New York Times columnist Tom Friedman is out with a piece in which he announces five principles about the current situation in Iraq. As usual, Friedman's conclusion is colored by his political views. In today's column, Friedman's "insights" are so out of focus that he seems to be blinded by his politics. Let me give you an example.
Friedman announces that the current situation is a big problem for Iran. After all, Iranian troops are now fighting in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon in support of the Shiite forces in those countries. At the same time, American forces are not fighting in any of those countries. According to Friedman, that is good news for the USA and bad news for Iran. In Friedman's world, all fighting is bad. Military involvement is failure according to Tom. Indeed, in the column Friedman argues that only when the Middle East moves towards a pluralistic society that promotes progress for all and ends sectarian conflict will there be peace. Really?
Think about Iran and its place in the region and the world. Iran indeed does have troops fighting in Syria and now Iraq. Iran supports the Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, but it is not engaged in actual combat in that country. Without a doubt, Iranian soldiers are being killed and wounded in the fighting. The mullahs in Teheran, however, really do not care. Their troops are dying as martyrs. They are all going to a wonderful reward after their deaths. And just look at what Iran gets in exchange. In the last week, Iran has likely gained Iraq as a client state. The Iraqis were certainly friendly with Iran in the last few years, but now Iraq is dependent on Iran. There is no way that the Maliki government in Baghdad would do anything contrary to the wishes of Teheran. After all, Iran is the only country providing Maliki with a lifeline in the current crisis, and that crisis is not going away soon. The portion of the country that Maliki still controls exports roughly two million barrels of oil each day mostly to Asia and the USA. That is over two hundred million dollars worth of oil every day, 365 days a year. It is also more than enough production that, when combined with Iran's own production, it easily could cause world oil prices to soar were it to be curtailed. In other words, Iran now has a much bigger hold on world oil production and prices. For Teheran, this is an enormous prize, one that gives it a major boost in importance and power. The mullahs would gladly trade the lives of their troops to gain this reward. And in Syria, what does Iran get? Here the answer is no less important to Teheran. Remember, for centuries, Persia/Iran was the center of the Shiite world against which was arrayed the major Arab and Turkish countries of the Sunni world. By keeping Syria in its orbit together with the southern half of Iraq, Iran also keeps the Sunnis divided and weak. In essence, Iran keeps its long term opponents off balance and unable to threaten Iran itself.
In Friedman's feel-good world of liberal politics, war is never the answer. Well, Tom, that is not a view shared by all. Maybe you should consider, just this once, the actual views of the people about whom you write. If anything, the mullahs are dancing in the streets in Teheran. They have just achieved one of their greatest dreams: they have gotten control of the Shiite sections of Iraq.
Friedman announces that the current situation is a big problem for Iran. After all, Iranian troops are now fighting in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon in support of the Shiite forces in those countries. At the same time, American forces are not fighting in any of those countries. According to Friedman, that is good news for the USA and bad news for Iran. In Friedman's world, all fighting is bad. Military involvement is failure according to Tom. Indeed, in the column Friedman argues that only when the Middle East moves towards a pluralistic society that promotes progress for all and ends sectarian conflict will there be peace. Really?
Think about Iran and its place in the region and the world. Iran indeed does have troops fighting in Syria and now Iraq. Iran supports the Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, but it is not engaged in actual combat in that country. Without a doubt, Iranian soldiers are being killed and wounded in the fighting. The mullahs in Teheran, however, really do not care. Their troops are dying as martyrs. They are all going to a wonderful reward after their deaths. And just look at what Iran gets in exchange. In the last week, Iran has likely gained Iraq as a client state. The Iraqis were certainly friendly with Iran in the last few years, but now Iraq is dependent on Iran. There is no way that the Maliki government in Baghdad would do anything contrary to the wishes of Teheran. After all, Iran is the only country providing Maliki with a lifeline in the current crisis, and that crisis is not going away soon. The portion of the country that Maliki still controls exports roughly two million barrels of oil each day mostly to Asia and the USA. That is over two hundred million dollars worth of oil every day, 365 days a year. It is also more than enough production that, when combined with Iran's own production, it easily could cause world oil prices to soar were it to be curtailed. In other words, Iran now has a much bigger hold on world oil production and prices. For Teheran, this is an enormous prize, one that gives it a major boost in importance and power. The mullahs would gladly trade the lives of their troops to gain this reward. And in Syria, what does Iran get? Here the answer is no less important to Teheran. Remember, for centuries, Persia/Iran was the center of the Shiite world against which was arrayed the major Arab and Turkish countries of the Sunni world. By keeping Syria in its orbit together with the southern half of Iraq, Iran also keeps the Sunnis divided and weak. In essence, Iran keeps its long term opponents off balance and unable to threaten Iran itself.
In Friedman's feel-good world of liberal politics, war is never the answer. Well, Tom, that is not a view shared by all. Maybe you should consider, just this once, the actual views of the people about whom you write. If anything, the mullahs are dancing in the streets in Teheran. They have just achieved one of their greatest dreams: they have gotten control of the Shiite sections of Iraq.
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