Iran and USA are getting really close to start a war that was bound to have serious ramifications in an already volatile region. This is a statement that has been making rounds on the internet for quite some time.
While the likes of Saudi Arabia and Israel fan the flames in support of an attack, there is a general willingness of most countries for a diplomatic solution to what is becoming quite a pickle for Washington.
What makes the whole affair even more complicated is the continuous clamoring of Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, to convince the American supremo that war is the best solution to the current crisis.
Bolton is the same man whose militarism approach was the cornerstone of American adventures in Iraq.
The propaganda machine is also very active. Trump administration claims that Iran-backed proxy groups are looking for a chance to make life difficult for US forces in Iraq and Syria. However, this claim has already been denied by British major-general, Christopher Ghika.
On its part, Saudi Arabia, an eternal foe to Tehran, is doing its best to convince its greatest ally to start the war against Iran following a drone attack on two Saudi Aramco pumping stations. The attacks were carried out by the Houthis (a Yemeni rebel group), considered to be on Iran’s payroll.
Clearly, Saudi Arabia sees hostility as the only solution!
A difference in opinion
What makes things even more interesting and gives hope for a peaceful solution is the fact that President Trump does not want to wage a war in what appears to be an apparent “I’m the one who makes all the decisions” lecture to his hawkish aides that also include Mike Pompeo.
Nonetheless, Mr. Trump cannot afford to give the impression of a house divided and has hinted that difference in opinion should not be considered infighting.
A different approach needed
It is quite clear that the current approach towards bringing Iran in line is not working. Initially, it was thought that sanctioning Tehran will force the cleric-led government to come to the table.
That hasn’t worked!
Sanctions have severely affected Iran’s economy. But that has backed the country into a corner in such a way that it is not afraid to snap which puts everything in a very delicate position.
Nonetheless, there is hope that the Trump administration will not be making the grave mistake his predecessor made back in August 1964. At that time, the then President, Lyndon B Johnson took military action against Vietnam following an attack on US Navy ships based in the Gulf of Tonkin.
That action later resulted in the deaths of nearly 60,000 US soldiers and those who survived the ordeal, were never the same again once they returned home.
Better Sense to Prevail
While there are reports that US government could be sending 120,000 troops to the Middle East, one would hope that this is nothing more than just a precautionary measure.
What doesn’t help, however, is Saudi Arabia’s unwillingness to actually consider dialogue with Iran. Back in 2017, during an interview on Saudi TV, Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman stated that the kingdom is aware of how it is viewed by Tehran and hence will never enter any sort of dialogue.
Such statements clearly show that the solution to the Iranian conundrum is unlikely to come from the Middle East. Therefore, it once again falls on Washington to tactfully deal with the issue rather than falling into the militarist charms of the likes of Bolton and Pompeo.
