Russia and Iran Forge New Political Agreement

The Russians don't directly state it, but hint at much bigger relations with Iran in the future.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - George Bush, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama, have taken time to cast insults and deliver threats toward Iran. Is Iran our enemy? It takes no brain surgeon to answer that; "of course not" is the answer.

As American forces are sent for their third, fourth and fifth yearlong deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, we have a president intent on waging a war on countries that did nothing directly to us. We are not the same people we used to be, and the belief that Bush wants to bloody American troops in Iran is growing quickly among our citizens.

Into the fold steps The Russian Federation, and they are being far more open minded about Iran than the U.S. is, to say the very least.

The Itar-Tass news agency in Russia announced over the weekend that a memorandum on mutual understanding between Russia and Iran was signed after talks in Moscow between the culture ministers of the two countries, Alexander Sokolov and Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Haradi.

The agreement envisions the development of diversified cooperation, a boost in exchanges between delegations of cultural activists and regular art exhibitions on the territory of both countries.

Itar-Tass reports, "The document consists of 12 articles and also envisages a boost in bilateral cooperation in the sphere of music, cinematography and theatre. Ahead of a trip to Russia, the Iranian minister of culture expressed hope that the sides will sign a new memorandum on cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the cultural sphere."

Cultures Come Together In the Spotlight

The agreement also expresses hope that "the current cultural cooperation between Iran and the Russian Federation is only a part of bilateral potential."

Visiting Russian dignitaries at the Cultural Festival. Courtesy: Islamic Republic News Agency

"He believes the bulk of the potential is still to be realized," the agency reported.

This is only one development in recent relations between Russia and Iran, both Caspian Sea countries. There had been a long period of cold diplomacy dating from WWII, but that bridge was rebuilt under Russia's current Presidency.

This certainly could prove to be an obstacle for George W. Bush, who remains intent along with countless others it seems, to plunge weary U.S. military forces into another several year long military conflict. It seems that may be the case, we'll have to wait and see.

The Iranian culture minister has been in Moscow since April 20th and he will be part of the unveiling in the display detailing the history of the two countries during the week of Iranian culture in Russia.

The festival of Islamic culture, which runs till April 27th, features performances by artists, films and art exhibitions in Moscow, Vladimir and Kazan.

Iran's Saffar-Harandi says it is important to emphasize the significance of the festival, noting that "such events give Russian citizens an opportunity to know more about the real image of the Islamic Republic of Iran without distortions created by unfriendly mediators – some western media outlets".

FOX News and other American news agencies have specifically and intentionally mis-translated the remarks of the Iranian President on multiple occasions, turning somewhat digestible comments into horrible threats against Israel. They changed his statements that many civilians died during WWII and Jews were not the only ones, into something about the Holocaust not being true, which was not the man's point.

Before Rock Throwing Became a Lifestyle

If anyone reading this does not know already, all of the Islamic countries have a problem with Israel since it took land forcibly away from Palestinians in the late 1940's after the liberation of the Nazi death camps in Europe. The Jewish people consider the "Holy Land", as it is known by faiths around the world, to be their Biblical homeland and took the area from very poor people whose families had lived there for generations.

Palestinian rock throwers. Courtesy: rjgeib.com

Tragic is the story of the Jewish people during the Holocaust, brought about through the mad and sick mind of Adolf Hitler. Above all other groups of people, the Jews were singled out for death and their peaceful lives were robbed and stolen in ways that were torturous and unforgivable in death camps and in ghettos where they were forced to live and die under deplorable, unimaginable conditions.

But the way they claimed what is now Israel; supplied largely with U.S. and western military aircraft and hardware, has left a burning resentment and led to constant upheaval over land disputes. The young Israeli's are all drafted into military service, and they ultimately square off with Palestinian kids who are only armed with rocks. It is constantly heated and dangerous for both sides and many people in Israel do not support what is largely viewed as ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people living within Israel.

After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and the accompanying Palestinian exodus, known to Palestinians as Al Nakba (the "catastrophe"), the period known as the "lost years" (1948 - 1967) began with people of the area largely divided into neighboring countries like Syria and Lebanon.

In 1967 Israel attacked Egypt in what is remembered as the "Six Day War" and they annexed significantly more land. The people of these neighboring countries have, for the most part, never forgiven how this all happened. The saddest part may be that the people in control today did not make the decision to go about it the way the early Israeli's did, but they are saddled with the bitter memories of it and everyone there today on both sides pay the price.

The United States has supported Israel with very, very few exceptions since it's inception. That support has undoubtedly angered neighboring countries in the mid-east, who hold the U.S. partially, or solely responsible for the continual bloodshed.

So if some people in Iran are selling or supplying arms to Al Qaeda, it is the result of a domino effect for all that has come before. It is clearly negative, but it is not an indication that Iran's role in this ongoing war launched by the United States and its so-called "Coalition of the Willing" is integral, or even measurable on a government level. Just remember the accuracy of our assessment of WMD's in Iraq.

Unidentified Flying Bullets

Interestingly, last week there was a reported "incident" that closely resembled a similar event years ago, one that many people believe was a direct lie by President Lyndon Johnson. It was called the "Gulf of Tonkin" incident, and it was the American excuse to begin a military action against North Vietnam officially in November, 1964.

