Articles of the year 2006
Published on June 08th, 2006
I watched a discussion on a TV talk show the other night and was shocked to hear one of our foremost Scientists Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy stating quite categorically that all indications were that the US, or their surrogate Israel, would attack Iran some time soon. It seems that the plans for the attack have been drawn up and even the flight paths are displayed on the Internet.
Now, it seems that the American think tanks have decided that the Iranian Nuclear facilities have to be destroyed, even using nuclear bunker busters. This would create a completely different reaction to what the Neocons think tanks are projecting.
The first and immediate reaction would be a unification of all Muslims against such an unprovoked attack on a fellow Muslim State. Sunnis and Shias would be unanimous in their condemnation. Every Muslim throughout the World will be deeply hurt and angry. This will serve to enrage the Muslims more than a thousand Osamas could ever exhort, or the Mullahs from their minarets. The price and availability of Arab and Iranian oil will no longer be relevant, and this new anger will manifest itself against the most visible of American interests--- the Macdonalds, Coke, Pepsi,Caltex, and of course General Motors. These are products that have a global presence, with a huge daily income. All of this will suddenly come under threat throughout the world and it will not be possible for the World governments to protect all these establishments, for they will have been set as a target just for being American. No longer will the Pizza delivery man be safe or Fed Ex trucks for that matter.
The Shia is already the most unified of all Muslims, and he has an incredibly strong bond of loyalty to the Shia schools from Iran even though he may be Kuwaiti Saudi—or Pakistani—the obedience is to Qom. This is something perhaps the Pentagon does not wish to understand nor are the Israelis about to enlighten the advisers --that matter. Even the Royalist Iranian living in exile is fiercely loyal to Iranian soil, and this also is not understood by the US. The Americans are being led deeper into a quagmire,-- being under attacks worsening by the day in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the Taliban giving a call to their followers to regroup is ominous enough for Pakistan, but the rest of the Muslims are watching the daily battle in Iraq from the sidelines. An unprovoked attack on Iran will change the mood of the Muslim everywhere, and will crystallize this anger into a broad based clash against American interests. With mobs running through the African and Asian streets chanting the usual "Down with the US" ! Can America afford more hatred heaped upon themselves?
Can American big business allow their interests to be so brutally and senselessly exposed. It was an old adage that " What's good for General Motors is good for America". This is about to be unraveled, and maybe rewritten by a few not so clever thinkers in the Pentagon. For America may not have conquered the world, but American products certainly have.and the Image building of the Brands has done much to bring American Brand loyalty at the cost of billions of Dollars, can Big business throw it all away?When Pakistan and India were in their last eyeball to eyeball confrontation, and the US expats started flying out of India, the businessmen of Bangalore prevailed upon the Indian Prime Minister, Vajpai and the Indians backed off. This time I wonder if the CEOs of the American Giants realize the risks that are being run if the war of words escalates into a serious attack. It will not then matter if Coke is manufactured in Thailand or Indonesia, all Coke plants and all American products will suddenly become an endangered species. And may soon carry the warning " Could be a serious hazard to your health" For all such products and their consumers would be targeted.With the latest offer that has been made and is being considered by Iran, it would seem that 'Big Business' has realized the perils listed above, and the folly of an outright attack by the US is quite clear, and may be used as a bargaining chip. The question is can Israel be reined in? For the Israelis have a knack of acting on their own, only this time the US business interests will suffer--- world wide. Israel must be stopped from any such foolish adventure.Iran has shown a willingness to talk. For the World and the US this is the only option.