Unbelievable provocation – Iran’s President Ahmadinejad
Photo: AP
Time to boycott Iran
Tougher U.S. approach needed to curb Mideast radicalism
An unbelievable provocation. That's the reasonable meaning of the anti-Semitic outburst emanating in recent days from Tehran - the world has not heard such statements from so senior a leader since World War II – as well as the provocation coming from Damascus.
Iran and Syria carry on like this because they know they will suffer no consequences from the United States or the world. If two years ago these regimes were scared of U.S. military prowess, today their self-confidence allows them to spread radicalism around the entire Middle East, and their proxy groups – Hizbullah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad – are flourishing.
The Syrians were undeterred by the U.N. Security Council meeting this week in New York, and assassinated anti-Syrian writer Gibran Tueni - the 15th victim in a string of political assassinations this year in Beirut.
Latest Outburst
News agencies
President Ahmadinejad suggests new relocation options, including Canada, U.S.
Policy zigzag
Washington has only itself to blame: Its policy zigzags have brought it to this regional crisis. During President Bush's first term, Washington worked on the theory of an "axis of evil," according to which tyrannical regimes in Iran, Syria, Libya and North Korea were considered illegitimate.
This policy caused panic and weakness in these regimes, so much so that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi announced his intention to give up its nuclear program, Syria lowered its profile, as did Iran and Hizbullah.
But during the second term, Condoleezza Rice has proffered a new approach, complex and European, to dealing with Arab dictatorships. This approach advocates gentle encouragement: Treat these regimes with respect and ask them politely if perhaps they would be willing to halt their nuclear programs.
Unfortunately, however, in a violent region such as the Middle East, such an approach is interpreted as weakness.
Action needed
The time has come for Washington to understand that the renewed outbreak of radicalism in the Middle East is an American problem, and it would be wise to return to a policy of deterrence accompanied by aggressive diplomatic activity.
Condemnations of Syrian assassinations and Iranian comments are not enough. Real actions are required, including economic and diplomatic sanctions, the type of which were leveled at Libya, until that country bowed to international demands.
This also means that a boycott should be placed on senior officials of the regimes in Tehran and Damascus, a ban on flights to those countries. There is no way a blunt Holocaust denier should be welcome to visit Europe or the United States.
No 'point of no return'
This should also cause us to reconsider our approach to the concept of "point of no return." The Libyan example proves that even at advanced stages of development -perhaps even including the stage of active weaponry –there is still room to press a country to abandon its nuclear project.
If these steps are not taken immediately, there is a high probability that the old Middle East will return, and with it terrorism, despair, and a lack of hope – and above all, we will all rest underneath an Iranian nuclear umbrella.
And it should be clear to the entire world what a nuclear sword hanging over the world's oil reservoir in the Persian Gulf will mean.
