Category: Iran

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Iran, Israel and the USA: The Outrageous Actions of a President in Waning ‘Power’

The US American flag with rockets instead of stars three of which seem to fall or drop down similar to blood drops.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

He seems not to know even himself what he is aiming at. Only yesterday in front of the world’s cameras he said it in so many words. Yet, it is abundantly clear that all of this is just another desperate attempt to divert attention from his problems in regard to internal affairs and his criminal record.

A person like the Secretary of Defense of the USA, Hegseth, even has the unspeakable impertinence to state: ~’no politically correct war; no UNO mission, no plans for the time after. Just plain war.’
A ripe pair.
Two of a kind.

The conflicts between Israel and Palestine and the additional forces stationed in the north and the south, the Guerilla troops of Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as the ‘support’ by the USA:
They are decades old!

Anyone with an atom of reason and smartness would have shied away from such a stupid and cruel step.

But someone like the present president in the US lacks that. What he is interested in is his own position, his power and – the future power in the US.

His affinity for Putin and his love of a dictatorship that allows him unbridled  power and say-so without any limitations are legendary.

The New York Times as well as the Washington Post* (when it still was independent) reported on both these facts:

    • NYT: Trump’s ideas in regard to Putin here.
    • The Pulitzer Prize committee’s information on awarding the prize to both newspapers regarding the connection and election influence in 2016 here.
    • Trump initiated the storming of the Capitol in January 2021.
    • He was ruled guilty in front of a US court on 34 counts of bribery, corruption and molestation.
    • The current Israel president Netanyahu has suffered from lack of support of his ‘subjects’ and the parliament as such for his cruel politics towards Palestinian territories, the Gaza strip and West Bank, going on for almost a decade now.
      • At this point his actions that started this escalation are another desperate attempt to keep his position as long as possible.
      • In this respect it is no surprise too, that the talks to Trump were not public and also not disclosed in any way.
    • The weapons’ industry in the US is the largest and most powerful. Previous presidents were pressurized and even murdered because they tried to limit their profits. (J.F. Kennedy being the most prominent.)

This war is outrageous, it is exactly the same type of action that Putin reverted to when attacking Ukraine, according to international law.

These attacks have to stop!
It will just lay the whole region to waste and land it in a war for years to come.

When we take all these facts together, and use that age-old principle of ‘cui bono?‘, ‘who benefits?‘, some things become abundantly clear.

Shame on such a government as the present US presidential administration.

* The Washington Post since not only was acquired by Jeff Bezos, amazon founder and Trump follower, it also recently suffered a big reduction of staff.

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The Trump Legacy ‘Navigated’… Near East Flare-up – Two Years Only to ‘go’?

Map of the near east under a magnifying glass, with a dove of peace flying across
Images licensed via Adobe CC, my graphics

For decades people were careful about and on the Near East struggle for peace and some sort of peaceful coexistence. And here comes a president raised in a military academy, West Point, and imagines that you just ‘hit them hard’ and as a surprise in order to succeed fast.

Yet again the 2nd World War comes to mind; Napoleon even. All of these “would-be kings without kingdom” who strike out for the sole reason of satisfying a (too small…?) ego and causing endless years of pain, death and  more struggle.

You learn from history and try to do better! Not the other way around.

Half the Near East is going up in flames at the moment – and no wonder, too: Palestinians’ and Israelis’ issues, made even worse by someone like Netanyahu, of course are directly involved in this: The south as well as the northern borders of Israel historically have been ‘bridge heads’ also for decades of soldiers and Guerilla warriors supporting Palestinians.

Israel on the other hand is under strong protection from the USA, also for historical reasons.
If you come to think of it, though constantly fighting, some sort of ‘justice’ seems included… every party in this dreadful, ongoing conflict represented.

But these also are age-old historical truths:

    • Cruelty, force, will propagate itself: Make war and you will get more war.
    • A leader of state, be that a king or a dictator or a president, will try to divert attention from internal issues; making a war is a very old and well-loved method for that.
    • Additionally, a ‘legacy’ of a reign, a presidency, also can be something to aim at: To be remembered for something; preferably something worth mentioning at least for some years.

