nuclear-news

Middle East getting more havoc, more nuclear weapons, with foreign interventions

Foreign Interventions in the Middle East: More Havoc, Nuclear Weapons, Less Order, San Diego FreePress OCTOBER 9, 2015 BY AT LARGE  By Frank Thomas Middle Eastern states are breaking down in an endless escalation of civil wars where Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq are collapsing. The resulting power vacuums exploited by rebel factions and demonic jihadist Islamic state are threatening the Middle East. The ancient, ongoing Sunni-Shiite mutual hatreds are afire.

U.S. foreign regime change interventions – by military engagement, funding, training insurgency groups, supporting coups d’etats, protecting regional dictatorships – have boosted instability and mayhem in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, etc. Emerging unscathed in these interventions, the U.S. departs leaving the wreckage behind to go on to the next trouble-spot.

The common enemy is ISIS. If Syria falls, ISIS will take it over. Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Europe will be the next targets. The question arises, should both Assad’s regime and ISIS be removed to restore Middle East stability? How to do this? Russia and Iran would have to agree to Assad’s removal. Capitalizing on Obama Administration’s hesitating, ineffective removal of ISIS and latter’s proxies, Russia is now inserting itself into the civil war taking no prisoners including anti-Assad rebels such as the Al Nusra /Al Qaeda alliance. Putin’s support for Assad’s government was never restricted to attacks on just ISIS

But Israel favors the Sunni ISIS and Al Qaeda’s Nusra Front in fight to seek over-throw of Assad’s regime backed by Iran and Hezbollah. Israel prefers the Sunni evil over Assad. Obama has gotten himself in a corner with two stark options: continue trying to remove Assad with help of ISIS, Al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists or join Russia, Iran, and the Syrian military to defeat the Sunni jihadists. This shows how complex the Syrian and regional sectarian conflict is.

Russia militarily supports the amoral dictator, Assad, in bombing ISIS and anti-Assad forces. America bombs ISIS and attacks Assad’s forces to get rid of Assad. How complicated can it get? What is the lesser evil? It’s the dilemma faced at the onset of WWII – do we join Russia in a coalition to fight with Stalin (Assad) against Hitler (ISIS) in Syria and with Russia to fight ISIS elsewhere? America did just that back then. The Syrian mayhem is so catastrophic for everyone in the region and the world, that question should be asked.

Putin’s recent words are on the mark : “Healthy common sense and responsibility for global and regional safety demand a united effort from the international community against the threat posed by ISIS.” What’s critically vital is to spark debate of counter-arguments that force engagement of constructive alternatives to quell the unending Middle East civil wars.

NUCLEAR CONSIDERATIONS COMPLICATE THINGS EVEN FURTHER   Proliferation of advanced nuclear weapons in the Middle East is another ominous complication that could end up igniting a nuclear-armed confrontation between U.S. and Russia. Distrust of Iran’s nuclear intentions is also triggering Arab states and Saudis to adapt existing and new civilian nuclear power plants with “latent” nuclear weapon capability for clandestine military nuclear program as the ultimate guarantee of existence……….

Arab states are accelerating investments in nuclear power plants and modern, longer-range ballistic missiles. This is creating a latent nuclear weapon capability – coming from the spread of plutonium produced by civilian nuclear power reactors, easing the ability to technically transition to deliverable nuclear weapons fast. The more nuclear power plants and plutonium produced, the more latent nuclear weapon proliferation – enhancing the risk of future small nuclear wars and nuclear terrorism.

So again, why is Iran’s civilian nuclear power program seen as a more acute future threat than Israel’s advanced nuclear weapons program and atomic bomb capability?………..

Nuclear plant equipment and weapon sales are booming, profitable businesses. American, French, Russian, Chinese and others have long been selling their nuclear power wares and technical assistance for billions of dollars annually to Middle Eastern states. The West, notably U.S., has been aggressive in selling high-performance aircraft that can be adapted to carry nuclear warheads. The Pentagon has just completed a $1 billion weapons deal with Saudi Arabia. China and Russia are capable of offering modern ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Russia’s military presence in Syria might lead to the setting up of missile defense systems against Western aircraft missions.

U.S. failed regime change policies, huge weapon inflows have affected the falling apart process in Syria, Iraq and Libya, Egypt. Such policies and the vacuums created have advanced ISIS’s rise. ……….

Upgraded military weapon flows and contiguous civil wars are bringing the Gulf States closer to seeing nuclear weapons as the ultimate security guarantee of their existence – Israel’s long-held position. Ever more sophisticated military weaponry in the Middle East capable of having nuclear warheads risks touching off a human Holocaust of calamitous global dimensions. Einstein warned, “I know not with what weapons WW III will be fought, but WW IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

Hopefully, a subtle, slow wave of nuclear weapons proliferation and a widening arms race can be contained. China, India, and U.S. know the importance and their dependence on Middle East stability to ensure the free flow of oil. Good things could happen if an east-west coalition powers could come together on securing regional security by other means than ‘scorched earth’ military bombing that’s exterminating, mutilating innocent families, children and inciting the most massive refugee flight since WWII.

Will the U.S. follow Russia’s lead to work together in a broad coalition to resolve the Syrian conflict? If not, Russia will go its own way with all the cold war paranoia and concerns that will bring.

Frank Thomas – the Netherlands, Oct. 7, 2015  http://sandiegofreepress.org/2015/10/foreign-interventions-in-the-middle-east-more-havoc-nuclear-weapons-less-order/

October 10, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | MIDDLE EAST, politics international, weapons and war