Re-looking our Middle East Alliances
U.S. foreign policy is steeped in the elitism and continued missed opportunities. The U.S. President is hell bent to ignore facts on the ground and unilaterally disrupt international conventions. Recently, this is evident in U.S. Middle Eastern foreign policy. President Trump, in his trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reaffirmed an undying loyalty and alliance with the Saudi government while demonizing Iran.
Our continued unadulterated loyalty to Saudi Arabia is unnerving and naive. Abdulaziz al-Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, consolidated power on the peninsula backed by the Wahhabi Islamic movement, an ultra-conservative branch of Islam. Today, many national security experts point to Wahhabists as the ideological source of global terrorists (as a side note 15 of the 19 September 11th hijackers were from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Even with the well documented cases of terrorism perpetrated by Saudi nationals schooled in Wahhabism, our national security apparatus continues praise Saudi Arabia as a faithful ally and overlooks the al-Saud's reliance on Wahhabists to maintain control of the kingdom. And the Wahhabist ideology and adherents being exported to conduct terrorism against Western nations and Middle Eastern allies.
In contrast, Iran is in a no win situation. Even though Iran has complied with the provisions of the nuclear deal, President Trump, along with neocon allies, label Iran as non-compliant and to re-institute sanctions. The Iranian government, under President Hassan Rouhani, has allowed continued inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of the nuclear deal. Even Secretary of State Rex Tillerson agrees that Iran continues to comply with the provisions of the nuclear deal. Recent ballistic missile test of the Khorramshahr missile is a President Trump red herring. The nuclear deal has no provisions for the discontinuation of ballistic missile testing and in a failure by President Obama continued support of terrorist organizations.
Let me be clear, Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal does not mitigate it's troublesome actions in the region. Iran continues to foment dissension and instability in Lebanon through it's puppet, Hezbollah and Iran's Quds Force is a major interloper in propping up the Assad regime to the detriment of a peace agreement to end the Syrian civil war. But those actions are separate from the nuclear deal provisions and should not be used as a means to re-sanctions.
Even with the Iranian government's meddling to expand it's influence in the region, there have been positive developments which may provide opportunities for the U.S. and Iran to bridge the geopolitical divide. The re-election of the reformist Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani over the hardliner candidate, Ebrahim Raisi is more indicative of the sentiment of "average" Iranians - particularly the younger generation.
President Rouhani's victory, in my opinion, is a continuation of the Iranian Green Movement. There may not be mass protests, as in 2009, but there is a sense that the average Iranian want more freedom and economic opportunity. Elements of the theocracy are crumbling as evident with the growing online movement, My Stealthy Freedom, which documents woman making their own decision if and when they want to wear the hijab in public.
We can see the spark of freedom igniting an Iranian social revolution thrusting off the yoke of the theocracy. As a former ally, we need to confess our mistakes made in the past relationship with Iran, and encourage the Iranian people in their struggle against the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council.
So how do we encourage and assist the Iranian people in their struggle, especially since we have a U.S. President, and many others in his administration and across the conservative political spectrum, who advocate for re-applying sanctions and the continued demonization of Iran?
In the past I did advocate for U.S. partnership with Iran in conducting military operations against Daesh. As the Daesh threat subsides, the Syrian civil war continues. At this point, with the introduction of Russia into the equation, there is minimal opportunity to engage Iran to bring hostilities to an end. The objectives of the U.S. and Iran are at odds and, with Russian backing, Syrian President Assad has been able to regain the advantage.
But all is not lost. There are other areas in which U.S. and Iran can cooperate but unfortunately opportunities for official diplomatic rapprochement with Iran under President Trump is nil. Instead opportunities are growing in other multi-track diplomacy.
Non-governmental organizations, such as Search for Common Ground and the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, have been coordinating activities between unofficial contacts. This is where the momentum needs to be built and the mechanism to assist Iranians, as they see fit, become a democratic nation. We as Americans need to become more cognizant of other cultures instead of demanding to replicate America across the globe. We should engage Iranians and promote their literature, music, and art. Through cultural exchanges we can make inroads into building a true partnership.
