The New Cold War: VS vs. Iran

Filed under: General News — Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief on July 2, 2008 @ 11:00 pm CEST

Although the United States has launched quite an aggressive covert campaign against Iran I get the distinct impression that they’ve got no idea what they’re doing. As David Ignatius explains, the covert actions of the US inside Iran are not coordinated (with each other), and there does not seem to be a grand plan, a grand design. It’s like flies attacking an elephant sporadically.

”Tell us what’s your policy with Iran,” says one Arab official familiar with the covert program. “Are you going to talk to them, or go to war with them?” This official describes U.S. operations this way: “There are attempts to cause mischief inside Iran and go after the Quds Force. Some things are being done, but not with the seriousness that’s needed.”

Argues a former intelligence official, “It’s a PowerPoint covert-action program. It looks aggressive, but it’s not a tied-together, long-term strategy that would make Iran change its policy.”

This while these operations are Iran’s strength. If the West does not want to declare full war on Iran, it has to beat Iran at its own game. Covert operation, meddling with the domestic policies, supporting the opposition, etc.

The main reason for the somewhat strange nature of its covert operations is that there’s no internal agreement in the Bush administration about what approach should be taken towards Iran. Some, probably Rice, argue that the US should talk more and, logically, should quit its covert operations. Others, like Cheney, believe that the US should have a grand covert plan; they believe that the US should adopt a roll-back plan for Iran, similar to the one used by Reagan against the Soviet Union. Fight the Iranians everywhere, constantly. Bring the fight to them. Containment isn’t enough, you’ve got to push them back, these individuals argue.

As happens more often when it comes to foreign policy, I’m in agreement with those individuals. It’s too early to declare full war on Iran, but the West as a whole - not just the US; where’s Europe in this story? - has to adopt a strategy to push Iran back. It has to disrupt Iran internally, domestically. Members of the opposition have to be supported financially and militarily. Give them money and weapons. Coordinate strikes. Take out the Quds forces whenever you can. Bribe people in high places, and so on.

Either that, or stop fighting, start talking. This in-between approach is useless.

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1 Omid

July 3, 2008 @ 3:40 am CEST

"It has to disrupt Iran internally, domestically. Members of the opposition have to be supported financially and…Give them money and weapons. Coordinate strikes."
WOW!!! listen to the words of civilized and law abiding people? Its good to see some war monger people in US and and its followers including extreme right wings in EU discredit themselves more than before like this.By the way Iran has the full nuclear cycle and will keep it.that is something all iranian agree upon.

2 Cyrus

July 3, 2008 @ 10:24 am CEST

How history repeats itself when such ill-minded individuals such as Michael Van der Galien types are around to push their hateful messages to the unsuspecting readers.
Iran is a great country with thousands of years of history. Iran will not be subjugated to the tyranny of the west, and its proud & peace loving people will not be afraid of your covert or overt destructive actions. You are the same people who supported Saddam during his 8 year war with Iran by giving him poison gas to kill Iranians & the Kurds.
Iran’s only sin is that it is standing on its own feet, and wants to be an independent country free from the chains of the west.
Iran will not sit idly to see your dark schemes come true. Iranians are intelligent, and they will defend their country & honor with dignity & perseverance. You are sitting in Holland and are brown nosing the American policy towards Iran !!!! You better go and tend to your tulip gardens, and leave Iran & the US alone to handle their own quarrels. US & Iran are smart enough to know how far they can push each other, and for your information they also know how to keep the status quo for the benefit of both.

3 Will

July 8, 2008 @ 2:54 am CEST

Iranians will have their butts handed to them by the U.S. and Israel if they don’t get their idiot of a President under control. Of all the countries on Earth — why is that Iran is always the country you can count on for starting crap? For the love of God, enough already.

Someone needs to kick the crap out of that retarded President of theres that obviously suffers from "little man syndrome". He looks like a munchkin from the Wizard Of Oz. Either the people of Iran stand up against their wacko government or they are all gonna get bombed back into the stone age by all of the other countries on Earth that are TIRED of their decades and decades of nonsense.