The Iranian president’s call to the United States to ‘stop interfering in other people’s affairs’ is indeed a legitimate demand. US has manipulated the rise and fall of governments across the globe, created Frankensteins like Al Qaeda for one, played and plays yoyo with oil producing Middle East countries, has supported dictatorship against democratic countries, has aggressively bulldozed their way into every region that threatened its economic interests and made ‘making the world safe for democracy’ a pretext for all these activities. This, by now, is declassified information. Yes. The US has interfered/interferes in ‘other people’s affairs’. No doubt about it.
But isn’t the Iranian President making such an allegation akin to the pot calling the kettle black?
When Palestine and Israel fight, and Iran throws its weight behind Palestine with the threat to push the Zionists into the sea, doesn’t that amount to interfering in other people’s business?
When Salman Rushdie, a British novelist, writes a book and Iran issues a fatwa for his head, isn’t that interference in other people’s business? When Rafiq Tağı writes an article in the Azeri newspaper and Iran issues another fatwa for his head despite the legal action taken against him by the Azeri government, isn’t that interference in other people’s affairs?
When Iran instigates and supports Shia rebellion against Iraq and the other governments of the countries of which they are citizens, isn’t that interference in other people’s affairs?
A question to the president of Iran.What is the criterion for ‘other people’s affairs’?
But isn’t the Iranian President making such an allegation akin to the pot calling the kettle black?
When Palestine and Israel fight, and Iran throws its weight behind Palestine with the threat to push the Zionists into the sea, doesn’t that amount to interfering in other people’s business?
When Salman Rushdie, a British novelist, writes a book and Iran issues a fatwa for his head, isn’t that interference in other people’s business? When Rafiq Tağı writes an article in the Azeri newspaper and Iran issues another fatwa for his head despite the legal action taken against him by the Azeri government, isn’t that interference in other people’s affairs?
When Iran instigates and supports Shia rebellion against Iraq and the other governments of the countries of which they are citizens, isn’t that interference in other people’s affairs?
A question to the president of Iran.What is the criterion for ‘other people’s affairs’?
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Absolutely the Pot calling the Kettle black.
ReplyDeleteSuddenly it seems we are surrounded by hypocrisy.
Agreed that Iranian Govt have interfered in other countries affairs unnecessarily. But let us not forget the history.
ReplyDeleteThe Islamic revolution in Iran was the direct consequence of the autocratic rule of American stooge the Shah of Iran. Shah deposed the first elected Prime Minister of Iran Mossadegh in a military coup in 1953 with the help of CIA because he nationalized the Oil fields. Shah systematically exterminated the democratic opposition in Iran with all the help of USA, [almost similar to that happened in Zia ul Haq's Pakistan]. Absence of democratic opposition helped the religious fundamentalists who opposed the Shah's dictatorship to become popular culminating in the revolution in 1979.
Except Iran and Syria most Arab Governments are hated monarchies allied to USA.USA do not want democracy in Arab world because their companies will loose all the Gulf Oil fields.
Iran's support to Palestine is natural as it is the only Arab country which can support fellow Arab people without fear of USA. Iran's role became more powerful because of the US/Israeli tactics to isolate and weaken non-islamist Arafat by systematically undermining all treaties signed by PLO.This resulted in pro-Iranian Islamist Hamas gaining popularity [again similar to what happened in Iran].
USA has done this all over the world and is continuing to do it in Pakistan where the carpet-bombing of border areas is weakening the Zardari Government and strengthening the Islamists.
In terms of your analogy the Pot it seems is only grey while the Kettle [USA] is jet black.
I will put it like this. A slightly grey Pot calling the Kettle black. Compared to US interference all over the World, what Iran is doing is minimal and many times justifiable. It is also worth remembering that it was the CIA inspired military coup of Iran's first democratically elected Government led by Mossadegh in 1953[because he had guts to attempt nationalization of oil wells] which resulted in the much hated dictatorship of Shah and as a reaction to it the Islamic revolution.
ReplyDelete@charakan
ReplyDeleteguess gray & black is more correct - - if we may take liberties with idioms;-)
US has meddled around callously and ruthlessly with the Middle east. to think that a couuntry which claoms to be the champions of democracy supported the notorious, brutal secret service of shah of iran - and all the while screaming itself hoarse about the russian KGB. there is no denying the blackness of the US.
But, if iran remains gray, it is only because of its inferior military power.
a islamic fundamentalist state with a military might like the US has - i shudder to think of the consequeance!
KPJ,
ReplyDeleteWhy the US is meddling all over the World? To ensure the American Companies can continue to exploit the natural resources of all Countries of the World and also to ensure market for American Goods.
Iran do not have such economic empire to defend.So even if it had a huge military strength it will remain grey and benign compared to USA.
@ chakaran
ReplyDeleteagree with u one one count-yes with US it is IMperialism - neo colonialism.
with iran it'd be proseletory. religious funndamentalism with military power is deadly.remeber our own tippu in our own kerala. and taliban. just imagine what it's be like if taliban had america's military might. iran would be no different.
the difference is, with the US there is atleast a pretence of faith in human rights. in a fundamentalist state, human rights have a different defintion. the difference between the two is dangerously vast.
As far as I know Iran's Shia fundamentalists do not have a world vision of dominance.The most they will do is to help other Shia Muslims in distress.Iran's Islamic regime was always pro India.It was India under US pressure reduced our economic engagment with Iran.On the other hand
ReplyDeleteTaliban and al Queda are Wahabi Sunnis along with Saudi Arabia.They have an Islamist ideology wanting to dominate the world.
US is targetting Iran[as it did for Iraq] because of economic[oil] reasons,not due to fundamentalism or any security threat.