My own interaction with Iranians expats in the U.S. is a sense of missed opportunity. Those expats truly believe in a more pluralistic society in their homeland and a strong partnership with America. It is government officials, on both sides of the equation, who continue to stand fast in an outdated mindset. It is the common people, both Iranians and Americans, who have the capacity and inclination to look past government inaction and to reach out and make amends.
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| CREDIT: SAUDI TV |
In contrast, Iran is in a no win situation. Even though Iran has complied with the provisions of the nuclear deal, President Trump, along with neocon allies, label Iran as non-compliant and to re-institute sanctions. The Iranian government, under President Hassan Rouhani, has allowed continued inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency to demonstrate compliance with the provisions of the nuclear deal. Even Secretary of State Rex Tillerson agrees that Iran continues to comply with the provisions of the nuclear deal. Recent ballistic missile test of the Khorramshahr missile is a President Trump red herring. The nuclear deal has no provisions for the discontinuation of ballistic missile testing and in a failure by President Obama continued support of terrorist organizations.
Let me be clear, Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal does not mitigate it's troublesome actions in the region. Iran continues to foment dissension and instability in Lebanon through it's puppet, Hezbollah and Iran's Quds Force is a major interloper in propping up the Assad regime to the detriment of a peace agreement to end the Syrian civil war. But those actions are separate from the nuclear deal provisions and should not be used as a means to re-sanctions.
Even with the Iranian government's meddling to expand it's influence in the region, there have been positive developments which may provide opportunities for the U.S. and Iran to bridge the geopolitical divide. The re-election of the reformist Presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani over the hardliner candidate, Ebrahim Raisi is more indicative of the sentiment of "average" Iranians - particularly the younger generation.
President Rouhani's victory, in my opinion, is a continuation of the Iranian Green Movement. There may not be mass protests, as in 2009, but there is a sense that the average Iranian want more freedom and economic opportunity. Elements of the theocracy are crumbling as evident with the growing online movement, My Stealthy Freedom, which documents woman making their own decision if and when they want to wear the hijab in public.
We can see the spark of freedom igniting an Iranian social revolution thrusting off the yoke of the theocracy. As a former ally, we need to confess our mistakes made in the past relationship with Iran, and encourage the Iranian people in their struggle against the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council.
So how do we encourage and assist the Iranian people in their struggle, especially since we have a U.S. President, and many others in his administration and across the conservative political spectrum, who advocate for re-applying sanctions and the continued demonization of Iran?
In the past I did advocate for U.S. partnership with Iran in conducting military operations against Daesh. As the Daesh threat subsides, the Syrian civil war continues. At this point, with the introduction of Russia into the equation, there is minimal opportunity to engage Iran to bring hostilities to an end. The objectives of the U.S. and Iran are at odds and, with Russian backing, Syrian President Assad has been able to regain the advantage.
But all is not lost. There are other areas in which U.S. and Iran can cooperate but unfortunately opportunities for official diplomatic rapprochement with Iran under President Trump is nil. Instead opportunities are growing in other multi-track diplomacy.
Non-governmental organizations, such as Search for Common Ground and the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, have been coordinating activities between unofficial contacts. This is where the momentum needs to be built and the mechanism to assist Iranians, as they see fit, become a democratic nation. We as Americans need to become more cognizant of other cultures instead of demanding to replicate America across the globe. We should engage Iranians and promote their literature, music, and art. Through cultural exchanges we can make inroads into building a true partnership.
My own interaction with Iranians expats in the U.S. is a sense of missed opportunity. Those expats truly believe in a more pluralistic society in their homeland and a strong partnership with America. It is government officials, on both sides of the equation, who continue to stand fast in an outdated mindset. It is the common people, both Iranians and Americans, who have the capacity and inclination to look past government inaction and to reach out and make amends.
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