The alleged incident involved an Iranian Coast Guard vessel being fired at by a U.S. vessel, and that does not sound like very much of a threat. Yet, the U.S. and Israeli media coverage of what probably amounts to nothing more than propaganda, had an effect on oil prices that we will likely feel at the pump.

For some reason the captain of the American flagged vessel could not describe what type of boats the Iranians were operating. It sounds kind of funny, as most sea captains would have at least some idea of what vessel had "approached" them, especially when creating an international incident.

It was The Jerusalem Post/AP that reported the news about the "incident" and a message Friday from Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Pentagon Joint Chiefs of Staff, "coupled with a warning the U. S. still retains the capability to strike Tehran if necessary."

Even the Wall Street Journal confirms that the Navy, "has had a mixed record recently in assessing seaborne threats to its ships in the Middle East. President Bush had to apologize to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak late last month after security personnel on another ship under contract to the Navy fired on a small boat in the Suez Canal, killing one crew member."

The Wall Street Journal reported another incident during which Iranian patrol boats allegedly threatened over the radio to "explode" a target that was not identified. However, they report that "The Pentagon later acknowledged it was impossible to determine whether the threat had come from the boats in question."

But it sure stirred people up at the time, along with all of the other made-up news that Americans keep having hurled at them.

CIA and Operation "Ajax" in 1953

Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh was named Prime Minister of Iran following the nationalization of Iran's oil industry in 1951.

For those who have a thought on the years of peaceful diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran under the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, it is important to understand that the United States CIA helped overthrow the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 in order to install a puppet government that sold the U.S. cheap oil. It was called operation "Ajax."

By the late 1940's the Iranian government was becoming frustrated with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) refusal to allow Iran to review the payment records to ensure the country was receiving their correct allotment.

This raised political tension, and created what was known as the Nationalist Movement, which embodied their citizen's desire to be compensated for their own oil.

The Shah of Iran was consulted by the U.S. in hopes of negotiating a workable relationship with Great Britain. The Shah, at the time, would not say anything against Nationalism, and protection of his country's assets.

This did not sit well with the western "powers that be".

Before we overthrew their government in a coup d'état, we led then Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh to believe we were on his side, then went on to defeat the Nationalism Movement, reestablishing British control of Iranian oil. Mossadegh was later tried in what was considered a "show trial" and ultimately served a 3 year prison sentence and a lifetime of house arrest.

After the coup, the Shah went to Italy in exile, and was brought back to Iran by the CIA once the new government had been established.

Creating Enemies

Glaspie and Hussein

Do you remember the Iraq Ambassador April Glaspie?

April Glaspie is the U.S. ambassador to Iraq who informed Saddam Hussein that the U.S. would have no opinion on Iraq's occupation of its "nineteenth province," - Kuwait, then the U.S. seized the opportunity to justify its war Desert Storm by dubbing Saddam the "new Hitler."

The 1953 overthrow of the elected Iranian Prime Minister was not a decision of the Iranian people; they are keenly aware of the events surrounding that change of power, and resentment over the CIA's covert interference was partially responsible for the decision to kidnap a large number of U.S. hostages in 1979. They were held 444 days.

With the world's fragile peace, we as a nation have pressed our tired forces too far already. We should be reasonable and end the paranoia and eliminate the basis of the fear; FOX News should be sued for what they have done to this nation. Where is their responsibility "factor"?

Will Russia's move to increase relations with Iran steer the impact the American war machine that seems so hellbent on attacking Iran? I have a feeling the tough talk from the warmongers in Washington will die down as always happens when we mess with the wrong countries. On April 5th 2008, The AP reported that "Russian President Vladimir Putin challenged U.S. policy toward Iran Friday and said the Islamic republic should be helped to emerge from isolation, instead of being threatened."

Putin reportedly said, "No one can seriously think that Iran would dare attack the U.S." An inside source said he also told NATO leaders Moscow is ready to return to a key Cold War-era arms treaty if Western powers compromise.

Some believe we lost the Vietnam War really over a fear of China, and the Soviet Union, and that is a sad point for over 58,000 Americans who died fighting there to stave off Communism, which they completely failed to do in the end for that country. In case you aren't aware, the Russians still have an extremely formidable military, and so does China.

This article is a reminder that the United States should live up to the expectations it has of other nations, and when it was American and British greed, pure and simple, that caused all of the first problems in Iran, people should realize it. The British ripped off the Iranians instead of just paying them. Both the U.S. and the U.K. are actually guilty of overthrowing the first democratically elected government that country ever had, while ruining the life of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. He and Iran were punished greatly because the corporate world then, like today, only cares about the American dollar.

This story's intention is not to overlook Iran's mistakes of which there are many, undeniably; it is an effort to bring a better understanding to why things are the way they are.

I used to think much worse things about Iran over the Hostage Crisis in 1979, and now I at least comprehend why they harbored so much anger toward us then. The intent of this article is to call the bluff of conservative America and liberal America over this military posturing toward Iran. It is about keeping our beleaguered combat forces from having to fight on yet another front in another combat theater on the other side of the world. I spent two months in Afghanistan with soldiers who had already been on three and four combat tours, and more than a year has passed since then. They are tired, they deserve to be able to come home and raise families.