Western hypocrisy towards Iran

Dear Editor,

Pressure exerted by the West on Iran concerning its nuclear research program represents a degree of hypocrisy that defies description in any language! Every country involved in this decision (including Israel), not only possess nuclear development programs themselves, but in the case of the U.S, is continuing to develop more lethal nuclear bombs than those which were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (let us also remember that the U.S remains the first only country in human history to drop nuclear bombs on another country)!

Let us also not forget that the West, more specifically U.S and Britain, have a sordid history of involvement in the region which includes the 1953 overthrow of Iran's government using the CIA, in order to install yet another Pro - Western puppet regime to promote its own interest in the region!

In addition, to exact revenge against Iran for throwing out a Western appointed dictator, the U.S and Britain provided Saddam Hussein with weapons and funding in the Iran - Iraq war where it is estimated that over one-million people died!

Iran's true source of empowerment would come from forming alliances with others who have no fear of Western governments, continuing to develop its nuclear research programs and calling the west out on the hypocrisy of its history in the region!

Timothy Stinson, Miami, Florida

Comments on the Article by Paul Sheldon Foote (On the Brink of a Neo-Conservative Nuclear War with Iran)

"Neoconservatives are betting, also, that the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran will blunder by pushing now for their inalienable rights to nuclear power at any cost. Iranian leaders are betting that Russia, China, and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries will defend them in the United Nations. This nuclear brinksmanship could result in hatred, political instability, and a world-wide economic depression."

I don't see defending one's rights as a blunder. Iran as far as I understand the situation is entitled to civilian nuclear power if it signs the NPT. Since Iran has signed the NPT and bides by the requirements of IAEA inspectors, there should be no problem. The US has for reasons best understood terms in the influence of the neocons has decided that Iran cannot be 'trusted' to have civilian nuclear power and cannot have any nuclear reactors what so ever.

Russia and China and much of the Third World will stand by Iran. My sense is that the US and its supporters are sadly mistaken that Iran will back down. With Russian and China backing them, why should they? The Israeli media has published reports that Iran is only six months away from a nuclear weapon. How Iran is supposed to achieve this is not clear, but it gives Bush and the neocons a deadline to work towards. We will probably see an attack on Iran within the next six months.

Now that the IAEA has voted to condemn Iran, the EU-3/US will take this issue to the UN Security Council. There Rice will put on a strenuous performance complete with power point slides. The US resolution to discipline Iran will be vetoed. And then as they did in Iraq, the US will denounce the weak-kneed patsies who refuse to recognize the dangers posed by Iran. They will launch an air attack to cowe the Iranians.

My sense is that China would like to take the measure of the US and a war that they can wage through a proxy, Iran, would suit their purposes. It maybe that even if Iran wavered and thought of giving in on the reactor issue, China won't let them. I expect that Russia and particularly China will give active support to Iran. Iran will not be fighting alone.

Peter Lewycky