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Stage set for Invasion of Iran
( Published in The Nation Lahore - February 28, 2007)
By Usman Khalid
Vice President Dick Cheney's was in Pakistan for a few hours on 26 February. On the eve of his visit, the Americans were told by The New York Times that he was there to give a warning to Pakistan to 'do more' on Afghanistan otherwise US aid will be cut and the bill introduced by the Democrat majority in the US Congress 'to require the US President to certify' that Pakistan is enthusiastically supporting its 'war on terror' will be passed unaltered. That is indeed one of the objectives of the visit and Pakistan would have registered its dismay at the turn of events as the spokesman of Pakistan's foreign office did reveal. But that was not the main point on Dick Cheney's agenda. That point was to obtain support of Pakistan (and all the other countries he visited on his whirlwind world tour) for the invasion of Iran.
It is important to understand: 1) who is Dick Cheney; 2) what is America's objective; 3) how does America secure near universal support for invading one Muslim country after another. Dick Cheney is the godfather of neocons who have been the policy makers in the USA throughout the Presidency of George Bush. The neocons promised George Bush that America would dominate the world for a century, control its vital resources and decide the terms of trade if they were to use military force freely, even unilaterally, to 'restructure' the Middle East.
Some in the US and many in the world believe the neocons have failed and point towards stiffening resistance in Iraq and Afghanistan as proof of that failure. The neocons ignore that view as 'idiotic'; their response is deliberately vague but body language clear: the resistance or civil war in Iraq and Afghanistan, far from being evidence of failure, is the 'prime instrument' for achieving the objective. How else could they maintain control over such fierce people who have never allowed foreign occupation of their country?
The objective of America is to 'restructure the Greater Middle East' as has been repeatedly said by President Bush and Condi Rice. The Greater Middle East is a term used in America that adds Pakistan and Afghanistan to the conventional view of the Middle East. The map of the 'restructured' Greater Middle East was published in an article by Ralph Peters in the US Armed Forces Journal some time ago.
In this map, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan almost disappear; Turkey and Iran are reduced in size; Afghanistan becomes larger and new countries of Balochistan and Kurdistan are created. The rationale is impeccable: democracy. What can be better than giving the long oppressed Arab shias and other oppressed nations - the Baloch and the Kurds - their rights?
Their new borders, Ralph Peters asserts, reflect the true aspirations of the people and conform to ethnic and sectarian make up of the 'Greater Middle East'. It is obvious that the USA is eager to support the 'right of self determination' of ethnic and sectarian identities but is fiercely opposed to self-determination in Palestine and Kashmir. The USA is also opposed to democracy when the people foolishly decided to live by Sharia - like in Iran, Somalia and Afghanistan. Since such blatant 'double standard' poses a few problems to their puppets, the Bush administration decided to support the King Abdullah (of Saudi Arabia's) Plan for Palestine.
According to this plan, Israel should withdraw to pre-1967 War Truce Line in Palestine War in exchange for the Islamic countries recognising Israel. General Musharraf had a whirlwind tour of influential Muslim states trying to sell that plan. But it soon became apparent what the deal was. It was to secure support for the invasion of Iran in exchange for a 'promise' to support King Abdullah's Plan on Palestine.
Dick Cheney has a problem selling the invasion of Iran to the military as well as the Congress. He was touring the world so that he can report back that the Arab and Muslim neighbours of Iran give 'tacit support' to the invasion. It is too early to say what he would report but we would not be helping America by keeping quiet. By raising our voices we would reinforce patriotic America that does not want war.
The failure of the meeting of foreign ministers of 'like minded' Muslim countries in Islamabad exposed that the 'new initiative' on Palestine was not about Palestine; it was about invasion of Iran. But the lack of consensus is not 'disapproval'; it will be taken in Washington to be reluctance to give 'open approval'. This is all that America needs. There might be some Muslim countries that might be secretly jubilant at the discomfiture of Iran but Pakistan is not one of them. President Musharraf and his Foreign Minister surely want to prevent the invasion of Iran. They have an opportunity to do so. But the irony is that they are actually fronting efforts to deceive Muslims worldwide creating smoke screens by fake diplomacy.
The stakes are very high - not just for the Muslims but also for America and the West. The invasion of Iran would be a signal for shias all over the world to attack any American or Western target. Iran may well become the fourth Muslim country to be devastated during the Bush Presidency but it would not mark a century of American domination; it would mark its precipitous end. This is not the time for secret diplomacy; this is the time for 'public diplomacy'.
The people of Pakistan should be told the truth - that Dick Cheney was going round the world mobilising support for the invasion of Iran. The truth may be told a la American way - through the press. But every political and non-political organisation and eminent person in every country should hasten to record support for Iranian steadfastness in the face of relentless pressure to compromise its right to enrich Uranium that it obtained by signing the NPT. Volunteers should start organising and training in every country ready to go to the help of Iran if it is invaded.
The neocons want to spread the war but by taking on one Muslim country at a time. But this war can be stopped by targeting American puppets ruling Muslim countries particularly Pakistan and Afghanistan. It can be stopped by the Muslim masses expressing their concern over the power of Indo-Jewish lobbies to dictate the agenda of America. It can be stopped by the readiness of Muslim volunteers to go and fight in any country that is invaded by the US and its 'allies'.
Fence sitters are no better than accomplices in this war. This is time to stand up and be counted. Remember, it might be our turn next. Remember that Lebanon could not avoid destruction by Israel despite a pro-American government headed by Fuad Sinora.
The writer is the Director of London Institute of South Asia
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