From: hernlem@chess.ncsu.EDU (Brad Hernlem)
Subject: Re: Cruise missiles
Reply-To: hernlem@chess.ncsu.EDU (Brad Hernlem)
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:54:17 GMT

In article <22JAN93.12864345.0059@UNBVM1.CSD.UNB.CA>, J10B000
<J10B@UNB.CA> writes:
> In article <1993Jan21.161617.13628@sei.cmu.edu> psc@sei.cmu.edu (Peter
Capell) writes:
> >
> >I wonder how many of you share my opinion that our information about
what goes
> >on anywhere in the world is screwed up because of "disinformation."  I mean,
> >consider it, every government on the face of this earth is disinforming its
> >people to some extent.
> >
> >But what I find unconscionable about many of my fellow Americans is their
> >capacity to blindly believe whatever they hear on television or read in our
> >newspapers.  While I am doubtful that the US would deliberately
target a hotel
> >during a bombing raid, there is also no reason to think that it
wouldn't.  In
> >a war, there are both political and military objectives.  I cannot
understand
> >how bombing a civilian target would provide much use to the US,
except perhaps
> >that it might cause the citizenry of Iraq to be angry not at the US, but at
> >Saddam?  ...seems like a stretch to me, but I would imagine that all
manner of
> >intrigue is possible in the current climate.
> >
> >One thing definitely amazes me however, and that is to see that a bunch of
> >mullahs in Iran can protest on behalf of the Iraqi people after spending 8
> >years of their own people's lives on futile battle strategies and human wave
> >tactics--as though they really give to hoots about the lives of
Iraqis.  They
> >Surely killed enough of them themselves!
> >^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >The issue is power and power alone.  I wait for the day when there is peace
> >and self-detemination for all these nations...
> >
> >   INSHALLAH!
> >
> The last lines of your article simply shows how American people are fed
> with thier media and politicians. Iranians didn't start killing Iraqis.
> To present the facts in an easy way that you could understand I'm just
> reminding you some simple facts:
> 1) It was Iraq that in Sept. 1980 strated the war.
> 2) It was U.S. that during the war and even before that backed Iraq.
> 3) The U.S. reason for doing this was to control Iran.
> 4) Today everybody admitts that if U.S. had not supported Iraq, that war
>    would have never lasted that long and even today we didn't have
>    this discussion over innocent people killed by U.S. missiles!!
> 5) Sir!, Iranian just defended their land and soil with courage and
>    manhood against all of evils and devils.
> 6) They didn't kill the people. They fought their enemy to librate their
>    land.
> 7) Iranian haven't gone thousands of miles far to protect their intrests
>    It's another country that for doing this MURDERERS innocent people.!
> Oh God, give all of the people the power of vision and hearing!
> Signed: Pessar Amoo
> 

Furthermore, the propaganda about "Iranian hegemonic ambitions" is
running pretty thick these days. We hear constantly about Iranian
military purchases but seem to hear nothing about the rest. Consider:

1. When did revolutionary Iran ever unilaterally attack a neighbor? 

2. The U.S. has sold over $30 billion in arms to the Middle East since
the end of the Gulf War.

3. Kuwait just signed a $4.5 billion dollar arms deal with the U.S.

4. U.S. military aid to Israel amounts to at least $1.8 billion annually
excluding special arms deals. (Compare with Rafsanjani's budget of $2
billion per year. Population of Israel about 5 million, population of
Iran about 55 million).

5. Iran has mediated to bring about the end of hostilities on its
Northwest (Azerbaijan and Armenia) and Eastern (Afghanistan) borders.

6. Iran is involved in the establishment of multiple economic ties with
its neighbors ( Economic Cooperation Council with Turkey, Pakistan, and
Central Asian Republics as well as recent gas deal with Georgia, etc..).

My points are that:

1. there is no basis for the claim that Iran wishes to "stir up trouble"
with its neighbors.

2. Iranian military outlays are not only not outstanding but are small
compared with similar spending by its neighbors, many of whom have
recent records of hostilities against their neighbors (Saudi Arabia
attacking Iraq without provocation, Israel attacking Iraq without
provocation, Israel occupying parts of Lebanon, Syria and Palestinian land).

Whatever your opinion about the government in Iran, the above facts
remain. Just because some people don't like the government because of
(insert your favorite gripe here....human rights violations, President's
name is not Rajavi, "Islamic" economy inconsistant with capitalism,
etc..) does not mean that it is out to destroy the world.  

Brad Hernlem (hernlem@chess.ncsu.EDU)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian