By D. Rouzbeh

Washington's sudden policy reversal toward Islamic Regime in Tehran is a stunning admission of failure of a foreign policy that has, in recent years, been largely defined and shaped by special interest lobbies. It appears that the same non-intelligence that led to American occupation of Iraq has, for now, failed to provide impetus for yet another war with yet another potentially catastrophic consequence. The timing of this announcement makes one wonder if this ceremonious shift in policy has anything to do with the unceremonious end of the Annapolis Conference, which produced little, if anything, to bring peace to a troubled region.

The message of the announcement is quite clear, and so are the losers and winners in this protracted war of words and rhetoric. On the winning side, Mr. Ahmadinejad has been handed down a victory and will almost certainly be assured of a second term in office, an office he knows too well that is all too powerless. The Islamic Government will claim total vindication, and with the threat of a military attack (temporarily) removed, will find further justification for its existence and will continue its hold on to power for the foreseeable future. They will celebrate this victory, perhaps the only real one since the 1979 revolution, with pride and arrogance. They will preach for days to their faithful followers that their version of truth has prevailed and the 'Great Satan' has been defeated. All good for internal consumption, of course. Their support base will expand and so will their power to oppress and terrorize those masses who dare to remain in opposition. The regime will assert, once again, its remarkable resilience along with its ability to manipulate the boundaries of the tolerance of the international community for its dangerous behavior. A regime that has shown it has extraordinary survival skills but only in turmoil and crises. Sadly, I submit that this victory will seriously impede the democratic movement in Iran.

On the losing side, Mr. Bush, looking as disoriented as ever, proclaimed that a "Great Discovery" has led his administration to new conclusions about Iran's nuclear ambitions. He did not elaborate why it had to take four years to do so. The fact, of course, is that for that many years, the White House and a Congress dominated by war-mongering hawks, the Israel Lobby, and others, have allowed the Administration to degrade itself to the position of a subordinate in search of a direction to serve national interests. They have been misleading us to believe that Iran's nuclear weapons ambition is an imminent threat to our national security and yet we know that there never was any reputable intelligence to support that claim. Mr. Bush's great discovery is a discovery of futility, a by-product of which is that, today, the gross failure of intelligence, waste of our tax dollars and the mass auction of our compassion and decency, has given rise to a fundamentalist religious phenomenon that appears insensitive to human life and the well-being of our planet. It is nauseating.

On the losing side too, is Israeli Government, the only Government that openly pushes the U.S. toward war with Iran with over 75% internal support for a military attack. In Israel, they are scrambling to save face and have expressed anger at the White House for this decision. It seems, for the moment, that Israeli Government will be left out in the cold. It is truly ludicrous that they continue to allow themselves the moral (or otherwise) authority to attempt to diminish the decision-making power of a superpower.

For me, this turn of events represents a small flicker of hope that peace will prevail. It is a triumph of reason over insanity, of hope over fear. I feel a sense of relief for now, but I know too well that this may be short-lived because, for sure, the hawks will return.

... Payvand News - 12/06/07 ... --