Iran and the World

The Fragile, Global Effort to Form a New Iran for the 21st Century

Today, the Prime Minister of Turkey announced that the nation is against further sanctions against Iran, a neighbor in good standing. Turkey is just the latest nation to voice opposition to the UN Security Council’s plan on Iran, evidence that the international response to Tehran’s nuclear programs are more nuanced and complex than many in the Obama administration would desire. China and Brazil have also been obstacles to new sanctions. Russia has shown some signs that it is open to new sanctions, as long as they would not create a “humanitarian crisis.” However, Russia has also vowed to stand against any action taken to deliberately change the regime in Iran. Clearly, the international puzzle is very complicated.

At the same time, the White House announced yesterday that they will be easing certain restrictions on trade with Iran, Cuba, and Sudan in an effort to increase the communication abilities of the people of those nations. This is the latest in a series of developments orgininating from Hillary Clinton’s State Department that signify the administration’s desire to use social networking to bring about democracy in dictatorships and repressive regimes.

The Obama administration has learned that if diplomacy with Iran fails, the best solution is internal, non-violent (using that term loosely) regime change in Iran.  Targeted sanctions, avoiding oil sanctions, clamping down on smuggling operations and increasing internet access are all the first steps in that process.  However, many nations with diplomatic and economic relationships with Iran will not be so willing to go along if the focus shifts from stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons program to replacing Iran’s system of government.

Those nations with decent relations with Iran want to ensure that any action taken against the country produces results. Also, they are weary of jeopardizing their fragile standing with the Khamenei/Ahmadinejad regime by supporting measures that overtly support the Green Movement, the opposition to the government in Iran.

Because of these complex international issues, expect to see the State Department to find new ways to support opposition forces inside Iran short of directly harming or attacking the regime itself. The newest announcement that certain aspects of information technology will be taken off of the sanction list might be the first step in the United States actively establishing communication networks inside Iran. As Iran slows down and filters its own servers, the need for those outside the country to supply new sources of access are even more important than ever.

Let’s hope Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama take this one step further. It’s time to bomb Iran, with the internet.

Cartoon of courtesy http://www.theroadtothehorizon.org/