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Iran-Iraq: Lessons From Past Guide Present

By S..Azad

The tensions created by the spread of worldwide terrorism, Iran's ever growing ambition to establish an Islamic empire, and Hezbollah's proxy war, have brought about caustic speculation on how the world is dealing with the Iranian problem.

Caricature by Tofigh

The emerging conflict between the west and Iran's ambitions for a nuclear super power, leading to proxy propaganda wars of a fading tyranny such as Iran, to keep its face red in the event of coming crisis, all could remind us of parallels of events which have already happened in history.

Incorrect conclusions from the past could lead to unforeseen consequences if seen out of context of its originality. On the other hand, historical parallels can be instructive if viewed with speculation, partiality and a sense of responsibility.

When looking back at World War II, Initially, few took Hitler seriously. Like Iran's growing fundamentalism today, this was and is a failure of perception.

As we watch the rising tide of Islamic-Fascism with Iran at its epicenter, there are those who argue that Iran's nuclear ambitions have to be thwarted or the world will pay a terrible price in the near future. They do not see themselves as the possible next victims. It is a situation akin to Stalin's signing of a pact with Hitler in August 1939 believing Hitler could be trusted. Two years later, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, and four years later, 30 million Soviets were dead.

Irans' proxy president, Mahmoud Ahmadinjeds' outcry to wipe Israel off the map, and to salvage the world of sin for piety, is reminiscent of Hitler's outcry to salvage the world from decadent races. Stock phrases are repeated over and over again, capitalizing on the same rage that made Hitler possible; they have located the thread that increasingly ties together the usually disparate ultra right left, which is usually warpped in "anti-imperialistic" rhetoric and promising salvation.

While the world is once again being beguiled by a regime whose trademark is demagogy and deception, the mullahs are busy building their nuclear bomb, and extending their tentacles to the rest of the region, through the only strategic state: IRAQ.
For years, the Iranian opposition has been repeating over and over that establishing an Islamic empire in the region is not only a footprint left by Ayatollah Khomeini, but a concrete and preplanned strategy, pursued with much precision by this regime, which could unbalance the whole region.

Only months ago, Ayatollah Mohammad A-Moussawi Al-Qasemi, who was one of Iraq's most prominent Shiite religious personalities and adamant opponents of the Iranian mullahs' interference in Iraq, was killed by the regime's agents. He was one of the Shiite leaders daring enough to criticize the Iranian mullahs' perception of dividing the Iraqis by introducing "vote for federalism", and igniting religious discord by organizing mass killings through its trained militia. In his opposition to the whole situation, he had condemned ethnic and religious fighting and pointed the finger towards the Iranian mullahs for creating an ethnic bloodbath.

The Iranian strategy to wipe out the Iraqi elite, and inflict a deep wound and vacuum in the Iraqi society, was only the beginning of a preplanned and organized invisible aggression into Iraq. The focal point of attack in this strategy has been, of course the democratic front opposing the presence of Iranian agents in Iraq which has so far had multiple loss of leaders in the latest terrorist attacks.

The best way to paralyze Iraq of self wisdom and self confidence is to get rid of the wisdom elite front line opposition to the Iranian presence in Iraq.

Having beheaded the Iraqi independence movement, the only task left would be to lure International attention onto the mayhem and chaos caused by - as Mr.Mottaki allude in the recent Sharmo Al Sheikh conference, "The US presence" in Iraq.

As the Iranians are trying to consolidated their highly pursued strategy to conquer Iraq as the springboard to other countries of the region, Mottaki so very frankly announces Tehran's intentions.

This only reminds us of one serious dilemma, "Lessons from the past guide the present"

Beware of what lies ahead, and act decisively before it's too late.