All of the above are bitter truths in this case: A president called Trump, with a criminal record and sad past of corruption, bribery and fraud trying to ‘cover up’.

I am glad that I live in a democracy where I can say and write what I think. I am grateful too.

The only thing I wish more for the people in Iran than that kind of freedom and human rights is peace in that region. Peaceful coexistence finally.
Because instead of killing more people into the bargain, some leaders start finally ‘doing their homework’.

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The Desperate Outrage called ‘President Trump’: Iran, Oil, Money and War – Power Games

A large chess board and two chess pieces, the black and the whit king, facing each other, in ront of a cloudy sky.
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

It is clear to anyone who follows politics closely: Mr Trump, President of the USA, is desperate. Nothing else explains the behaviour towards Iran: The USA are even historically famous for their need of oil. Of fossil fuels.

The economy in the USA is failing and has been for years just as it has everywhere else. The pandemic has taken its toll.

The weapons’ industry in the USA is the most powerful of all. When you don’t make war, you don’t need to produce weapons.

That’s why wars are so ‘profitable’: The president profits from the ‘noise’ and news around apparent enemies that have to be fought. No one will look at his criminal record anymore. (Link to New York Times article.)

The industry producing weapons also profits: The storage spaces will be lightened of their ‘burden’ and new weapons have to be bought.

With the tax payers’ money, to boot. And the soldiers that might die?

Let them not fool us: Iran’s internal politics are cruel and brutal towards their population, against human rights and especially those of women.

But this is not about Iran’s population: This is about its oil and the power and the money. It’s between Iran and the USA.

Later, March 1st 2026: What will happen, if a new government actually would be instated in Iran that of course would be cheek by jowl with the US? For decades the Palestinians had to try and hold their ground. Ground that was originally theirs to keep as per agreements after the founding of Israel.

What will happen to Iran itself? A copy of Western civilisations, with the values and particular ways gone…?

What will happen to its oil and the USA’s needs…?

Hopefully enough people will start thinking about this early. The factions inside and outside of Iran are even now distinctly discernible.

Let’s hope that a fate like that of Iraq will be spared them. Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein had been supported for decades by the USA as well. They even helped him getting ‘up’. When he started to become too independent, his fate was sealed.

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Trump’s Desperation: Oil, Power Games, and War – or: Against a Strong International Community

Four pictures, showing the US-flag on a background of dried, cracking earth, a picture of oil rigs, dollar bills in front, and a picture of a Greenland and Iran map, respectively.
Images licensed via Adobe CC, my arrangement

It’s obvious: Greenland didn’t ‘work’… now it’s back to Iran, again? How in the world do you sleep at night and look into the mirror in the morning, Mr Trump?

Again the scare tactics to get people to succumb to your type of deal conditions? ‘What the he…l?’ This is not your earth, not your and your followers’ planet.

Simply and truly. It’s obvious too that in view of the internal affairs you deign to handle in your usual cruel manner; Minnesota comes to mind; promises you probably have made to the large industries in the US, especially those producing weapons. You need any distraction from those affairs, come hell or high water.

In German for people like you there is a fine term: This urge is called “Großmannssucht”: The dire need to feel tall and important. “Craving for status”. It would be ridiculous if it wasn’t so shameful.

For years you have tortured half the world (at least) with your threats, bullying and tantrums. We all know that you literally stop at nothing.

A criminal ruled guilty on 34 counts.

Once more Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” comes to mind:  a young and sweet-faced man who starts a promising career and then just commits about every crime in the book, because he believes that such a life could make him happy. Which it doesn’t.

After a sort of magical transformation, so for many years his appearance does not change from that young, innocent face, the story ends with him one day looking into that special mirror once more; after many years he sees his face in the actual state nature intended for such people:
The horror strikes him so suddenly that he dies on the spot.

The staff and neighbours running in to help are horror stricken too and do not recognize him for quite some time.

Mr Trump, be aware the international community is strong and they are more. Get your act together and stop these charades.

