Worried About New Bush Wars?

Are you worried about new fronts in the Bush wars? Iran and Syria for example? You are not alone - Senators fear Iraq war may spill to Iran, Syria. From the January 10th speech by George Bush, to the mobilization of the fleet to "warn" Iran, to the US raid on the Iranian consulate in Irbil, Iraq, it seems Bush's intent is to provoke a response from Iran which could be used to legitimate a US attack.

I could not believe my eyes this morning when I was the news crawl stating that US troops had raided the Iranian consulate. Just when I think that the stupidity of the current administration has reached its peak, it comes out of right field with a whole new dumb move.

According to Iran News:

Tehran says five United States helicopters landed on the roof of the consulate in the northern city of Irbil.

It says American soldiers broke down the doors, detained five people and took away papers and computers.

Consulates are significant. They are the sovereign sites. By international agreement we have the sovereignty of consulates and embassies, and diplomatic immunity. The protection under which consulates operate are part of the 1963 Vienna Convention to which the US is a signatory.

I could not, and still can't, figure out what purpose beyond provocation that such an action would be allowed to take place.

Here we have an Iranian consulate under the protection of the Kurdish Regional Government. The KRG is not only a significant part of the elected Iraqi government, but has from the beginning of this insanity been an allied area with the United States.

Then we have the effort to present the US forces in Iraq as "liberators" and "supporters" of the Iraqi government rather than as imperial occupiers which manipulate a puppet government in place to serve US interests. So US forces who are "guests" in another country take it upon themselves to invade the sovereign territory of a consulate.

Iran, however, is refusing to be provoked. The Mullahs of Iran lodged a protest of the raid with the ambassadors of Iraq and Switzerland in Iran. These ambassadors represent the US interests in Iran since the US has no embassy there and refuses to deal directly with Iran. Iran also appealed directly to the Iraqi government demanding they accomplish the release of the consulate officials captured during the raid. They also demanded the return of computers and papers that were confiscated by the US forces.

Interestingly, Iran seems to be framing the raid as an attempt by the US to "impair the good ties between Iran and Iraq." (CNS)

If US Senators and groups such as Stratfor think the Bush crew is trying to set up a legitimation for either attack or invasion, then my concerns (and yours) have some foundation. Unless the Bush crew is in total na-na land, they have to be aware that the US armed forces are in no position to enter another major war. Therefore, they must still believe that "shock and awe" will force the world to bow before them.

Fools. Dangerous fools. Our fools.

Update 1/17/07

Original KRG Statement disappeared from the KRG site. Here is a copy from the Liberty Forum
Statement by the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) regarding the American raid at dawn today on the consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Erbil.

11 January 2007

The Presidency and the Kurdistan Regional Government express their dismay and condemnation of the American action against the official consulate of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The consulate was opened by agreement between the governments of Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and enjoys immunity and protection under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Unlike other parts of Iraq, the Kurdistan Region enjoys safety, security, stability and the rule of law. The US action does not conform to the policy of attempting to spread security and stability throughout all of Iraq. No military action should be taken in the Kurdistan Region without consultations with security authorities here.

The people of the Kurdistan Region protest against and reject this action which violates our internal sovereignty. We do not accept that disputes with our neighbouring countries should be brought onto our soil. We call for the immediate release of those arrested.

Posted by rowan at January 12, 2007 8:32 AM | [eMail this article!] |