The dictionary defines terrorism as the use of violence to advance a political goal. Thus Iran’s support for Hezbollah, a paramilitary organization that emerged to resist Israel’s invasion and occupation of Lebanon and that has used what is euphemistically known as “asymmetric warfare” to achieve this goal, has earned for Iran endless denunciations by the US government and those of its allies. Likewise, Iran’s support for Hamas, which has used violence to further its goals of ending Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, is regularly condemned in the US Congress and elsewhere as evidence of the Iranian regime’s amorality and depravity. Iran is guilty by its association with and support for these two organizations.
Of course I agree that violence of all forms unless in self-defense is to be condemned and abhorred. But what to make then of yesterday’s attack against six top leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards — and 25 other people — by a Jundollah suicide bomber? Jundollah is a Sunni Muslim separatist militia based in south-east Iran. As we know — thanks to among others the heroic Seymour Hersh — then-President Bush sent a Presidential Intelligence Finding requesting from an all-too-willing Congress $400 million to foment the overthrow of the Iranian government. Among other groups the US has hired to undertake this overthrow is the very same Jundollah. And let’s not forget: Jundollah has ties to al-Qaeda and to al-Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
There is no evidence that the Obama Administration has rescinded this intelligence finding or renounced its goal of covert political warfare against Iran.
Why would a US (and Pakistani)-supported terrorist organization move against Iran at this time, when the Five-Plus-One talks with Iran have in such a short time produced some fruit and the promise of much more? Is the Obama regime playing a double game, pretending to negotiate with Iran with one hand while authorizing terrorist acts with the other? Are the negotiations merely a pretense for a war already decided upon, as were the negotiations with Serbia under Clinton and the demands of Iraq before the US invasion under Bush? Or, more troubling, are there rogue elements in the US seeking to undermine a sincerely expressed Obama administration desire to reach some sort of diplomatic solution with Iran?
8:59 am on October 19, 2009
