This post is going to make some uncomfortable, make some angry but just perhaps a few will see some wisdom in it.[icopyright one button toolbar]’
The socio-political world is in a constant state of flux. As conditions change we must reevaluate who our friends and allies are. One of the most disturbing recent events is the rather sudden rise of ISIS. There are indications this organization is not so much driven by religion but a psychopathic desire to kill. The seed money for this organization came from our so called allies in the region like Saudi Arabia. Now the Saudis behead over a dozen people a week for things like drug offenses and witchcraft just to name a few. They are intolerant of other religions. For all of their bellicose rantings about Israel the Iranians have a large Jewish majority and they are treated with respect. The same can be said for the Christians and Zoroastrians. Iran remains one of the most westernized countries in the region – in Tehran the women drive, wear blue jeans and are not required to wear head scarves. I have thought for sometime that Iran is a natural ally of the United States. And then there is Syria and Assad. I’m not going to pretend that Assad is anything but a tyrant. The administration’s answer is to arm the so called “moderates.” This is a fools errand – the moderates are several loosely associated militias with little or no command and control. They are not up to fighting ISIS and any weapons we give them will probably end up in the hands of that blood thirsty group.
So it’s time to reevaluate who are allies in the region really are. It may have seemed like a good idea to oppose Assad at the time. But we need to look at least covertly cooperating with Iran and Assad. The Syrian government has an excellent air defense system and could have easily shot down the aircraft involved in that attempted rescue mission – they didn’t. I wouldn’t be surprised if covert cooperation is already taking place. This covert cooperation to defeat a common enemy could result in a more overt relationship. Such an overt relationship might result in a moderating influence on Iran. The neocons and the Israelis will be upset but I think Israel would be better off aligning themselves with the more tolerant Shi’a than the intolerant Sunni’s in the long run.
The hostage situation decades ago will come up. Yes, the Iranians were angry but wouldn’t you be if a foreign power cane in and overthrew your democratically elected Prime Minster and replaced him with the CIA puppet the Shah who hated by 90% of the population.