By Dr. Sawraj Singh
After murdering Gaddafi, the West is plotting to attack Iran and Syria and repeat its performance in Libya. However, the situations in Iran and Syria are very different than Libya. Iran in particular may prove to be very dangerous and probably fatal for the West. Iran has a much evolved and highly organized religious hierarchy. The religious institutions are very deeply rooted in the people. The West already had two major confrontations with Iran after the Islamic revolution. The first, when the students occupied the American embassy and took hostages. The second, when America incited Saddam to attack Iran. In both of these situations, Iran was able to withstand the western onslaught. Now, the West is using the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) report as an excuse to attack Iran. The IAEA’s report raises serious concerns about Iran’s nuclear capability and its ability to make nuclear weapons. However, Iran has called this report prejudiced and biased. Iran says that the agency is very much influenced and controlled by America and it is neither independent nor impartial. France has already called for severe and crippling sanctions on Iran. However, Russia and China will not allow these sanctions. The West has not ruled out a military strike against Iran. Russia has warned the West against attacking Iran and said that an attack on Iran can lead to extremely serious and dangerous consequences for the West.
What are some of the options which Iran may exert? Iran can disrupt the shipping lanes. This can severely affect the oil supply of the world, particularly of the western countries. This can worsen the current economic crisis and block any chance of recovery. Iran, along with its allies, can launch an all-out attack on Israel, severely crippling and weakening Israel. This can very adversely affect the American influence in the Middle East. Iran can unleash suicidal attacks on American interests all over the world, which can severely drain the American resources and hasten America’s downfall as the only superpower of the world. Iran probably has more than a million suicide bomber volunteers. Iran can encourage its allies in Iraq to attack or take the Americans as hostages. Similarly, Iran can encourage attacks on Americans in Afghanistan. Russia has warned the West of very serious consequences if it attacks Iran.
As opposed to Libya, Syria is very strategically located in the Middle East, it borders Israel. The turmoil in Syria can easily spill over to Israel. Israel has already lost Egypt as a friend. The West is divided over Israel. America feels very strongly for Israel. However, this feeling is not shared by its European allies. This became clear in a recent conversation between Obama and Sarkozy. Sarkozy, not knowing that his microphone was on, called the Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) a liar. A conflict in the Middle East can further deepen the Atlantic divide, thereby weakening further the American control over the world.
An attack on Iran or Syria can prove to be a lose-lose situation for America. After the miserable defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan, a defeat in the Middle East or Iran can, for all practical purposes, end the American era in the world. The stakes are very high for America. It should think a hundred times before attacking Iran or Syria. Not only can America sustain very serious wounds, but it can also prove very damaging for the rest of the world.
Whether it is the IAEA, United Nations, World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund, all of these institutions are based upon inequality and injustice. All of these institutions need to be fundamentally reformed to reflect the new realities of the world. The West should give up arrogance and join the global community to find the answers and solutions to the problems and challenges facing mankind and the world.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected] or 509-962-3652.
