius accomplishes goals. Good luck, though I know you don't need it.
7
is Iran still being punished for the hostage crisis of '79? Why do we hate Iranians so much yet are willing to do so much for or with countries like Saudi Arabia or North Korea?
10
I was a college kid when Iran took our people hostage in the American Embassy in Tehran.
I have no problem squeezing Iran, and squeezing more.
2
It’s really easy for me—an American—to side with Iran here. No traitor, I.
The ayatollahs may be loathsome, an abomination to civilized people. But held hostage to the rigid clerics are the Iranian people at large. It is they who are being squeezed by their doctrinaire rulers on the one hand and the heavy-handed, thick-fingered American administration on the other. They are the true innocents here, pawns in a fatal game of truth and dare by both sides.
My sympathies here lie with decent people, and I’m not referring to the praetorian guard, the bayonets of the ayatollahs. This nation has millions of people who have much to offer civilization. The American hard-line administration is stuck in January, 1979.
When the C.I.A. engineered the 1953 coup that installed the American puppet, the Shah, supplanting the popularly-electedMohammed Mossadegh, it stole away a country to prop an autocrat who reaped his just reward 36 years later. But at great cost. The Ayatollah Khomenei ruthlessly turned a shaky monarchy into a closed society, stifling its people.
Could one, looking hard enough, see a parallel between the Iranian rulers and the Republican president and Congress?
10
Great piece.
I remember when I started graduate school, and the "Iran hostage crisis" was on-going. When I first went to my assigned office, there was already a foreign-looking inhabitant. We introduced ourselves. I asked where he was from. He said, "Persia," likely thinking that a blue-eyed blond American would have no idea where Persia is. I said, "Iran! Great country!" I think that relaxed him. We never discussed politics.
Rahim, I hope you are well.
It does not take much to recognize the humanity of all people, even foreigners.
26
In this, we are acting as a proxy for the Saudi regime. There is nothing Iran can say or do to remove itself from the situation and that is why the end goal is a moving target. The Middle East will in the very near future be embroiled in a hot war, rather than the decades-long proxy war, between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Saudi's are not wasting the potentially fading opportunity of holding the US's leash with the current administration in power.
16
Don’t forget Israel in this whole mess. The main beneficiary of a war against Iran.
11
I wish that the author of this piece represented the government of Iran, but he doesn’t. Iran does not need nuclear weapons and they do not need to support Hezbollah. Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Australia, and almost all countries seem to do just fine without nuclear weapons. If they would simply give up these things they could rejoin the world. Yes the Iranian people are caught in the middle of an awful situation. Their government has an easy and peaceful way out if only they would take it.
14
@Sam
You are misinformed. Mike Pompeo has demanded that Iran do much more than give up nuclear weapons.
In his 12 demands, Pompeo has insisted that Iran give up all of its military and political alliances, including "its threatening behaviour against its neighbours, many of whom are US allies, including its threats to destroy Israel." (Even Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, said that Iran has not threatened to destroy Israel.)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/mike-pompeo-speech-12-demands-iran-180521151737787.html
These aren't serious demands. They're demanding unilateral disarmament -- after which, as Bolton says, they will demand regime change.
9
I recommend that you read more about Iran and their alleged nuclear ambitions. Don’t just follow the narrative of the corporate media of our arrogant and violent empire.
8
@Sam
Here's a speech in which Pompeo laid out his demands for regime change even more clearly:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/21/iran-nuclear-deal-mike-pompeo-us-sanctions
the secretary of state warned that the US would not just reimpose all the sanctions that were in place before the deal, but also pile additional punitive measures.
The speech did not explicitly advocate regime change, but in remarks immediately afterwards Pompeo suggested that it would be up to the Iranian people to end the US pressure campaign by changing their own government.
5
I do wish we had such reporting from the American equivalents of that motorcycle mechanic. None of the ones I know want war with Iran.
The Iranians and others who learned to be self sufficient in weapons, to fight without our help, will now be forced to learn and develop ways to escape the US economic power. They will. It might cost them, but it will also undermine the dominance of the US in the international banking system.
Give it time, and this misuse of sanctions will produce its own counter, and the US will be the loser for it. That is how balance of power functions, power too threatening and over used is offset.
16
@Mark Thomason Clinton wouldn’t have walked away from the agreement, your boy Trump did. No apologies yet?
As the only country to ever use nuclear weapons on cities, the US has zero moral high ground with Iran on the subject. While Iran supports some bad actors, so do we — including worse ones such as Saudi Arabia.
All that Trump’s ending of he nuclear deal has brought the US is further proof that our word is meaningless, while inflicting misery on those who have not attacked us.
44
Don’t forget to include Israel among other bad actors in this mess!
The U.S. is at war with Iran. It is an economic war, aimed at squeezing the Iranian economy to the point where the people throw out the Revolutionary government. The U.S. might then install Reza Pahlevi, the son of the despised hated dictator, the Shah, or someone affiliated with him to take over the government.
