[Marxism] Times editors staggered by scope of Iran victory over US war drive

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Buush's statement on this was truly idiotic, even given his exaggerated rep
for stupidity.  He said the Russian action was constructive because it would
keep Iran from "knowing how" to enrich uranium -- something Iran has been
doing for more than a year now. I suspect their technicians and scientists
now have the knack required.  I notice the Times also rallies in the sacred
cause of keeping "the secret" of nuclear weapons from the Iranians. Too
late.

In fact, that possibility faded decades ago when the popular revolution
pressured the new clerical-bourgeois and bourgeois-clerical ruling strata to
make mass education a priority, leading to the "over-educated" population
Times reporters used to complain about (before people noticed what that
meant about what they wanted for Iran).

Something to be noted here: although the battle for Iranian sovereignty and
freedom from massive US military attack included the issue of Iran's right
to nuclear power and weapons, Iran has not so far needed nuclear weapons in
order to emerge as a clear winner (along with the oppressed and exploited
everywhere) in that fight. And not just for a few weeks or months, but for a
period of time that extends up to and quite possibly beyond the election of
the next president.  Changing course in this overall relationship of forces
will not be a pushover.

And the overall result of Iran's
we're-eyeball-to-eyeball-and-the-other-fellow-just-blinked victory will be
positive for the oppressed of the world including in Iraq, in my opinion.
This is true though I assume the Iranian bourgeoisie, including the powerful
clerical bourgeoisie, pursues more aggressively its project -- now more
promising, though the obstacles, from the side of US insistence on
unconditional domination, are not at all small -- of a general agreement
with the United States. 
Fred Feldman

December 27, 2007
Fuel for Bushehr 
President Bush is not eager to pick another fight with the Russians. So he
did the diplomatic thing last week and said that it is good that Russia
finally delivered fuel for Iran's Russian-built nuclear power reactor at
Bushehr. Don't believe it. 

While the risk that Tehran might divert the low-enriched uranium for weapons
use is relatively small, the political significance of the shipment is not.
It is the latest reminder that the Bush administration's Iran policy is not
working and that Washington and the other major powers are going to have to
be a lot more creative and a lot more tough-minded if there is any hope of
restraining Iran's nuclear ambitions. 

Moscow - which would like to sell more nuclear reactors to Iran - clearly
decided that all the restraints are off now that the United States
intelligence community has reported that Tehran halted its secret nuclear
weapons program in 2003. This week, Tehran announced that Russia would also
sell it a powerful new air defense system.

There are several problems with Moscow's new anything goes attitude: Iran
hid its nuclear efforts for years, still isn't cooperating with
international inspectors and is defying a Security Council order to halt
making its own fuel - the hardest part of building a weapon. 

By delivering nuclear fuel to Bushehr, Russia has squandered important
leverage and sent a loud and clear message to Tehran that it can continue to
defy the Security Council and continue with its nuclear program. The United
States and its allies now need to redouble their efforts to persuade Russia
to withhold remaining fuel shipments as part of a new package of intensified
pressures. 

Russia isn't the only country interested in pursuing more - not less - trade
with Iran. And we fear it isn't the only one that will see the new
intelligence estimate as a green light to give in to that temptation. 

The Bush administration should remind everyone who will listen about the
dangers posed by an Iran that even knows how to build a nuclear weapon. But
it will have a lot more credibility if it backs that up with a serious offer
of comprehensive talks and real rewards if Iran is willing to give up its
fuel program and cooperate with international inspectors. That may not
change Iran's behavior. It may be the only way to stop the rest of the world
from following Russia's path to Tehran's door. 




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