Iran is a terrorist state. Syria is a terrorist state. Now they've formed a pact to oppose the United States. Is this a marriage made in hell or what?
As I mentioned in a previous editorial; the government of Iran is not to be trusted. No matter what they say, everything they agree to (on paper) is done only to placate the Europeans (France) and to gather a wider base of opposition to the U.S. in the United Nations. What they say and what they do are complete opposites. The Iranian Nuclear program is moving forward with break neck speed to develop a nuclear weapon.
They have seen what empowerment the nuclear bomb has given the North Koreans and they are quick students.
They have seen a third world, impoverished, non-industrial country (North Korea), bring the major super powers of the earth to its bargaining table. And guess what? They're going to get the lions share of everything they're asking for. North Korea will never give up its Nuclear weapon either.
So now we have a state (Iran) that has been at the heart of almost every terrorist act since the 1970's. If they didn't train them, they supported them with financing or logistics. Now they are going to have a Nuclear Bomb?
Iran does not want a legitimate democracy in Iraq. As I mentioned in another, previous, editorial, Iran's government as a theocracy is ready to fall. They have the largest dissident population in the mid-East and just the mere mention of its existence in a speech by President Bush sends thousands of them into the streets to demonstrate for freedom.
To the North of Iraq lies Syria. A country run by an optometrist. Another terrorist haven. The Syrian government just assassinated the former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Al-Hariri was the front runner in the upcoming elections to be held in Lebanon. He was also was a reformer, an advocate of free elections in Lebanon and an advocate of throwing Syria out of Lebanon. So they killed him. Syria does not want an Iraqi democracy right next door. (Not only does Syria support a cornucopia of terrorist movements and organizations, it has been harboring the command and control center for the current insurgency in Iran.)
In addition to all of this, we strongly suspect that prior to the overthrow of Saddam, caravans of trucks were transporting the weapons of mass destruction into Syria. They are either still in Syria or spirited away to the Becca valley in Lebanon. Former Baathist regime leaders and members of Saddam's former military are alive, thriving and kicking in Syria. Among the most notable are Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri – a top aide considered, “The most loyal”, to Saddam and Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hasan, Saddam's advisor and half brother. It is well known that Abu Masab al-Zarqawi has traveled frequently back and forth to Syria.
Now, since the Iraqi election did not yield an overwhelming Shiite majority, Iran does not have a stranglehold on the fledging government in Iraq. Iran will not yield to freedom on its border. So now they've gone to plan B, forming an alliance of convenience with Syria based on two common interests, hatred of the U.S. and support of destabilizing the new democracy in Iraq.
This new strategic alliance whose admitted purpose is to oppose the U.S., doesn't leave us many choices. Diplomatic sanctions and U.N. resolutions are as worthless as confederate paper money. Remember, the U.N. oil for food program put more money in Saddam's coffers after, than before he was sanctioned.
We must meet this growing crisis head on. And we must not budge an inch. The way I see it, the U.S. must do the following:
1. We must support the fledgling democracy in Iraq. And not falter.
2. We must prevent Iran from obtaining a Nuclear weapon, at any cost, including a pre-emptive strike. Who cares what France thinks?
3. We must support the grass roots democratic dissidents in Iran. This may be our best move in the long run.
4. Syria must be forced to give up its support for the insurgency.
5. Syria must be forced to remove its military forces from Lebanon. By the way, there is already a U.N. sanction on this one. Let the Lebanese choose their own government.
6. We must stand by and support Israel if they decide to strike the nuclear sites in Iran on their own.
The bottom line is that we cannot stand by and let these conditions continue. If we don't deal with them now, we will surely deal with them later. Frankly, I don't like the thought of sitting across a bargaining table from some smiling Ayatollah who has his finger on a red button.
