A region on the brink. (Reuters/Danish Ismail)
Saeed Khan, Quartz: Iran is dangerous—but Saudi Arabia is even worse
Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr was designed to provoke Iran into an expansion of military engagement. That’s an unsettling strategy–but true nonetheless.
The initial reaction to the kingdom’s decision was relatively minor—a few Molotov cocktails were lobbed at its embassy in Tehran. But a chain reaction of diplomatic fallout has unfolded over the past few days. Saudi Arabia severed all diplomatic relations with Iran; oil allies Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti quickly followed suit. Perhaps more surprisingly, other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) allies like Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates opted for the less drastic measure of recalling their ambassadors.
Update: Iran and Saudi Arabia: Posturing and Reality (George Friedman, Geopolitical Futures)
WNU Editor: In the past I always labelled Iran as the more dangerous of the two. Today .... I can see the day when both countries are equally dangerous to us .... and to themselves.
21 comments:
How many Iranians vs Saudis were on the planes that crashed into the towers?
Excellent point. Every time i think of Saudi Arabia i think 15 of the 19 hijackers.b
What makes Iran so dangerous, nothing really except that the US can't get a foot in the door, probably never will and an enemy is needed to keep the people of America on edge. That they call Iran, a country that has never so much as thrown a stone at America notwithstanding the history the US imposed on the people of that country, an enemy is beyond rational explanation.
Mexico did not share a border when Venezuela nationalized one of its cement companies.
They had no amphibious or airlift capability.
Mexico strongly protested.
In 2016 when we get a quorum for Congress after states post their tallies, we should ignore the congressional races West of the Mississippi and start passing laws.
15 Hijackers is not okay, but bombing civilians in Argentina is?
Have you lived in America do Sul? If you did, you would know about the triangle.
Just because it has not reached your awareness does not mean they haven;t don;e jack or are not planning jack in South America and elsewhere.
for don and bob and their usual comments:
"why is iran dangerous?"
"..Iran, a country that has never so much as thrown a stone at America"
heres some facts supporting what iran really stands for:
- a country that has, on every friday for the last 37 years, chanted "death to america"
- a country that has encouraged the large scale involvement of child soldiers in warfare (iran/iraq war)
- a country that financially & materially backs terror attacks worldwide including those on 9-11
- a country that facilitated shiite militias responsible for the murder of american soldiers during the iraq war
- a country that provided material assistance in the form of armour piercing rounds to the taliban in its fight against american soldiers in afghanistan
- a country that openly vows to annihilate israel (americas only democratic partner in the mideast)
- a country responsible for continuous terror wars waged via its proxies: hezbollah and hamas
- not too mention its state mandated persecution of homosexuals, women, and christians.
of course, this list could go on and on...
but in terms of reality (the way things actually are), iran should be dealt with as an enemy to the free democratic world let alone just an enemy to the united states.
You are correct Aizino ,Argentina cut bilateral relations with Iran in 1994 and formally accused the Iranians for the bombing of the Israeli mutual in Buenos Aires.
The fact you guys ignore is the Iran's regime is dangerous but Iran's people. The young generations hate regime and as well Islam. How many Iranians you have seen in USA wear Hejab or practice Islam? For me never seen any Iranian students or people sympathetic to religion. The Iran's regime soon or later will change and as nation with huge historical heritage and culture, they will be a part scholar world. But Saudi is different story, all student I have in my classes from Arab's countries are religious and hate US and west. Just look at ratio of terrorist in ISIS, almost all are all Arabs or Sunni or from Pakistan and none from Iran. Yeah there is an old Iran & Israel issue but it is going to go away when Iran's Regime fade away. But Arabs and their radical Islam stays for very long time. Arabs contrary to Iranians don not have anything rather than Islam to stick to it. We have to help Iranian people to change the regime, that is all. Remember Shah's time Iran was the stability point of of ME and put Arabs in their place. Iran was historical allies with Israel. But Iraq/Iran war and our help made them radicalized and gave total control to Mollas to rule the country.
Now again Iranians are pushing Mollas to behave and go away. That is a big chance that Obama taking and hopeful works. Iran's leader is that last of crazy Molas who is dying and with his death Iran change will accelerates.
I am telling you ! Arabs are real big challenge and dangerous in next coming decays.
hurhur
An amazing and well composed list of garbage, but nicely done garbage. Here are a couple of comments but there could be a lot more.
"- a country that has, on every friday for the last 37 years, chanted "death to america""
They have chanted death to America publicly for 37 years but privately for the 27 years before that revolution because the America overthrew their elected government and imposed the Shaw of Iran as dictator. I guess that was the part of "history imposed by the US" you didn't understand. So yes the America deserves the chant. Will they ever fulfill that wish? Not likely but try to imagine how many countries in the world are chanting that, including some Americans.
