This past Wednesday and Thursday, Iran decided to flex its muscles by testing ballistic missiles. According to Iranian state-run media, the missiles were long- and medium-range weapons, including a Shahab-3, which Tehran maintains is able to hit targets up to 1,250 miles away. Israel is well within these distances. After the initial report by Iran, rumors started flying.
The first development was a picture showing four missiles being fired which was digitally altered from a picture that showed only three missiles being fired. The altered picture was apparently used to hide a failed missile still on its launcher. Speculation ensued that the missile fired on Thursday was the one that failed Wednesday.
The truth became less clear Friday.
In the morning, media reports claimed that the Israeli air force was doing drills over Iraqi air space. These rumors proved to be false.
The same evening U.S. officials said the Iranian test didn’t demonstrate any new capabilities. One official went on to say that it was very unlikely that Iran had tested a missile with long-range capabilities.
Drudgereport.com revealed that a source said the video of missiles being launched is just one missile being launched played over and over again from different angles.
So, it seems that Tehran was just trying to look stronger than it actually is. The test could have an effect on Louisianians more than they might think.
This past Tuesday, the Associated Press released a story involving trades the U.S. has done with Iran. The report showed that Louisiana does the second-most trade with Iran, behind Georgia. Louisiana has exported approximately $117.6 million worth of goods to Iran since 2001. The top export has been corn. Overall the largest single U.S. export was cigarettes – approximately $158 million worth.
I do not condone Iran’s behavior, but is it really the United States’ job to try to make sure everybody stays in line? Isn’t that how we got into the Iraq War?
America needs to rethink its foreign policy. I can only imagine what President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are conniving now. Engaging Iran in military action is the last thing this country needs to do. Young people should be more in favor of this than anything.
Young people die in these conflicts. The average age of people that have died in military action since the beginning of the Iraq war is 30. The average age of the current president and presidential candidates is 60. Young people need to make it known that we don’t want war with Iran.
The thing is: Israel is a big girl. She can take care of herself. She has in the past, that’s for sure. In 2007, Israel bombed what some say were nuclear research facilities within Syria. Israel can and will do what is best for Israel. I understand how treaties work. If Israel is blatantly attacked by Iran then by all means exercise the full might of the U.S. military, but not pre-emptively.
Franklin Roosevelt waited two years, until U.S. soil was attacked, before he lent support to the Allied forces in Europe. Patience is a virtue.
Good diplomacy goes a long way. Both George Washington and John Adams were able to keep the U.S. out of entering a conflict involving France and Great Britain. Trade should continue between the U.S. and Iran. Open markets and free trade may prove to be more effective than any sanctions. Favor might fall to the U.S. with the people inside Iran, if we continue to trade with Iran. Diplomacy worked in North Korea and there is no reason why it should not work in Iran.
Has anyone really thought about why Iran wants nuclear technology? I know that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has lost his mind and thinks that Israel has no right to exist, but what if Iran truly wants nuclear technology for energy?
Oil is the one of the main exports of Iran. It is something they know. What if they, unlike America, know that oil will dry up eventually and are truly trying to make strides for the future of their country?
Nuclear power is some of the cleanest, most efficient energy available, and it’s hard to blame any country from wanting to be able to use nuclear power. I understand countries in the Middle East not wanting Iran to have nuclear technology because it threatens their safety.
If the U.S. will continue to push an agenda of peace and non-nuclear proliferation, then there is a good chance that peace and non-proliferation can be attained between the U.S. and Iran.
—-Contact Matthew Gravens at [email protected]