U.S. Details "Lethal Force"The Quds Force Sanctions: They Could Prevent War With Iran

[photo:CNN]
by Mondoreb

News detailing Iranian transgressions, a day after sanctions were leveled against the Quds Force and other components of the Revolutionary Guards. This diplomatic move could just prevent a war with Iran. More on the offending behavior from CNN:

The Quds Force, the elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, provides "lethal support" to the Sunni-dominated Taliban for use against U.S. and NATO forces, according to information in the new U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran.

The Quds Force is the "Iranian regime's primary instrument for providing lethal support to the Taliban," and it "provides weapons and financial support to the Taliban to support anti-U.S. and anti-coalition activity in Afghanistan," the Treasury Department alleged Thursday in announcing economic sanctions against the Quds Force and other Iranian military and financial entities.

Iran is a predominantly Shiite nation and is known to support Shiite fighters in Iraq, where Shiite and Sunni Muslims have been at odds in recent years, and in Lebanon.

Specifics were also given as to the types of munitions and military gear shipped to forces battling U.S. and Coalition troops.

"Since at least 2006, Iran has arranged frequent shipments of small arms and associated ammunition, rocket propelled grenades, mortar rounds, 107 mm rockets, plastic explosives, and probably man-portable defense systems to the Taliban," the statement said.

Changing Iran's behavior without resorting to war is the goal of diplomacy. Sanctions were one such diplomatic option that was exercised yesterday. Voices will be raised about this "drumbeat of news leading to war with Iran".

But those with only a passing interest in the news of the day, as opposed to news junkies, might be surprised to learn that Iran has been arming forces that have been killing American troops. Upon learning this, they may wonder why steps aren't being taken to combat this.


Yesterday's sanctions, and the news informing of why the sanctions were taken, are the first such steps. Such diplomatic steps might prevent, rather than further, war with Iran.




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Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran's Plan:TIPTOE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE U.S.-IRANIAN MINE FIELD

[graphic by Iranian.com]by Mondoreb

Some on the Right suggest, "Bomb Iran!". Anti-war Leftists reply, "Give peace a chance, and anyway, America is evil!" Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran spoke of another solution to the nagging problem of a nuclear Islamic Republic.

Reza Bayegan, in IranPressNews:
Last week Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran who lives in exile from his homeland once again outlined his views on defusing the unprecedented danger threatening his country and world peace. He has expressed these views before but as the menace of confrontation with the Iranian regime looms increasingly heavier, the relevance and urgency of Reza Pahlavi's appeal is becoming more apparent.

The piece continues:

In an article published in Le Monde dated 21 September 2007 he points to a third way of encountering the regime in Tehran which is neither violent military attack nor appeasement.

According to Reza Pahlavi what can save Iran and the world from disaster is a synergy between the democratic struggle from inside the country on the one hand and the will of international community on the other. The regime needs to be crippled from within and isolated from without. Economic sanctions together with political pressure should be the focus of the international efforts and not preparation for a military attack.

The Iranian people's concerns, the Prince insists, are not building a nuclear capability, smuggling IEDs into Iraq or blowing up U.S. troops there. Their worries are more immediate.

The priority of Iranians who are submitted to relentless oppression and persecution of a brutal dictatorship is not how to respond to the nuclear challenge or to fight the adventurous foreign policy of the Islamic Republic. Issues of vital importance to Iranian people right now are daily violations of human rights, growing poverty and unemployment and the absence of liberty. He writes:

The prince, the IranPressNews states, is more popular back home than any opposition figure currently. Of course, popular opposition figures residing in Iran end up as dead opposition figures.

As news of Pahlavi's plan grows, it's likely to be attacked; perhaps by his father's old bane, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Unless the prince is prepared to condemn Israel or utter some kind words for Hamas. The closer Iran's mullahs come to acquiring a nuclear capability, the more U.S. and world opinion grows polarized.

It may be that a solution is found between the two extremes. But time grows short, as more people choose sides between the Bombers and the Peaceniks.
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Norman Podhoretz and Iran: A GOOD OPTION HARD TO FIND; BOMBING IRAN NOT A BAD ONE

[above: Iranian targets; from the World Jewish News Agency.]
by Mondoreb

If one spends much thought on the Iranian situation, not many options are appealing. Only a year ago, most on the right were ruling out military options. No more.

From Politico.com
President Bush and Karl Rove sat listening to Norman Podhoretz for roughly 45 minutes at the White House as the patriarch of neoconservatism argued that the United States should bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The meeting was not on the president’s public schedule.

The article continues.

Rove was silent throughout, though he took notes. The president listened diligently, Podhoretz said as he recounted the conversation months later, but he “didn’t tip his hand.”

“I did say to [the president], that people ask: Why are you spending all this time negotiating sanctions? Time is passing. I said, my friend [Robert] Kagan wrote a column which he said you were giving ‘futility its chance.’ And both he and Karl Rove burst out laughing.

“It struck me,” Podhoretz added, “that if they really believed that there was a chance for these negotiations and sanctions to work, they would not have laughed. They would have got their backs up and said, ‘No, no, it’s not futile, there’s a very good chance.’ ”

Norman Podhoretz is right here. The unspoken conclusion: negotiations are useless and stronger means will be needed to counter the Islamic Republic's threat.

The above story will, no doubt, strike fear into the Left. We will hear their usual cant: "War solves nothing" and "Using violence to stop violence is no solution". But military action is always on the table in any country intent on protecting its interests and citizens.

When the Roman Empire could no longer protect trade routes, it's citizens abroad and it interests, it faded into disrepair and, finally history. The Left thinks the United States is impervious to the twin dictates of human nature and history. It is not. One of the rules of history, repeatedly demonstrated century after century, still holds true.

Use it or lose it.

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