Ever since the Korean War, when the U.S. abjured the use of nuclear weapons to achieve its aims, the major governments have favored the use of economic warfare in place of military action. Planners believe it can achieve the same results without the enormous costs in lives and property.
We are engaging in economic war now with China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, and most dangerously, Iran, with the use of sanctions, boycotts, and tariffs. However, our economic war against Iran may tip over into military action, because it has become a threat to the existence of the Iranian regime.
7
Trump’s pulling out of the nuclear deal is a big damage not only for Iran but also for the U.S. The world will not believe the U.S. any more as it withdrew from the deal easily for which many countries spent much time to conclude. The deal has been the best method to keep peace in the Middle East by preventing Iran from possessing nuclear weapons. The U.S. is not the leader of the world any more.
25
There are so many things we don't know about why Iran would do this and was the drone in Iranian airspace, but we do know this for sure, Donald Trump is way out of his league and doesn't know what he is doing.
42
Without excusing Trump’s actions, I still can’t answer the big picture question of what exactly the Iranian government wants over the long term? Clearly, it does not want to live in peace with Iran’s neighbors, even if regular Iranis do. The government has had that option after the nuclear deal and regularly rejects it through its actions (either directly or by proxy) in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere. Clearly the Iranian government does not want to join the West, even if regular Iranis do. The government’s laws show a desire to avoid too much Westernization in society and the government insists on being a theocracy at heart. What does it want? Why can’t it just live in peace and be content with being a regular nation that doesn’t seek to impose its will on others? Iran is a relatively small country. The days of the Persian Empire are long gone. The Iranian model is not attractive to anyone else. The government needs to accept that and move on or at least make clear what it is fighting for and where it seeks to go over the long term. Otherwise there can be no lasting peace.
19
@Devil’s Advocate. Much of what you describe applies to Saudi Arabia, yet we aren't trying to go to war with it.
If we stopped talking about regime change in Iran, maybe they wouldn't feel the need to create a proxy force, which it can use to fight an asymmetrical war with the US.
3
@Devil’s Advocate Mr Trump is being manipulated by Iran's enemies, who are both economically powerful (Saudi Arabia) and politically powerful (Israel).
3
@Laughingdog Noting, of course, that Israel has has nuclear weapons for decades, is not a member of the International Atomic Commission, and has never had its facilities inspected. It's hypocritical to say the least.
1
Whatever you think of the Ayatollah, President Rouhani is a moderate, and the people of Iran are not warmongers. It has a long and very extensive history of civilization (where would Indian food be without the Persians; where would science be without the Persian scientists of the 7th - 12th centuries). The two most hospitable peoples I have experienced are the Iranians and you lot. The majority of students at University are women. their society is a far cry from the repression of most Arab countries of the Gulf. Yet the US believes the Gulf Sunni Arabs, the Israeli provocateur, and those like Bolton and some at the Pentagon and the CIA who have not forgiven Iran for overthrowing the Shah (it's 40 years ago guys; let it go).. This would be different to Iraq - much of Iraq's culture, science and technology had been lost through previous wars and poor government; Iran has (or had) an enormous contribution to make to the world.
21
Yes, Trump threw out an imperfect deal in the quest for a perfect one, which he is/was convinced only he could create. There was hope in that deal that more openness would give the educated, Western oriented elements of Iran's population a way to push for more relationship with the US and the EU. The deal offered hope that Iran could be brought into a more moderate place within the international community of nations.
Trump knows only go-it-alone diplomacy, believes that his bullying is power, and that his saber rattling will make even the most determined, experienced, hardened authoritarian government bend to his will. He's so very wrong about all of that. His provocations have garnered provocations in return. Unlike Kim, the Mullahs are unlikely to be willing to pet and praise Trump. There will not be a Mullah-Trump bromance, no love letters. Let's hope some cool head in the White House can help him get out of this mess before Bolton helps him into a war he can't manage.
13
Mr. Abdoh, as a native-born American citizen in my sixties, let me express my regret to you and your countrymen for the punitive actions taken by Trump. Please understand that a majority of us voted for his opponent, and that a majority of us are sickened by his actions, both here and abroad.
But please understand that Trump's imposition of sanctions, and most likely, an unprovoked war against your country, have absolutely nothing to do with Iran. Trump is using your country for raw political gain. His base hates everyone who is not white or Christian, and they love his threats against Middle Eastern countries. They are salivating for this type of war.
And Trump understands that the likelihood of his reelection increases, should he undertake a first strike against Iran, shortly before November 2020. And I predict he will do so. Understand that he is facing certain criminal indictment if he loses in November 2020. And he may well forestall this happening by declaring martial law and canceling our elections. He is desperate to do anything that keeps him out of prison.
So quite regrettably, Trump and his supporters consider you and your fellow countrymen nothing more than "collateral damage". But just remember that he and his followers literally sicken all decent Americans. And also remember that even though we are a majority, because of his consolidation of absolute power, we can do nothing to stop him.