"- a country that has encouraged the large scale involvement of child soldiers in warfare (iran/iraq war)"
Yes a deplorable action required in the defense of their country against an enemy Iraq, encouraged and supported by America with among other items, weapons of mass destruction as the kind used in "chemical warfare". Another part of the imposed history part.
"- a country that openly vows to annihilate israel (americas only democratic partner in the mideast)"
In case you weren't aware Iran was a democratic partner in the Mid East until America destroyed their democracy. They lost that partnership when the Iranians took back their country. As a matter of interest, when will the American people take back their country from the corrupt government that has caused so much death and misery in the world?
Keep in mind that Iran was a very peaceful country until the US got involved with it and started breaking up the area. Iran's leaders are merely responding, verbally to that little adventure that spawned 911 and had no help from Iran. Keep in mind that the terrorist who flew those jets were trained in America.
anon - i feel your pain, the people who want freedom and democracy in iran should be supported and those people are worth fighting for. unfortunately for the ppl they have little say, descenters are shot in the streets and the regime continues.
bobski - shifting the blame on america and simply labeling facts as 'garbage' only furthers your own overwhelmingly bias views and exposes nothing more than perhaps your hatred for america instead of facing reality, facing the facts.
keep in mind: a militant nation that does not fear its own destruction is a sure threat to its enemies. and, in a world loaded with far superior firepower, a threat to itself and its people, that apparently think nothing like the regime.
as ayotollah khomeini (1980) famously proclaimed,
"we do not worship iran, we worship allah, i say let this land burn. let this land go up in smoke provided islam remains triumphant in the rest of the world!"
keep in mind: the world appeases iran's desire for nuclear icbm capability. starting a nuclear arms race in the region thereby bringing the worlds worst players within arms reach of nuclear capability.
keep in mind: iran has been committing actual acts of war against 'the great satan' for 3 decades.
1979 irans seizure of the us embassy in tehran
1983 irans bombing of usmc barracks in beirut killing 241 american servicemen
1996 irans bombing of the khobar towers in saudi arabia that killed another 19 americans
....refer to previous mention of irans involvement in both the iraq and afghanistan wars
and so it is not rhetoric, emotional appeal, or even name calling that exposes iran's dangerous existence to peace and stability but rather, cold hard facts and basic logic.
hurhur
Another fine post of garbage.
You ignore history at your peril as do many Americans.
1952 ????????????????????
1979 irans seizure of the us embassy in tehran
1983 irans bombing of usmc barracks in beirut killing 241 american servicemen
1996 irans bombing of the khobar towers in saudi arabia that killed another 19 americans
....refer to previous mention of irans involvement in both the iraq and afghanistan wars
Try thinking about cause and effect.
boob
another flurry to distract from reality again.
the aforementioned(denotes something previously mentioned) iranian actions expose it as a dangerous nation and still stand as solid basis for a clear argument.
it must be increasingly difficult to continually contort reality to fit your beliefs.
Since 1980, Iranian sponsored terrorists and militant proxies, have killed 1758 Americans.
Getting a late start but more than making up for it with their enthusiasm, since 1990, Saudi Arabia and the GCC sponsored terrorists and militant proxies have killed 12, 032 Americans.
hurhur
"it must be increasingly difficult to continually contort reality to fit your beliefs"
When it comes to distorting reality I bow to your greater ability.
I don't know.... I remember the Iron Sheik of the WWF.
He was pretty scary.
Maybe the U.S. should send Sargeant Slaughter over there. Yeah. I mean, he's no Cookie Monster, but I'm sure he'd sort this whole Iran business right out.
"We" just gotta stop fighting with one hand tied behind our backs while standing idly by losing the war at home againt rogue nation evil worse than Hitler but not as bad as StalinMao killing their own people.
So little girls can go to school.
Or something like that.
Anyway, the Saudis pay "us" good money not to be a threat. It's just doesn't make good business sense to talk about them in the same sentence as those nasty "hock tooeey" Iranians. It's plain old rude in fact. Sheesh, am I the only one around here who knows how to treat "our" friends???
lol you guys, thats just too cute.
the truth hurts, and in this case when faced with basic factual evidence supporting the argument: iran is dangerous to itself and to the world, iranian apologists show their true colors by shifting the blame and most recently crying about it (RRH).
heres a simple yes/no question that should clear it up:
does a nuclear armed iran make the world a safer place?
Assuming that the US having a nuclear weapon makes the world safer the answer is yes.
It makes Iran a safer place.
He's some "factual evidence". No one with a nuke gets invaded, no-fly zoned or proxy-"liberated".
So, ya, Jay is right. Iran is safer with a nuke. Who needs to apologize?
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