Madness in the Middle East: A Vicious Affair Ignoring Human Life and Diplomatic Norms

Strategic Insights -

The tensions between Iran, Israel, and the US are escalating rapidly, with no regard for the value of human life or basic geopolitical responsibility. Benjamin Netanyahu has been a key figure in provoking these tensions, and his actions have been met with little opposition from US President Donald Trump. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Obama deal, lifted sanctions on Iran and allowed it to access the global financial system in exchange for continuous monitoring of its nuclear sites. Netanyahu's claims that the deal would "all but guarantee that Iran will get those nuclear weapons" were completely debunked, as Iranian nuclear development activity stopped, except for civilian use.

Key Takeaways:

  • Netanyahu has been agitating against Iran for decades, with a career-long goal of humiliating US presidents and directing US foreign policy.
  • The Obama deal lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for continuous monitoring of its nuclear sites, which was a complete vindication of the Obama approach.
  • Trump's decision to abandon the deal and reinstate sanctions on Iran in 2018 led to a significant rise in Iran's nuclear activity, with a stockpile of enriched uranium many times over the prescribed limit as of November 2021.
  • Detailed reports in The New York Times reveal that Trump was informed that Israel was likely to attack Iran, with or without US support, and that he was barely consulted on the issue.
  • Trump's actions have been described as one of the starkest humiliations of a sitting US president, with countries now acting without regard for US approval.
  • The potential consequences of an American attack on Iran could be catastrophic, with unforeseeable long-term effects in a highly volatile region.

Statistics:

  • Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium were many times over the prescribed limit as of November 2021.
  • The period following Trump's decision to kill the JCPOA saw a sudden rise in the installation of advanced centrifuges and uranium enrichment.
  • The Obama deal allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to access any site, anywhere in Iran, at any time.

Sources:

  • My View by Ian Dunt, The i (no date)
  • The New York Times (no date)
  • Institute for Science and International Security (no date)
  • AFP (no date)