UI – Part 600 – Iran – Obama – America’s Impotency – Trump (1 of 2)

First – Democrat Jimmy Carter

In light of recent drone attacks on oil fields in Saudi Arabia, the nature of Iran’s militancy towards most of the world comes to the fore.  During the Democrat President Jimmy Carter’s tenure Iran became a theocracy led by the Ayatollah, an Islamic religious zealot by any name, from Khomeini to Khamenei, and clerics.  The clerics, in fact the entire regime, was ill equipped to manage a country, let alone the most powerful military in the Middle East at the time.  They were given power, triggers, and along with their All-for-Allah zeal, their Shiite is better than Sunni attitude, an opportunity to enforce their definition of ‘true Islam” and eradicate Jews, Christians and infidels.  A modernizing nation under the Shah was rapidly inverted into a cage for ideologically bound Muslims.  

The Shah was not perfect, he was an autocrat, but he allowed for modern dress, secularism, education, women’s rights, and much freedom.  He sought to protect himself with his SAVAK and keep dissenters at bay, but he was not an Islamist zealot. After the mid-70’s oil crisis Carter’s personal agenda and problem with the Shah took hold of his thinking, thus the directive to permit the Ayatollah Khomeini to return from exile, while the Shah was extracted.  Carter made this terrorist enabling Iran today possible.  But then enters Obama. 

Iran – State Sponsor of Terror

Armed with weapons beyond any the clerics could imaging now at their disposal Iran has become the world’s leading proponent of terrorism.  They provided and provide a haven and safe passage for the likes of OBL, ISIS, and others.  They fund Hezbollah in Lebanon, support Assad in Syria, provide aide to Shiite leaders in Iraq, fund Hamas in Palestine and assist the Shiite Houthi’s in Yemen.  There two prongs include support for Sunni terrorists (Shiites), and death squads.   None of Iran’s aide comes with a plan for peace.  Most appears to arrive with a explosive igniter.  Iran’s autocracy is fueled by hatred, for Jews, Christians and Sunni’s, and a love for Allah.  Only dependents of Muhammad are spokespersons, their required makeup of the ulema and ummah of Shiite Islam.  They have circled both Israel (Jews), and Saudi Arabia (Sunni), while continuing to spit phrases of enmity toward the ‘Great Satan’ America.  They have been focused, in a dedicated fashion, on having nuclear weapons. They lie (takayya), as is the practice of Islamists, permitted by their Scripture, when it advances the cause of the ‘true Islam’ they define.

Iran Drone

 

Jim Mattis, his book, Call Sign CHAOS, describes Iran’s theocracy, “Iran…the principle state sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East…” (pg. 229), as “a malign force that exported mayhem and took advantage of any turmoil” (pg. 229). Also “the most destabilizing country in the region” (pg. 228),  Since 1979 Iran, for over 40 years, has done nothing for its people, does not give peace a chance, and has continued to stir the pot of potential for war by aggressive acts, to include recent attacks on ships in the Persian gulf and the oil fields in Saudi Arabia.  “The Iranian regime has been America’s implacable enemy” (pg. 228). 

Iran, its seems, wants war.  Since the Revolution (January 1979) it has poked and poked at those considered enemies. During the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) Iran actually (1983) declared war on America. It led attacks in Beirut, Lebanon on marine establishments killing hundreds (241). In 1979 American hostages were taken at the Embassy in Tehran (held 444 days). Carter froze Iranian assets (est. $6 billion). Reagan declared Iran a sponsor of terrorism in 1984.  We supported Iraq during the war but supplied arms to Iran, secretly, in an arms-for-hostages negotiation. Iran kept taking hostages (in Lebanon).  America traded frozen assets to get the hostages back, although denied as ransom. Clinton embargoed Iranian oil (1996). In 2002 Bush referred to Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an “axis of evil.” [Note: in 2003 US sent aide to Iran after an earthquake killing over 25,000 people, in Bam.]  In 2005 Iran and Syria agreed to work together against the common threat of Israel and America. In 2007 Iran pledged to protect its nuclear interests against any nation that tried to stop them (Ayatollah Khamenei). In 2007 the UN intercepted a large shipment of arms to the Taliban from Iran. Qods force, an elite arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, were leading Iran’s foreign operations (terrorist). 

Obama Years

Prior to Obama policy decisions of Presidents and their Administrations from the time of Iran’s Revolution collectively have not been helpful to a stable Middle East.  For Iraq and Afghanistan, especially, as they were theaters of operation of US troops.  The tragedy of 9/11/2001 necessitated Bush 41 to go after OBL, whose command perpetrated the death of over 3000 persons on American soil.  Our actions in both counties, however, failed to take advantage of opportunities in Tora Bora and in Fallujah to curb developing hives of jihadists. Our Administration, for political reasons, did not complete the mission, or failed to properly defend our mission in each Country.  Thus terrorists were able to regroup and those needing our support were left without proper back-up.   Obama had promised to remove troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.  He had a habit of announcing in advance when America would leave areas, theaters of war, whether or not our efforts militarily were successful.  

Obama was elected for a term that began in 2008. Obama was warned of the vacuum that would be created by removing troops from Iraq. It would enable Shiite, anti-Sunni terrorists, and Iran to exert greater influence. Consider the situation, to the West Asaad/Syria were recruiting AQ and anti-Sunni terrorists, and to the East and southeast, Iran, was equipping and funding, encouraging, shiite militants and death squads. Giving no ear to our military or concern for maintaining gains made over seven years of war, Obama reduced our military presence from over 18,000 to less than 4000. The number actually ended up being zero as Shiite Malaki would not agree to egregious demands put forth by Obama to even maintain a minimal US presence. By the end of 2010 all American troops were gone.  What was lost also was an ability to gather intelligence, from personnel on the ground, essential to having any window into the political thinking in Iraq. 

Obama proclaimed America was leaving behind, “A sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq.” Those words were never used or discussed with anyone, or any department, before BHO spoke. It was pure political rhetoric and not true. The door for ISIS was opened. Noted by General James Mattis, his book (page 210), Call Sign CHAOS, “In the summer of 2014, the medieval scourge called ISIS rose like a phoenix and swept across Western Iraq and eastern Syria, routing the Iraqi Army and establishing its murderous caliphate….all of this was predicted — and preventable.” Over 100,000 casualties and misery for millions was the result.

 ”Withdrawing US troops were catastrophic decisions”(pg  210). Beware of campaign promises kept for political reasons covered in lies and not the right decision for our troops or our nation. Obama is not the Almighty and clearly did not have a crystal ball.

Obama also limited our military by imposing dangerous’ rules of engagement.’ He put lives at risk. Mattis noted (pg. 213), “my thought was that’ exiting’ a war was a bi-product move of winning that war.” To lose, just go ahead and tell the enemy your plans, to include when you’re leaving regardless of conditions at the time.

Iran, due to Obama, views America as weak, impotent. This is a result of Obama’s warning to Asaad that any use of chemical weapons ”… is the red line for us.” Well, Asaad used chemical weapons (2012) and Obama did nothing. You can imagine Russia, and China, seeing us the same way. Nations that relied on US as a “security partner” questioned our commitment, thinking, ‘Obama is not serious.’

to be continued …. in two days.  More on how Obama policies and lack of leadership has led to a view of America as weak.  Is Trump changing that?

Grace and Peace

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