Author’s Note: Politics around oil for over two centuries now are at the top of all policies that countries and their leaders observe since the need for fuels made from fossils arose ever more strongly.
One prominent centre of attention since that time was – and still is – Iran: The world’s largest industry for mining and marketing oil, it’s been part of the US’s foreign strategic policies for more than a century as well.
The last shah of Iran was put there by their support. He was made to leave when he became unable to control the starving people.
The government after that, cruel and dreadful as far as internal affairs go, has been able so far to resist the attempts at bullying them into subservience.
Iran has a culture that reaches thousands of years into the past, far beyond any more recent religious ideas.
That culture and its strongholds deserve saving. And the people of Iran to be in their own right and possession of the natural resources. Instead of under the order of a government headed by someone like the current US-president.

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Thinking it Through from the End – Or: Where Do You Want to Go? – Or: Nothing in This Life Worth Having Comes Easy…

Collage of four images that show a person traveling, a finish and a start line and a pin pricked into a map someplace
Images licensed via Adobe CC

The principle is as old as mankind itself: When you want to get somewhere, you need to know two things, basically: Your finish line – and your starting point.

PEACE is some goal…

When it is a problem to be solved it is important to not just get a hazy idea of some problem or issue… a clear idea of the true problem is vital. Since, trying to find a solution without the clearly identified problem is pointless and a waste of time.

In other words: To get a clear picture of reasons for people doing something – or a system failing, you would look into history: Because it can help to find similar situations you can learn from.

And: Nothing in this life worth having comes easy…but that’s no reason to despair, but: “Keep at it – and remember about the breaks.”

We have come quite some way, in general!

In the past, people for centuries actually found it a great pastime to visit public torture and public hangings!
That has stopped.
In most countries around the world the death penalty has been abolished!

The most simple principle in that respect I have mentioned too, already:
Whatever you colour, creed, or conviction, you are not supposed to either kill, torture or bother other people. Period.

So, again, our goal as societies that have learned a thing or two about communities and responsibility – most, if not all of us yearn for peace: For peaceful coexistence. For more mutual understanding.

People in power these days once more seem, at the moment at least, have begun to realize that they are not just powerful for their own fun – or into the bargain; but that they carry the responsibility for exactly that kind of thing with them, each and every day:

    • Keep the goal, the ultimate finish line, in focus.
    • Start thinking it through from the end.
    • Get proper counselling.

Remember that you are not alone on this planet and that your ‘powerful’ existence as such would be pretty pointless without all the others around….

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Pressure, Pride, Dignity, IAEA, USA and Iran: Diplomacy and Negotiations follow Rules – ‘Learn How to Ask for It…’

Image of a peacock proudly presenting his tail feathers
Image by Julia Grabowska from Pixabay

Since the dawn of time, one might say, diplomacy and negotiations follow rules. Iran and its people have every reason to be proud of a culture that is thousands of years old. Painting, drawing, poetry, music, hand-knotted carpets renowned throughout the world, cuisine…you name it: Wherever you look, it is refined and unique.

In addition the culture and tradition also make for certain rules of behaviour in terms of dignity and pride to be observed when negotiating. At least the more experienced generations of diplomats in the West might still know about them. Many were well-known for centuries over here too.

Recent foreign politics initiated by a person called Trump who is president of the USA again, introduced his favourite way of ‘making deals’: Put the pressure on, bully, scare, and get what you want in the end.

Mr Trump never was one for subtleties, not really well-known for tact or refinement – so far.

I actually wrote to the office of the president a while ago. Perhaps they will care to talk to proper counsellers yet.

One thing is for sure: Iran is well aware of the achievements of its culture and history. They have self-confidence enough to value their dignity. They will not stoop to pressure or scare tactics.

“Weapons of mass destruction” – that was the phrase and apparent reason former president Bush used at the time to attack Iraq; where oil also exists in abundance…oil, yes. That kind of weapons, so it turned out: no.

The contracts with Iran had been there! Uranium enrichment control had been negotiated among others with the former president Barrack Obama, over a decade, actually. Trump cancelled them. Do we call that a ‘smart move’…?

If all of the people and organizations concerned are really interested in getting anywhere with this, start treating Iran as a country and equal opponent. Stop treating them like a wayward child.

