Critically Thinking about Iran
Some facts to consider when negotiating a peace deal
President Trump was scheduled to meet with his cabinet today, concerning the Iran issue, and then plans changed… If I were there, I would say: “Before proceeding, let’s see if we can all agree on some basic facts.” I would then propose the following…
Note 1: This is NOT a complete list of Facts, but rather a representative sample. Note 2: For some background on US-Iran relations, read this. Note 3: This gives an inkling of how Iranians are to negotiate with.
Fact #1:
Over the last four decades, Iran has been an aggressive supporter of frequent, widespread terrorism worldwide.
Fact #2:
Over the last four decades, the government of Iran has killed 100,000+ Iranian citizens in a ruthless effort to maintain its power.
Fact #3:
Over the last four decades, Iran has repeatedly made it very clear that one of its main objectives is to harm and undermine America.
Fact #4:
Over the last four decades, Iran has been seriously working on developing a nuclear bomb, plus longer-range delivery ballistic missiles.
Fact #5:
Over the last four decades, attempts by prior US administrations to appease Iran (including giving them Billions of dollars) have not changed #1 thru #4.
Fact #6:
Over the last four decades, Iran has repeatedly publicly equivocated, distorted, and lied, so it is now extremely difficult to trust anything they say.
Fact #7:
Over the last four decades, Trump has been the first President to take meaningful actions to defang Iran.
Fact #8:
The US bombing of bridges, power facilities, etc., will harm Iranian citizens more than their leaders — so that is an inferior military/political strategy.
Fact #9:
It would seem that the US taking control of Kharg Island would be a strategic move that could have a major impact on Iranian leaders.
Fact #10:
Iran is acutely aware of the divisiveness of this issue in the US, which is encouraging them to string this along rather than come to terms.
Fact #11:
US Non-negotiables should be: a) Iran having zero nuclear weapons, and b) no restrictions for ships to traverse the Strait of Hormuz.
Fact #12:
In negotiating with Iran, President Trump should not be giving significant weight to temporary US difficulties, like higher gas prices.
Fact #13:
In negotiating with Iran, President Trump should not be giving significant consideration to who will get the credit for a successful ending.
Fact #14:
From a losing face perspective, it is much more likely that Iran would capitulate to a collection of unified countries than to the US alone.
Fact #15:
The US does not need help to defeat Iran, but it would: a) be politically wise, and b) accelerate the end of this matter, to accept assistance from allies.
Suggestion
When negotiating a Peace agreement, it would demonstrate good faith for the US to acknowledge several prior bad acts on its part. As compensation for these, the US should agree to spend several Billion dollars (that they control and oversee) to assist with rebuilding Iran.
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Clear and concise! I fear #12 is #1 in those who do not know or care to know the history and the MSM encourages it. I really like the final suggestion. The problem is if we do it for the Iranian people, how will the leaders pervert the offer to their own benefit? It is very difficult to negotiate with leaders who do not see grace and mercy as strength, but rather as a weakness to be exploited. Spite and malice energize them, sadly.
"Iran is acutely aware of the divisiveness…" which is not a spontaneous eruption. It is created continuously by forces who gain power from division — some foreign, some domestic, some immigrants. Those who thrive on division blame Trump and Republicans; this tactic is called "deflection." A contemporary of Frederick Douglass remarked, about racism but equally germane now about almost anything political, "there is a class of men who do not want the patient to get better."
In 1923, György Lukácz and others met at the Frankfurt School to ponder the question "why has the Great Proletarian Revolution not swept the world?" Their conclusion? Not enough division. They realized that workers had a good life in enlightened industrialized societies; their model would only work in feudal agrarian societies. So they invented Critical Theory. Herbert Marcuse brought it to Columbia, then Harvard, then Brandeis, than UC San Diego, where he was Angela Davis's mentor, and led her in adding Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, to create more division.