29
@Kyle Reese-- have you talked to any of Trumps supporters? Do you know any of Trumps supporters? Somehow, I think not. He campaigned on ending stupid wars, so it's likely that at least a few people who voted for him agreed with that position. Do you think that maybe the people who provided the bodies for the last 17 years of middle east/central Asian wars might be sick of war by now? Trump pulled out of Syria and Afghanistan, and it was the liberal press, not his "base," that criticized him for it. He stoped the strike on Iran at the last minute in spite of being egged on by the more radical Bush-legacy elements in his administration. America's bullying of Iran did not start with Trump. He might well end it -- with the support of his supporters.
3
@Kyle Reese. Given that Trump's term constitutionally ends at noon on Jan 20, 2021, he has little to gain by blocking elections, something that would be beyond his power anyway (elections are run by the states).
But, I agree that an attack right before election day is a real possibility. Hopefully, most Americans won't be fooled by such a blatant attempt to manipulate the outcome.
1
When a larger entity (like America) literally chokes the life out of generations of humanity, do not be surprised when the proverbial match lights comes in contact with the gasoline can.
17
The KOrean war,North Vietnam ,Iraq and Afghanistan all wars we came out as losers after wasting trillions. Ike warned us about the Military Industrial Complex and he was right there is a lot of money to be made in "wars" as Cheney showed us with Halliburton getting no bid contracts his old company. Bolton a war hawk who had 7 deferments to avoid combat himself is anxious to send the kids of other people to die for his war. Iran has influence or control over numerous militias in the are and could make life dangerous for our troops in the area. Bolton travels in an armored limo with body guards lest he hurt in anyway yet he expects the medal of freedom for starting wars a tired old war hawk with no other place to go as a GOP HACK.
21
This is farcical. Mr. Abdoh talks about Tehran as though it would be just like Paris if only the sanctions were lifted. In reality Iran is a theocracy run by zealots who use oppression and torture to stifle dissidents. When Iran stops exporting terror then we can talk. The point of sanctions is to force the regime to behave like a rational actor. The west should double down.
30
@Festivus...So explain to me how Trump is a rational actor.
1
@Festivus
Iran doesn't sound much worse than trumps' best buddies aka the Saudis and MBS.
2
@Festivus.
" In reality Iran is a theocracy run by zealots who use oppression and torture to stifle dissidents."
In other words, a role model for American fundamentalists. One would think that Trump would a fan of Iran.
8
The war is coming. But Trump will drop bombs only when he can milk huge political advantage from it, like 3-6 months before elections, not when they provoke him to do it: until then he will just make the vice tighter and let Iranians act belligerently and provocatively under the stress of unfair crippling sanctions.
7
The he chief reason we withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran and are manning up for battle is because the Saudis, Emiratis, and Israelis want us to suppress the Shiites for them. This ancient conflict should be resolved by another way. We help neither side by maintaining their ancient rivalry.
17
This is a moving article and I do feel sorry for the Iranian people.But Iran seems to have plenty of money to provide Hezbolah in Lebanon money for missles and equipment for digging tunnels into norther Isreal, or to have troops planes rockets and missles in Syria,also to use against Isreal..So maybe the people living there need to protest against their government, a difficult task I am sure,to take care of them and stop spending so much time and money against Isreal
25
Unfortunately, Persia, and its truly great and influential civilization, perished 1,400 years ago through violent conquest by Arab/Moslem tribes (recent in historic and old world terms (though not by Western standards)). What was left thereafter, mostly disappeared after the 1979 Islamic counter-revolution - what a great many Persians call the second Islamic invasion. This is one of the two fundamental problems. The second misfortune to befall Persia was the discovery of oil on its lands at the turn of the last century, thereby inviting Western imperialist meddling and corruption in its internal affairs. (Even now, the West prefers to keep the current evil regime in place, if it could control it.)
Contrary to the thesis of this essay, American sanctions (correctly and rightfully imposed) are simply the latest difficulty for the Iranians.
What is best - for both the Persian people and the West - is for this evil dictatorial murderous regime in Iran to be removed and for a secular democracy - free from Western governmental and corporate influences - to prevail. But, of course the corporations and the super-wealthy will not allow that - just as they did not allow it a century ago. Meanwhile, the competition between the Great Powers in the US and Europe for influence and economic theft continues - as it did a century ago. Alas, nothing has changed. I feel sad for that great Persian people that perished 1,400 years ago, after thousands of years of civilization.
5
"I remember that momentous summer night in 2015 when President Hassan Rouhani of Iran announced the nuclear deal with President Obama. I joined the tens of thousands celebrating in Tehran."
And I remember many opponents of the deal including, shamefully, some Republican politicians, citing that as proof that the deal was a bad one. "Why is it being cheered in Iran?" Obviously, we were supposed to believe, because ordinary Iranians were thrilled that hey would have lots of money to attack Americans and Israelis with, which is what every Iranian thinks about all day every day. Could it have been because ordinary Iranians believed that their years of isolation and economic misery were finally over? Could that have been what they were celebrating in the street? I hope this article finally answered that question.
14
Reading this reinforces my thinking that we have lost all credibility and ability to make a deal with anyone. We had a deal with Iran, they stuck to it while the world made plans around it. Then Trump pulled out because he hated president Obama. How can anyone trust any deal we make?