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‘Power-games’ – The Camera Front and Background Deals – Pressure Attempts and Diplomatic Dignity

Image of an empty room with cameras in front pointing towards it
Image by Andy Leung from Pixabay

There are enough people who know that Trump is not to be trusted. Neither is the statement about ‘just’ wanting to destroy the Uranium enrichment facilities in Iran. Nor the ideas in relation to tariff raises for all and any countries outside the US. That’s blackmail, pure and simple.

To start a war on a country to pressure it into deals is extortion.

Even inside the USA people protest against his politics.

As far as Iran is concerned, I wonder how it is possible that almost any diplomatic respect and rules for negotiation have apparently let go?

Since when would you try and pressurize or scare a whole country into a certain position, when before you yourself made negotiations impossible?

Trump cancelled those contracts that had been agreed upon between the US, EU and the IAEA after 10 years of negotiation!

Is it really feasible that any country – how about the US? – would take it like a scared animal, run, hide and then concede anything?

If you do not know yourself and human beings you cannot possibly understand others. Understanding the other, your opposite at the table, is crucial in order to negotiate.

Again I want to remind us all of the 30-Years’-War in Europe during the 17th century: It was not only a long war, with a number indicating that – it took actually 30 years and it left Europe devastated and devoid of more than 50% of its population; whole regions were left waste and destroyed.

The common history and latent memory of humans make it one of the dreadful periods of time. It took years to end that war!
Negotiations were conducted again and again.

Finally, they were successful.

The same way the first agreements about Uranium enrichment control between Iran and the parties concerned took 10 years!
It was the height of irresponsibility to cancel those contracts!

Years later, a country under threats from all sides is moved into a position that leaves almost no way out…

People, start thinking: This is no way to handle that country and its situation!

Iran, for all its internal politics of cruelty and suppression, with reason is proud of a rich and thousands of years old culture and tradition, much older than the Islamic religion.
Additionally, they are used to natural disasters and foreign potentates from all sides attacking that country just for its rich soils, and huge amounts of oil and gas. They had to learn resilience and it has developed into a fine art, basically.

Starting a war can only end in dreadful consequences and more lives lost, yet.

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When Corruption Meets Power: Trump, Netanyahu and the Past — Future?

Image of fictitious skyline with soldiers as figures carrying the US flag charging and a huge dollar symbol in front
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Trump acts true to form: Viewed in retrospect it looks like so much window dressing on the one hand and — more or less  — cunning plans on the other:

    • Cancel the contracts with Iran on Uranium enrichment control a few years ago. Which had been reached after 10 years of negotiation.
    • Let Netanyahu in Israel escalate the situation in Gaza to breaking point to prick the Hamas and other Islamic groups — to breaking point.
    • Coldly let them do their work of killing and hostage taking as a sort of revenge.
    • Pressure the EU into contracts/agreements by threatening them with high tariffs for months.
    • Bully and push everyone to any odd lengths.
    • ‘Give’ Ukraine to Putin to make him stay put — and quiet.
    • Where’s China…? Another blackmailed nation…?
    • Let Netanyahu of Israel start a war on Iran to make matters even worse.
    • Call Iran a dangerous regime — when the USA are the only ones ever to have used nuclear bombs?
    • “Weapons of mass destruction”? It’s so obvious it would be ridiculous in any other circumstance:
      • The last Shah left Iran almost 40 years ago.
      • He had been supported as a follower of the USA, and in return sold them oil and gas at lowest possible prices.
      • The present regime does not.
      • Saddam Hussein of Iraq similarly had been instated and supported by the USA.
      • Then he started to cut loose…
      • As preparation for the 3rd Gulf war George Bush jr. declared and had everyone else believe it — that there were huge amounts of poison gas weapons there;
        • images from bombings later seemed to show precise and exact hits of ‘military installations’ and weapon factories, only. Well? Rather not…
      • In view of the fact that the USA are (in)famously in dire need of cheap petrol — and have been so at least for decades — it’s not surprising, all of this.
      • Control of all the oil wells of the Near East…?
      • ‘Defending their interests…’? ‘I beg your pardon’? Bullying, blackmail, extortion.
      • “…true to form…”

I am indeed grateful that there are some people and leaders of state left who remember what being human means…

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The First Thing to Die in a War is the Truth – Or: Propaganda or Facts

Image of a mother holding her dead son
Image free license courtesy pixabay.com

Looking at news in regard to wars – any war – it’s like normal life: People will tell you what they think makes them right. The idea they had in the first place why they were right to start it. The war. The heated argument and possible fist fight.

