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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Richnorth who wrote (79197)	9/2/2006 11:42:31 AM
From: American Spirit	Respond to of 81568

If we get rid of our oil addiction and neutralize religious wackos (forcing them to shake hands) then perhaps terrorism would stop. But that will take leaders with very different priorities than Bush-Cheney.

To: Richnorth who wrote (79197)	9/2/2006 12:15:26 PM
From: ChinuSFO	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 81568

My comment: The Iraqi adventure of the US has indeed shifted the geo-political balance in the Middle East in Iran's favor. Mr. Kelly's column in the WEEKEND AUTRALIAN agrees with mine. Does it with yours or that of the other readers of this thread? US policy makes Iran the winner Friday, September 01, 2006 DESPITE America’s military superiority in the Middle East, the balance of power in the region is turning against both the US and Israel, with grave implications for the West and for its allies such as Australia. The magnitude of Iran’s strategic gains in the five years since the 9/11 attack on America is still not grasped. Iran, in fact, is the major winner from President Bush’s war on terrorism, a dramatic and unintended consequence. Given that the US and Israel regard Iran as the single most dangerous terrorist threat in the world today, this is an astonishing outcome - almost difficult to comprehend. But there is no gainsaying the result. The Bush Administration has changed the power balance in the region decisively in favour of Iran. Tehran is the winner from the Iraq war. It was a winner from the removal of the Taliban in Afghanistan. It is a winner from the radicalisation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the election victory of Hamas. It is a winner from Israel’s unsuccessful war against Hezbollah. Indeed, it is probably only a matter of time before Iran replaces America as the major external influence in Iraq, exercising a controlling say in the south or a veto on the fate of a Shia-dominated Iraq. These events, ultimately, may embolden Iran’s leaders and betray their judgment. But any prospect that the US and the United Nations will impose effective sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program seems remote. Iran’s tactic is to divide the Security Council. Its behaviour towards the US suggests that it sees America in a condition of periodic weakness. As Washington reviews the option of a military strike against Iran it confronts a further negative. The presence of so many US personnel in Iraq gives Tehran both locational proximity and a tactical opportunity to retaliate against any US strike. This is one of several reasons why any US military action is unlikely. It highlights another irony of the Iraq war. Designed in part to deflect Iran from any nuclear option, its current consequence is to severely restrict US options in stopping Iran from developing such a nuclear capability. What do you think? Paul Kelly blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au