Op-Ed Commentary

 

 

Scott Sullivan:
Bush joins Iran and Venezuela in new axis

Iran and Venezuela constitute what is called the "Brown Shirt" or SA
coalition in global politics today. These leaders of these two countriesare
called Brown Shirts because of their outsized territorial ambitions, their
readiness to overturn the regional status quo through terrorism, and the
open contempt with which they regard the US and western democracies in
general.

In a huge surprise, President Bush and the US are now joining the Brown
Shirt coalition. The US is doing so by aligning itself with Iran's policy
in the Middle East, especially Iraq, and with Venezuela's policy in Latin
America, especially Bolivia.

In the Middle East, President Bush is preparing for a comprehensive US-Iran
strategic partnership. Such a policy would begin with a joint US-Iran
occupation of Iraq. To this end, Iran and the US are now coordinating
policy on the Maliiki government, down to the specifics of allocating
cabinet seats within the Maliki government, according to today's story in
the BBC.

Along this US-Iran continuum of strategic partnership will emerge joint
US-Iranian peacekeeping in Iraq. Thus, the US and Iran will be involved in
Iraq's civil war on one side, helping one faction of the Shia (Hakim and
SCIRI) that is pro-Iran. On the other side of Iraq's civil war, and opposed
by Iran and the US, will be the anti-Iran faction of Iraq's Shia (Muqtada
al-Sadr), the Sunnis, and the Kurds. President Bush will have to explain
how he can be sure he ha picked the wining side in Iraq's civil war.

Just as the US is pro-Iran in the Middle East, the US is becoming pro-Chavez
in Latin America. For example, the US has yet to put down red lines against
Chavez's annexation of Bolivia. This week's press, for example, caries
stories of the arrival of Venezuelan troops in Bolivia, without a word of
protest from the US.

The arrival of Chavez's troops in Bolivia follows recent large
demonstrations for independence from La Paz in eastern Bolivia. Chavez
clearly intends to put down future demonstrations by force, and will have
the full support of the US in doing so. It seems the US military in Bolivia
is playing a crucial role in assisting the transition from an era of US
dominance of the military to Venezuelan and Cuban dominance of the military.

US Sate Department officials are delighted in US gains in strategic
partnership with Iran in Iraq, and with Hugo Chavez in Bolivia. However, US
policy now faces three insurmountable obstacles.

First, US partnership with Iran in Iraq is in reality a US partnership with
Hezbollah and Hamas. President Bush and other US officials would thus come
to be seen as terrorists, which eliminates the US moral edge in the war on
terrorism.

Second, a US partnership with Chavez in Bolivia is the same thing as a US
partnership with Lopez Obrador in Mexico, and with Ortega in Nicaragua. If
it is not the same thing, perhaps President Bush would like to explain the
differences.

A perception that the US is shifting in favor of Obrador could boost his
campaign to bring down Mexico's government. Would President Bush then call
Obrador's victory a US success? In this context, US voters, especially in
Texas, would be keenly interested in how US policy helped bring anarchy to
Mexico. Again, perhaps President Bush can explain.

Third, just because the US is surrendering to Iran in Iraq and Hugo Chavez
in Bolivia does not mean the fighting is over. Indeed, local, patriotic
resistance forces will hit back in Iraq and Bolivia. The resistance in Iraq
and Bolivia could prevail, despite US support for the government in both
instances, yet another setback for President Bush to explain.

In short, President Bush is climbing aboard the Brown Shirt/SA bandwagon by
joining Iran in Iraq and Hugo Chavez in Bolivia. As a result, Bush is now a
partner with Hezbollah, Evo Morales, and Fidel Castro. Again, can President
Bush please explain how this is supposed to work, and provide one good
reason to Republicans as to why he should be kept in office?

 

Scott Sullivan is a former Washington government employee. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.

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Petroleumworld News 01/08/07

Copyright© 2006 Scott Sullivan. All rights reserved.

 

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