Bush’s Justified Call to Contain Iranian Influence

How concerned are people across the Persian Gulf about the Iranian threat? Judging from this op-ed article from Kuwait’s leading Arabic newspaper, Al-Seyassah, President Bush’s criticism of Iran during his current visit will likely fall on receptive ears.

“Since the fall of the Shah all the way up to the present day, the international community and nations of the Gulf region have sat mute in the face of the greed and expansionist dreams of the Mullah regime … Because of a lack of firmness and deterrence, what was once a meek lamb has transformed into a voracious wolf.”

By Yousef Jamal*

Translated By James Jacobson and Nicolas Dagher

January 13, 2008

Kuwait – Al-Seyassah – Original Article (Arabic)

Since the fall of the Shah all the way up to the present day, the international community and nations of the Gulf region have sat mute in the face of the greed and expansionist dreams of the Mullah regime. This is a scourge for the people of the Gulf and presages catastrophe. Because of a lack of firmness and deterrence, what was once a meek lamb has transformed into a voracious wolf. While once the options to counteract the Mullah regime were numerous, by ignoring their extremist policies we have limited the room to maneuver and exacerbated the crisis in the region and beyond.

But through a gradual understanding of the extremist and obscurantist leaders of this dictatorial regime – political, religious and military – the global community has come to understand the gravity of its oppressive system. The entire world has woken up to the terrorist ideology of this regime. The global community now understands the threat it poses to humankind and its plan to further penetrate and influence stable societies around the world, spread chaos and instability and establish hotbeds of influence [in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, for example] to achieve Iranian goals.

The most important revelations were made public by Iran’s domestic resistance, which disclosed Tehran’s nuclear program, the repressive domestic institutions of the mullahs and their many human rights abuses to the outside world. This reinvigorated domestic opposition within Iran and has helped isolate the regime, contributing to curtailing its role from that of a predatory wolf to a one of a fearful rabbit.

Among other objectives, the purpose of American President George Bush’s tour of the Middle East is to contain Iranian influence in the region; provide assurances to the Gulf States in regard to the dangers of Iranian expansion; and clip the wings of the regime in that area.

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