12
If the citizens of Iran poured into the streets in the numbers the world saw in Hong Kong just days ago to protest China's attack on their civil rights but, in their case, in protest of the iron-fisted clerics and their brutal "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," there might be more sympathy for the current state of the Iranian economy, but until the citizens openly challenge those who oppress them, there is little that can be done from this side of the world that would not continue to feed their oppressors.
9
@Alice's Restaurant. With their country under economic attack, possibly soon military attack, it is no surprise that they're not protesting in the streets. It is the same dynamic that Trump is counting on to help him re-election -- that people tend to stick with their leaders during war.
We've also should keep in mind that battling for political freedom is a luxury reserved for the well-fed. If the people of Hong Kong spent their days looking for the basic necessities of life, they wouldn't have the time or inclination to be protesting the actions of China's proxies.
2
@Alice's Restaurant..."until the citizens openly challenge those who oppress them,"....Might I ask when you are going out into the street to protest against Trump and the sycophant Republican Congress?
@W.A. Spitzer
Why would I do that? Trump's on a roll.
It would seem that Iran needs to become less dependent on foreign countries and trade, given the facts in the article.
So, what is driving this obsession to destroy Iran? The Israeli government. Trump's machismo. His desire to use Iran as another distraction. Bullying plays well in West Virginia. His hawkish advisers, Bolton. Once again he has concocted (and created) a crisis, then he'll tire of it.
15
@Mark Paskal It’s always Israel (never Saudi Arabia).
The people of the US and Iran are basically brothers and sisters and would quickly and easily resolve this phony clash if they only had the power to do so. Unfortunately, the leaders of both nations are pathological megalomaniacs who would rather go down in flames than negotiate and compromise. We suddenly live in a world without sane, level-headed, adult leadership anywhere.
4
Thanks for your contribution, Mr. Abdoh. Justifiable grievances by Iranians against my country's government date back to the U.S. coup of your elected government in 1953. Personally I believe your country's government engages in international terrorism and that makes the question of how large outside powers should react difficult. But the ignorant men atop our government now don't seem to consider the suffering of innocent Iranians.
3
I am sorry, but this piece is false and disingenuous.
This is the country which has chosen to spent its resources on supporting terror in the region for decades.
This is the country which has clearly threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth.
And this is the country whose conflict with the rest of the world revolves around their desire to produce a nuclear weapon - in violation of agreements they made.
The article blithely ignores all that and paints the country as the victim of aggression.
There are consequences to being a pariah.
10
I wonder if a similar op-ed, written by an American critical of Iran's nuclear blackmail, missile research, proxy wars and warriors, and international terrorism could appear in Tehran's equivalent of the NYT. I doubt it. I also doubt whether Mr. Abdoh could publish an op-ed critical of his government either. It is a tragedy that Iranians have to endure the misery produced by sanctions, sanctions provoked by the belligerence of his tyrannical government. Sanctions are a blunt and awful instrument of policy but they are not war.
6
All I can add is that I feel terrible for the people of Iran. Especially the young, most of who were born after the 1979 Revolution. I can't think about a single policy of the current administration that I support and breaking the Iran deal stands out as one bad choice.
For those in the comments who think that Iran is a terrorist state which supports Hezbollah and Hamas, I would ask you to take a little history lesson. Do you know how many democratically elected governments have been overthrown by the CIA in the name of our Republic? This is like the pot calling the kettle black. Saudi Arabia was largely responsible for the 9/11 attacks by its support of the Taliban in Afghanistan and 15 of the 19 killers. Last time I checks there are no sanctions on SA. Our citizens are very ignorant of how our own government deals with foreign affairs. During the Bangladesh Crisis in 1971, a democratically elected government was thrown under the bus by the US. We supported a military dictatorship instead. Luckily another democratically elected government (India) intervened and saved the day. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to foreign affairs and the muscle headed policies of the US always seems so bite us in the behind almost always. The Iran fiasco is no exception!
12
NOBODY is sympathetic with Iranian rulers who have publicly declared to wipe a sovereign nation, Israel, off the face of the map. Israel has never declared anything like that.
Nobody cares if Iran wants to get back on the ship or not - the regime must be changed.
4
If the Iranian regime exploited their oil reserves instead of pursuing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorists they arguably would not be suffering such a level of economic distress. That said, the Saudis are equally responsible and no doubt the worm will turn one day. The west, especially North America would be wise to develop energy self-sufficiency and wean ourselves from middle eastern oil, and their poisonous sectarian politics.
3
Bolton & Pompeo: New flash for you. An attempt at regime change in Iran isn't going to work. Attack Iran and the US casualties will be multiple times what they have been in Iraq. And, just like Iraq, there will be no end game.
I pity the US service members (and their families) who will bear the burden of a conflict that'll have been concocted by Bolton & Pompeo, and started by Trump.
All for nothing, with the exception of distracting everyone from the crimes of Trump and his family.
13
ممنون آقای سالار عبده
This gives a true window into what Iran has and is going through, on the ground level.
