US Army Makes Playing Cards with Iran's weapons on them

I believe Iran should have never signed the JCPOA and never submitted to western pressures to curtail its nuclear program. The real debate in Iran, and the only one worthy of consideration, is whether Iran should follow the "Japan" or "Germany" model, i.e. have "surge capacity" (the capability to quickly build nukes if threatened by them). Or whether it should follow the US/Russian/UK/France/Israeli/Indian/Pakistani et al model and build nuclear weapons? I see merit in both sides of the argument, but none in Iran doing what it did which is actually in opposite of what you seem to imagine.

 

There are 3 major special interest groups which dominate American politics and have strong inroads in the international media. These groups sometimes compete with one another on some issues and sometimes cooperate and work with one another. Regardless, all of them share one thing in common: they are hostile to Iran, even if some are more interested in co-opting Iran within their framework than destroying it.

Who are these groups?

1- Supporters of Global Economy (Under US Dollar Hegemony). The international economic system and trade that takes place in the world is based on the hegemony of the US dollar. Things that are produced in this global economy are ultimately traded in the US dollar. This group used to peddle what was once America's script: free trade (in US dollars!), open competition, extending global markets for major multinationals, etc. Many of America's European allies prospered under this vision and in cooperation with these groups.

2- The Military Industrial Complex. This is not the same as the American military, but it relates to individuals and companies which benefit the most from an expansionist American foreign policy.

3- The Pro Israel Lobby. This is the most assertive, least constrained, special interest group lobby in America and finds its power multiplied by the fact that it works in alliance with both the first and second groups I outlined above. It has strong elements in each of them. And it is the most organized as it has a clear script that some others sometimes don't.

 

An excellent piece in the New York Times Magazine feature story. While it tells only the US and Israeli sides of the story, it tell that story well and without allowing too much propaganda to get in the way of the story either. Almost all the main players are interviewed, whether in Israel or in the US, to tell this story. It is long but for anyone with an interest in the "realities" as perceived by the US and Israeli side, this is probably as authoritative a piece as any you will find for a while. I recommend it even though it is written from the perspective of the side(s) that have been working feverishly to deny Iran a capability that I believe it should have.

If you don't assume anything, and just read it all, you will see all sides to the story treated as fairly as the facts of the case would allow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/04/magazine/iran-strike-israel-america.html