Iran and the bomb

Obama, like his Democrat predecessor, Bill Clinton, is reluctant to commit American troops to a confrontation with Iran, and for this he is to be applauded. Last time American troops got involved in a Middle Eastern conflicts not only were a large number of young, mostly poor and black, Americans killed, but their involvement had unexpected and tragic consequences. Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan had disintegrated as functioning states. America's allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia don't like the framework of agreement with Iran cobbled together by the US and the European powers, including Russia, but an agreement is better than war. True, there may be a likelihood that ultimately, despite oversights, Iran might develop a nuclear weapon and add to the countries in the region who already have nuclear weapons, but over the years the threat of a nuclear war has greatly diminished. Despite the enormous advances in technology, the greatest present day threat is a young woman with an explosive belt blowing herself up in a busy market place. If you have to have nuclear weapons it is better if they are under the control of stable states, not rogue states that are just a combination of disaffected tribesmen. Like the Mullahs and their government in Iran or not, Iran is at least a stable, and democratic state in a region of unstable and ungovernable states. And through the amazing convolutions of history, Iran and America, sworn enemies, are at least in the same side in their conflict with ISIS. Iranian troops and their proxies are fighting the war that the Americans are reluctant to engage in. The striking ingredient in the conflict that is absent is the conflict between communists and Westerners. For generations Americans were focused on keeping communism at bay. The CIA overthrew regimes that were perceived as leaning towards the communist camp, murdered Mohammad Mossadegh, the democratically elected leader of Iran, Patrice Lumumba, the democratically elected leader of the Republic of Congo, Salvador Allende of Chile, among others, all with disastrous consequences. There are still those who believe that it is appropriate for Western colonial powers to interfere and force regime changes on governments they disapprove of, but old Cold War rivalries no longer enter into consideration. George Orwell could foresee this.