So much can be done with diplomacy.
But there needs be a will.
Nothing can come about in reality, unless, sane and wise heads from both Saudi Arabia and Iran governments, along with US sit down and talk.
And not just resolve this, but reconsider nuclear treaty and above all, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen-- which is happening solely due to war.
It is always the people who face the true hardships while people in power, play chess with human pawns.
8
Guess who's not sending a representative to the diplomatic table next week? Will the U.S. continue to go it alone without input from our allies, Russia and China?
Today's announcement:
The remaining signatories to the Iran nuclear deal plan will meet next week in an effort to save the accord, the European Union says. In a statement on June 20, the EU said senior officials from Iran, France, Germany, Britain, China, and Russia will meet on June 28 in Vienna to discuss the deal.
The officials will look at ways to "tackle challenges arising from the withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions by the United States on Iran," the EU said. It seems like some countries want to salvage parts of what Trump dumped.
"The meeting has been called with the intention of ensuring the continued implementation of the JCPOA in all its aspects and discuss ways to tackle challenges arising from the withdrawal and re-imposition of sanctions by the United States on Iran."
7
If any doctrine in modern times deserves the label of "causus belli," it is the Trump/Bolton/Pompeo policy that attempts to blockade and starve Iran (through sanctions) of its economic lifeline and vitality.
Iran is well within its rights as a sovereign nation to go to war the US (or anyone else) for this monstrous form of bullying, and to reassert its right to exist.
10
There is a lot of public ill will towards America in Iran. Whilst the clerical regime enjoys support, there is plenty of the opposite tendency as well, including anti-clerical political parties. But all parties have said they will support the government in a war with America.
With US sanctions little different from a blockade, the clerical regime will make a decision shortly, to place Trump in a position where he has to attack or lose face. The reason being self preservation, because the clerics know that the Iranian people will more readily accept the privations of war than a blockade in peacetime. So war it will be.
Other actors could get involved. Nuclear armed rivals to America will see their interests threatened. It will be a very dangerous war that could easily spiral out of control.
2
Having read a few of the comments here it appears clear that many readers are answering the call of the drumbeat to war. Please dear readers, remember how mislead we were last time. From Colin Powell’s inability to tell the truth through Judith Miller’s clear perfidy with the Bush White House, take pause and think it through before advocating a very dangerous and misbegotten decision.
27
I think the world is waking up to the Republican dream of making an Empire that stretches from Afghanistan through Iran and into Iraq.
That’s why they have focused on building the greatest military force the planet has ever seen.
It has always had an offensive religious purpose and now god has put it under Trump’s control. Let’s relax and see how things play out.
It might be better than previous efforts.
1
The Persian people are more our natural ally in the area than the Sunnis. The 1.2 trillion dollar UAE wealth fund has been deployed to offer stock options to our acting and former defense dept officials.
That explains a lot, and should be illegal and strictly enforced.
News organizations should not let undisclosed conflicts of interest go on the air without full disclosure.
15
@RjW, wouldn't it be amazing if Saudi Arabia was given such a choice? Stop exporting, funding and financing maniacal, fanatic Wahabi inspirted terrorism or face consequences.
But alas, thanks to their petrodollars and fecklessness of US politicians in general and Trump/Kushner in particular, Saudis rulers can eat the cake and have it too!
3
Iran had a choice: export oil to the world, or export warfare and instability to the Middle East. They chose the latter. Why are they now complaining about the consequences of their own aggression???
8
Do you honestly think that America under Trump would have been fair with Iran regardless of how good or “bad” they behaved. And by the way, Iran’s conduct in its neighborhood is certainly no worse than that of the US.
9
Iranians would be better advised to think more about their rulers than the US. Forty years after the revolution, who has had more impact?
2
Perhaps creating an environment where Iran did not feel threatened might work. The opposite (current) approach is not working out that well. For anyone.
37
Very interesting! Have the sanctions of "maximum pressure" worked? It seems not despite the economic devastation. Iranians know who their Great Satan is and it's not the Ayatollah and the Revolutionary Guard who probably are not suffering nearly as much as the people described here who feel that they're already at war with America. What that means is that the Trump administration has a hard choice to make: war or diplomacy to strike a deal. Yesterday it was almost war, but what does tomorrow hold? We have a self-proclaimed master of "The Art of the Deal" who seems unable to do anything other than pull out of existing deals, but has yet to offer Iran or China or others anything other than the "raw deal" of total submission to his bullying. No nation will stand for that. So, we must sit in anguish while wondering where are the true deal makers who will restore sanity before another near accident sets aflame the tinder into a major Middle East conflagration endangering tens of thousands of lives along with the major source of the world's oil.
19
Wait a minute Mr. Salar Abdoh. Your article paints a picture of Iranians being oppressed under a pressure exerted by the United States. That is not quite true. Iranians are suffocating because of a ruthless, and brutal regime. Many Iranians are wishing for a U.S. intervention in the hope that it might encourage an oppressed nation to rise up against their oppressors who have occupied the seats of government for over four decades. The U.S is not the enemy of Iran. The Iranian government is the enemy of Iran.