Yet, too often it is overlooked in wars we deal with long-term interests, such as money – or business. In a general sense: “Where does the money come from – and go?” is an old journalistic principle.

Even older is the Latin phrase that makes it clear as daylight: “Cui bono?” – “Who benefits?”

This conflict between Israel and Iran is not new.  And when we listen to the news or read about them, in most cases it becomes clear that in the West people have a lop-sided view: They will report about the bad Iran regime and the good Israel government.

That is a view on matters without any consideration for facts. Often enough in everyday life too the whole truth, the bigger picture, becomes warped with ideas and perspectives; with defense arguments why person A was right and person B was not.

The truth is not always simple: Not in war, not in normal life.

Look closely, at the history and also the main actors of this drama: They have hidden agendas usually to do with money and power.

So dreadfully cruel internally the present Iranian government rules the country – so true is the fact that Iran as a whole has every reason to protect itself from greedy potentates.

Its history is full, I mentioned that more than once, of all those ‘super-powers’ meddling with its politics just because Iran has huge natural resources of gas and oil as well as rich soils beckoning to anyone just interested to make even more money.

Or as is the case with the US, be in dire need of cheap petrol. They have been for decades, if not centuries.

This war was not started for honourable reasons – it is not conducted for honourable reasons – and there is no honourable justification for it.

Practically any war you may take care to review in history, had long periods of time before actual military actions – to develop from conflicts that were not properly negotiated.

Iran had already agreed to contracts to control Uranium enrichment there. Contracts signed on all sides after almost a decade of negotiations. Trump was the one to cancel them during his first stay in office. No one in their right minds can actually want war!

It destroys, kills and leaves people in desperate situations. But then, are people who already have been corrupted by their own power really in ‘their right mind’? Corruption being too deeply set in, would be my guess. To say the least.

The only people who benefit from wars are those companies supplying goods to armies… Is that what we want?

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“Weapons of Mass Destruction” – The Trump-Bush Similarity – Then Iraq and Now Iran: There’s Oil There…

Image of the three flags of the US, Israel and Iran
Image licensed via Adobe CC

When you look at some of the news in relation to the recent strikes from Israel into Iran, at recent Trump ‘messages’ – you cannot help but wonder…

Who is using whom here?

When in the early 1990s the 2nd Gulf war started – and when finally in 2003 more strikes against Iraq led to Saddam Hussein’s capture and death, it was clear already that contrary to US-interests Hussein after decades of support from the US and oil prices to their advantage started to cut loose.

So, to the world the US announced that there were “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq to be taken care of. And thus they went in. The results can be seen to this day: Iraq after more than 20 years is still struggling to get to its feet.

For Hussein in Iraq it was his ‘Swan song’: Iraq has too much oil for the US to ‘let him go’.

The same holds true for Iran.

The whole of these operations and war have been at least partly prepared for during the first stay in office of that sorry excuse for a man called Trump.

He cancelled the contracts with Iran that had been reached after 10 years of negotiation to control Uranium enrichment.

Netanyahu is proven to have needed support to stay in office in Israel. He has for many years driven the situation in Gaza to breaking point  – the age-old method of kings as well as dictators and other leaders of state to cover up internal problems with a war in foreign countries; in order to try and ‘unite’ people behind them again.

Not only does the Israeli people not want all of it!
All the cruelty and killing could have been prevented. Long ago!
And still, my greetings also to all the good people in the US, because there are more against Trump’s politics every day! And they protest, loudly and consistently.

But, here comes the ‘scoop’:

Should this war lead to the downfall of the present regime in Iran, the ‘olden times’ of suppression of Iran by the US will return:
Because, just as during the regime of the last Shah in Iran, the US received the lowest possible prices for oil and gas in return for their support.

Blackmail. Extortion. That’s what this is. Shame on Trump, Netanyahu and also Putin, should he support them.

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