There is a long running history in the United States of deciding to go to war, to invade a land, provoking the people of that land and then waiting for "just" cause to finally start the previously planned war. This can be seen as early as the first white European settlers in America.
These immigrants landed in an inhabited land, filled with life and the society of who we now call the "Indians." When these settlers realized they would need more land than the Indians were willing to freely offer them, they decided to take the land by force. They moved into the land, and provoked the natives through threats and scare tactics. Then they waited. Eventually a hot-headed native would grow tired of the harassment and act out against who he saw to be the aggressors in the situation. This provided the leadership reason to declare a "righteous" and "just" war against violent aggressors... to take their land.
These tactics can be seen all the way through the Indian wars, the Spanish American War and on in to recent times.
Today President Bush sent out a "strong" warning to Iran on some supposed recent aggression on their part. Let me go ahead and quote an article from Yahoo News:
President Bush warned Iran of "serious consequences" if it meddles again with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf...
Already a troubling issue for Bush, Iran jumped back into the spotlight Sunday when Iranian boats harassed and provoked three American Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials said Iran threatened to explode the vessels, but the incident ended peacefully.
Bush said "all options are on the table" to protect U.S. ships. He said the Iranian boats "were very provocative and it was a dangerous gesture on their part. ... And they know our position, and that is: There will be serious consequences if they attack our ships, pure and simple. And my advice to them is don't do it."
Let us examine a few of the facts of this incident.
The Strait of Hormuz As you can see from the map below, this strait is a narrowing of the water channel that leads into the Persian Gulf, which is an important location for the placement of U.S. military ships because it provides a convenient launching point for the possible attack of pretty much any Middle Eastern country. Also, it is part of the very important shipping lanes for exporting oil from the Middle East.
Why does the United States want to be in this area? Let me take a moment and answer the usual counter-point to the accusation that "America invaded Iraq for oil." Opponents to this view usually offer up the fact that the United States does not even use this oil, so why would we invade a country for oil and then not even use it? The answer to this question is really very simple. The United States is not currently short on oil, that has nothing to do with Middle East oil. The United States, however, sees every advantage in controlling that oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, 40% of all oil traded around the world is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Also, Iran, the only country in the region really capable of it, has threatened to cut off traffic through the strait because of economic and violent threats made by the United States about Irans nuclear energy program. Those who control the fuel of the world can control the world. Since the United States is only in this region to control oil, what is controlling oil if you do not control its shipping channels (the control of oil shipping lanes being, in fact, one of the main stated objectives of U.S. Military's Central Command in the Middle East)? The United States must now find a way to keep control of that oil from every angle. If Iran is going to threaten that objective because they are pissed off that the United States will not let them develop nuclear energy, then war with Iran it may very well mean. Now the United States government must fabricate some "just" cause for war.
Let us, for a moment, look at things from the other side -- Iran's perspective. The largest country in the world has its military, the largest and most dangerous military in the world, at your doorstep. This country has threatened you for six years, that if you do not cease research into refining fissile materials for use in nuclear power plants, that this country will take violent action against you. This country threatens you, also, with every military development you make (though nobody threatens them when they develop new means by which to destroy others). If you were Iran, would you not be preparing to defend yourself against an invasion, also?
According to many reports that have looked into the matter -- including a new one released recently, a little egg on Bush's face (though, not to worry, Americans beleive what they are told, and the media can keep this hush-hush!) -- Iran stopped this research over four years ago. Yet the United States continues to make threats to this country. Violent threats made by one country in order to force its will on another country -- would we not define this as terrorism if anybody else was doing it? Is there law out there that some are subject to while others are not?
Even with report after report claiming that Iran long ago halted all research into the refining of fissle materials, the United States is still speaking the language of war with this country. "We'll continue to keep the pressure on the Iranians. And I believe we can solve this problem diplomatically," says George Bush. But what problem is he going to solve diplomatically, if Iran is not committing the crime Washington is accusing it of? Now, President Bush has no straight forward reason to invade Iran. He must now look for others reasons.
Now, let us take a look at these boats that "threatened" three American Naval cruisers. I had an impossible time finding any pictures of the incident from American media (though the Pentagon released footage of the incident), so I have pulled this picture from Al Jazeera.
Frightening, yes? It would seem that several small motor boats sped around threatening the United States Navy. I mean, sure, there are suicide bombers and any little boat could do some damage, but come on! Really? This is the big stink that President George Bush is making about the threat to the security of the United States of America?
I am not going to get too much in to it, because I would like to see further proof and how this develops, but Iran claims that the Pentagon fabricated the video using old stock footage. I guess we will see.
The United States is speaking the language of war against a country it has no just reason to invade. If you follow trends through the history of our great country, it is pretty easy to see that the President is most likely preparing the American people to go to war with Iran. To fight on enemy, our government must first make an enemy of their target. Without this, the people have no reason to get up in arms. Why else would fighting a war interest those with nothing to gain from it? This is why stories of weapons of mass destruction were fabricated before the Iraq war. This is why President Bush has repeatedly referred to Iran as the biggest opposition to the security of the United States. Iran, a country that has, it would seem, done everything possible to stay on the peaceful side of the United States -- including sacrificing a nuclear power system for the country, a system that the United States itself employs.
What gives the United States the right to pursue, with whatever means necessary, control over the oil supplies of the world? Some will have you believe that it is just part of our responsibilities as the superpower of the world to remain the superpower of the world. In fact, however, it is most likely the interests of the rich elite to keep their stonghold on the world that drives these actions. But this is not what the United States of America was meant to be, and we should not let our government be a tool again in this grab for further control! If you do not want to see the United States unjustly invade another country, the time to start speaking up is now.
The most important thing an American can do when faced with these kinds of facts from a government that is possibly trying to convince its people to go to war, is to look at the facts with an open mind. Look at things from both sides. Iran is developing some new advanced missle? Are they doing this because they are evil? Or are they doing this because the United States has consistantly threatened to invade them for the last six years, has invaded their neighboring country, and they feel the need to protect themselves? Facing facts with an open mind can reveal perspectives that those in power do not want you to see, because they very well might have some special intrests of their own.
You can watch the full video of the incident released by the Pentagon here.