32
@Thomas
Can you provide reliable evidence for your assertion that Iranians are hoping for US "intervention"? I would say the more appropriate word would be "invasion" since the regime in power is not going to go away without American troops on the ground, inside Iran, much like what happened in Iraq.
We have our differences with Iran, to be sure. But it is also true that the Obama treaty was working, and it was to the benefit of the all the signatories. It was the US which withdrew from it, not the Iranians. It was the US which imposed crippling sanctions on Iran, not the mullahs. We cannot know what all has transpired with Trump, but I suspect that Israel and Saudi Arabia had much to do with where we are today with Iran, since they are the main beneficiaries of the sanctions. Obama, to his credit, kept both Israel and the Saudis at arm's length. Trump has gotten into bed with them and this is where we are today.
89
@Thomas
Where did you get this nonsense.
I was in Iran last year and what I experienced was the opposite.
You are confusing it with the USA where the popular vote is suppressed and therefore meaningless. So religious extremists can have an undue influence in people’s lives.
The Iranian people were happy, welcoming and friendly. I assume that despite the Trump experience they still will be if the United States can get its act together politically and become a decent world citizen.
15
@Thomas
Completely untrue. Iran's economic growth is directly linked to the US sanctions as are oil sales and currency.
Here are some facts for you:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48119109
1
Let us not confuse "self-sufficient military prowess and strategic depth in the region " with international terrorism against one neighbors. I would be the last one to defend trump's action of pulling out of the nuclear deal. It was wrong. He had no grounds for doing so.
And yet Iran has made little ground on curtailing its international terrorism especially its support of Hamas. There seems to be little in the way of Iranian funds for food and medicine but plenty to provide Hamas with weaponry.
I realize that the average Iranian citizen is at the mercy of the ruling class just as we Americans are at the mercy of trump and his ruling class. Nether one of us likes it but that is where we find ourselves in the moment. I keep hoping that saner heads prevail and that we oust trump and a new leader reinstates our nuclear deal with Iran. If not both of our countries face the prospect of war with no clear winner nad no apparent end. I wish the people of Iran well but not so much your leadership.
21
@Steve "There seems to be little in the way of Iranian funds for food and medicine but plenty to provide weaponry."
I think the same could be said about the United States as well.
John
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Any war that breaks out with Iran will have nothing to do with drones, tankers, proxies or even centrifuges. These are just excuses. It will be about regime change, with Israel and Saudi Arabia maneuvering to get Trump to do their dirty work for them. Americans (and Iranians) will suffer and die for no good reason and America's standing in the world will fall even further.
When the first round of Democratic presidential primary candidates debate on Wednesday night in Miami, I will be interested to hear from Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard and the others on this latest regime change war plan. I'm hoping for a much less tepid response than we've gotten so far from the Democratic leadership in Congress. The debates could not be coming at a better time for the American people.
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Iran developed 90% of the capability to produce nuclear weapons, then held the rest of the world hostage, forcing an agreement that removed sanctions.
They then used their wealth to embark on a rapid development program for ballistic missiles. (And, of course, fund proxy armies throughout the region.)
Once the ballistic missiles were perfected in about 10 years, they planned to exit the nuclear agreement and rapidly finalize the development of nuclear weapons.
The foolish agreement made by President Obama provided Iran the time and money needed to continue their single-minded goal of becoming a full-fledged nuclear power.
The suffering of the wonderful Iranian people can be ended at any time. Iran must simply stop the development of ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons, and stop funding their proxy armies across the Middle East.
Sadly, the authoritarian Iranian regime would rather make its people suffer than give up its dream of becoming a nuclear power.
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What gives America the right to hold 6000 nuclear warheads and tell someone else they can’t have one?
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@Cliff
Iran signed the Non Proliferation Treaty.
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@John
You should try to convince Israel to disarm unilaterally. Iran lost about 250,000 of its citizens in a war started against them by Saddam Hussein, who was supported by the US. They now know the value of having nuclear weapons. Israel is the problem in the current Middle East, not Iran.
1
When people feel "we're already at war" they have no incentive to stop escalation.
This is the time for real diplomats, the kind we used to have. Unfortunately, we just have war-hawks now. I dread the consequences...
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Mr. Abdoh, don't think Trump is doing it just to Iranians. The pain and suffering has been spread without bias, and we, here, in the US, feel under siege. We would all be kinder to each other were it not for our governments.
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@DBR
For trump, cruelty is a policy.
I feel great sympathy for its people, but Iran cannot continue to operate as a rogue State and expect to be welcomed into the community of nations.
If Iran were to fully discontinue its nuclear program, immediately end support for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas, and stop calling for the destruction of Israel, the U.S. would have difficulty attempting to justify continued sanctions.
Iran doesn't seem to understand that it can't have things both ways. It can't expect normalized relations with the rest of the world while it is steadfastly refusing to comply with international norms.
