... knowing that our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a huge increase in the nation's influence in West Asia. If the nation you're talking about is Iran, that is. Which not only has a President in Iraq who spent 20 years as an honored guest of Iran, but now has a President in Afghanistan who accepts bags stuffed full of money from Iran in exchange for being a "good neighbor".
Yes indeed, the War on Terra has been good for the nation... the nation of Iran, that is. Now, granted, Iran is no threat to the United States -- they've never committed acts of terrorism against the U.S., and we have common enemies in the Sunni extremists who want to kick Shia butt as much as they want to kick American butt -- but they're definitely no friend either. The streets of Tehran are still hung with "Death to America" banners, that ought to be a clue, yo.
All this was predictable -- and predicted -- of course. Crap, Poppy Bush predicted it in 1993, which is why he didn't march on Baghdad ("we don't want Iran West in Iraq", he proclaimed). Deal being that sooner or later the U.S. is going home -- democracies aren't very good at that whole empire thing, their attention span is too short, administrations change too often as do the goals and objectives of the nation -- while Iran... well, they're still going to be there. So any idiot could predict that weak governments adjoining Iran (and any government installed by U.S. troops is by definition weak) would end up sucking up to Iran and being heavily influenced by Iran. Any idiot could predict that. Except, apparently, the idiots who run our country today. We are so, soooo fucked....
-- Badtux the Geopolitics Penguin
I don't think you really feel safer. In fact, from the tone of your post, it sounds like you don't feel safe at all!
ReplyDeleteAre you employing some kind of rhetorical device intended to trick us?
Tux
ReplyDeleteI've missed your wit. Sorry for not being around as I've been ill. I hope to enjoy your writing for some time now as I'm a fan and friend.
I did here a little about the payola.
Your right I think no one was surprised.
Later
"democracies aren't very good at that whole empire thing"
ReplyDeleteThis may explain why the Republican/Teabaggers and their allies the KochSuckers are working so diligently to destroy such remnants of democracy as remain in our land.
Sadly, that would then give the R/T and K/S an opportunity to show how bad they are at the whole empire thing.
I haven't been reading the specifics of the Karzai bags-o-cash story, so this is one thing I want to know: What kind of money were the Iranians giving him? U.S. dollars? Euros? Afghanis (perish the thought -- they're more worthless than U.S. clownbux.) Is it rials they use in Iran? (Can't be bothered to Goggle it.)
ReplyDeleteIf I was a high-placed griftocrat, I'd demand bribery in gold coins.
Hey Montag -- didja ever wonder whether Obama's job security program was to let the Repigs win control of the House in 2010 so they could do such a bad job that the R Party would again be discredited, and the D-Corporate Party would regain control of the reins of the collapsing nation in 2012? My conspiracy theory is a bit far-flung Machiavellian, I admit. But it would suit the interests of the money powers to have things work out that way. It would keep the red and blue prole teams focused on fighting each other for a few more spins around the Sun.