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Iran stopped nearly all nuclear activity as a result of JCPOA. How do expect Iran not to try to influence its region, when SaudiArabia, Israel and Turkey do the same. President Rohani tried to open up diplomacy with US, Trump proved that the IRGC was right all along.
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@Scott I've been trying to understand your definition of "rogue nation," as it doesn't seem to fit Iran given that country's openness to and compliance with an international deal to put heavy restrictions on its sovereign conduct.
Then I realized that what you mean by "rogue nation" is just a nation that doesn't do exactly what we in the United States tell them to do.
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@Scott I know what you're driving at, but when you write, "If Iran were to fully discontinue its nuclear program," my mind almost automatically responds, "If we, the United States were to fully discontinue our nuclear program"...what a much greater positive impact that might have.
(And on the side, to put things in perspective, I imagine our outrage at another nation's demanding that we drop our nuclear program.)
Especially these days I really doubt that the US has the rational leadership to make decisions as to who should or shouldn't have such destructive power. I don't know if we've ever had moral leadership.
We simply got there first, employing tons of immigrant intellect, and got our hands on the power to destroy life on the planet. And instantly did it...twice. We're not better, not even particularly different.
Much of the world must be terrified of what we'll do next.
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The sanctions hurt the citizens of Iran, not the Revolutionary Guards. The president, Rouhani, was elected democratically, at least as democratically as Trump was. The Supreme Leader however, is not someone that can be tossed out as lightly as Mr. Trump does his cabinet members.
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@Lev
Just think how the people could be helped by reigning in the Revolutionary Guard, but that won't happen.
@Lev Exactly--it would be like ousting the Pope out of the Vatican.
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Our government likes to talk about how much terrorism the government of Iran exports to countries the Middle East. They do, but ask yourself: how many countries does OUR government export terrorism to and how long has this been going on?
If you're a student of history and/or read a daily newspaper, you'll know that we, through weapons sales, interference in elections, drone strikes, military interventions and covert operations, set the standard for exporting terrorism and have been doing it for decades.
Over 60 percent of Iranians are under 40 years old. They don't want to live under the thumbs of the mullahs just like we don't want to live under the thumbs of the oligarchs. They rose up and put their lives on the line during election protests ten years ago and paid dearly for it. How many of us are taking steps to prevent authoritarian rule here? How many are willing to step up and prevent this catastrophically ignorant man from another term and all the horrific damage concomitant with that?
As others have pointed out, the vast majority of Iranians just want to provide for themselves and their families and have a safe place to live. Our government has been kicking the legs out from under their quality of life for a very long time.
Maybe we should let the Iranian people deal with the mullahs. It's long past time that we dealt with the military industrial complex dictating our foreign policy and eroding the quality of life for everyone.
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@Basil Kostopoulos
Thank you Basil.
5
President Obama was silent during Iran's Green Movement of 2009. The movement failed. We cannot know whether a few supportive words from the United States might have helped.
In 2011, when demonstrations against Hosni Mubarak were taking place in Egypt, Obama did speak. Mubarak lost control and the Muslim Brotherhood went on to win an election.
Iran's leaders were significantly worse than Mubarak was. I don't understand Obama's choice. He seems to have remained silent when it came to Shiite tyrants but was able to speak out against Sunni dictators. This made no sense.
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@George Jochnowitz You forgot December 2017, when protests occurred all over Iran, and Trump issued several statements supporting the protests. Did the regime fall because of Trump's statements of support?
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@George Jochnowitz
I suspect that the thinking was that Obama’s interference would have harmed the movement instead of helping. Who really knows?
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@George Jochnowitz
I don't know whether Iran's leaders were worse than Egypt's. What I do know is that our overthrowing the democratically elected Mossadegh and installing the tyrannical shah eventually led to the Iranian revolution and the ascent of the mullahs. And we continue to support one of the worst, if not the worst, regime on the planet--the Saudi monarchy.
8
The JPCOA was a farce. It was only a ten year deal not a permanent solution. It did not allow inspections of military bases. Ballistic missile development was not regulated. It did nothing but delay the inevitable.
Trump showed mercy when he did not destroy the missile site that shot down our drone. He felt the response was not proportionate. Iran better think twice before testing our mettle again.
25
Is the answer to speed up the inevitable? Is an imperfect deal really worse than what we have now?
A goal of JCPOA was to delay a nuclear breakout. Experts worldwide agreed it would have worked. And it was a card to play to curb the GCC’s own ambitions to keep pace. I’m genuinely asking: how is the current situation better? Iran are now talking of enriching uranium again, with no oversight. This is what the deal sought to avoid.
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@Hopefully Clear thoughts Baby steps first before you can walk. It was a postponement but if Iranians had a longer taste of a better life, perhaps the direction wouldn't been different. As it is, this direction is just Iraq War 2 all over again. Watch and see. There is absolutely no way that Iran can be pacified, just like Iraq never has been, nor has Afghanistan, nor was Vietnam, etc.
Even China with its continuing dictatorship is a safer, better place to deal with than when Nixon first went there. When we fought two proxy wars against them. Trade with China was in the balance a good thing.
I agree Trump not striking back is a good thing to do. The question is what happens next.
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@Hopefully Clear thoughts
"Trump showed mercy when he did not destroy the missile site that shot down our drone. He felt the response was not proportionate."
That's according to Donald Trump. Who knows if he ever intended to strike or if he wanted to send a warning and portray himself publicly as restrained and merciful.
I remember Trump praising himself after the 1st debate with Hillary Clinton for not bringing up Bill Clinton's infidelities. Then before the 2nd debate he held a press conference with three of the accusers. I'll judge his handling of Iran and N. Korea on the totality of the record.
6
This op-ed is more evidence of the good faith and thoughtfulness of President Obama and his administration. Unfortunately, it is also more evidence—as if we need more—of the bad faith of Trump and his apparatchiks and their efforts to overturn everything Obama ever did as president. November 2020 can’t come soon enough.
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Mr. Abdoh writes Iran's leaders were right that it must possess self-sufficient military prowess and strategic depth in the region. Does that mean nuclear weapons? Long range inter-continental ballistic missiles? Does that mean arming and continuing to support Syria's Assad (now that he's essentially won), Hezbollah, etc. If that's what it means, then yes, war may be unavoidable. If being self-sufficient does not require any of those things, there will be no war and Iran might proper once again.
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@Paul
First, Mr. Abdoh is saying that Iran's leaders believe they were right given the actions of Trump - in other words they can justify their actions based on what Trump has done - the "see, I told you so" message.
Also, what is a sovereign nation allowed to have and not allowed to have for its defense? I'm not sticking up for Iran - but they see themselves as the Shia bulwark surrounded by a sea of Sunni. Think about that.
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@Sirlar.. yes the Shia/Sunni divide.. global catastrophe because a religion has two schisms. For a long time i looked for the answer on why that divide exists. Near as I can tell it is not dissimilar situation to the catholic v Protestant divide. People tearing themselves apart over how to interpret words in some holy book.
Untold waste of lives and treasure.
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@Paul. We invaded their neighbors to the east and west. We called them a member of an axis of evil, and then invaded the other member without nukes. Wanting better missiles and nuclear weapons is not irrational even from a purely defensive position.
1
As I understand it, a blockade is an act of war. This embargo sounds a lot like a blockade.
What right does the US have to impose an embargo on Iran?
I think it's the responsibility of the other signatories to the nuclear agreement to insist that the US stop the blockade and stick to their agreement.
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@Norman This whole situation reminds me of what the US is doing to Cuba. Nothing good will come of any of it.
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@Wheels
And look at the success of the Cuban blockade/embargo. It's only been in existence since the 60s.
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@Norman
Japan 1941. Many have recognized the similarity (though not identity) with the U.S. choke hold on the Japenese nation prior to their entry into WWII.. When you are dying and have nothing left to lose, the reaction is predictable. In the case of Japan it was the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the beginning of a World War that ended with nuclear bomb diplomacy.
In the case of Iran, I fear it will begin with nuclear bomb diplomacy. Already, Israel has bombed Iraq and Syrian nuclear facilities, with impunity. There is much money to be made by the Trump organization: Billionaire donors who paid for the sanctions against Iran, beginning with the withdrawal from the "Obama" and Germany et al agreement. There is the money from the Military Industral complex. Afghanistan and Iraq garnered trillions of dollars, not billions, trillions (1,000 times the the billions) for the interested parties. Lives lost, so what, there's money to be made.
Iran does not need warfare to hurt America. All it would need would be a handful of operatives and a book of matches to start wild fires with no risk and no cost. Iran has built their defences and alliances for the likes of Trump and Bolton and Pompeo. Make no mistake about it.
4
Trump finds it so easy to say that he finds our situation with Iran unacceptable, yet he won’t consider that Iranians feel the same.
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@NM - the only basic requirement for the Presidency Trump has met is he was over the age of 35 when inaugurated. He can meet no other requirement.
War seems inevitable. Even if the countries walk away from the brink this time around, something else would happen soon that would spark the war. The only way to avert war would be for the US to return to the accord signed with Iran and this is unlikely to happen. Thus, there would be a continuous "walk" at the edge of the precipice, with an incident likely at any time. The regime is Iran is unlikely to be toppled (at least not because of US pressure) and Trump would be around at least until January 2021. If a hot incident is avoided until then, I would say that we should all consider ourselves very lucky!!
26
Why does being denied the basic elements of life, health and livelihood equate with a sense of "already being at war?"
Our own great leader has weathered wars his country has fought, while dealing with the unimaginable horror of bone spurs. He has seen real suffering. He understands it. He has overcome it.
Come on Iranians: man up (even while you do more for women's rights than any country in the Middle East). As our great leader has done, you too can overcome. And all the while thank God you don't have the additional trauma of bone spurs. Now that would demand recompense and sympathy. You are lucky. Recognize it and revel.
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Very interesting perspective and one that is lost by many when they think about Iran-US conflict.
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@softwareguy. Only those in the USA. Rest of the world has different perspectives. The Middle East is a mess significantly of America’s making and meddling.
15