Ignore Threat of North Korean Nukes. Obsess Over Threat of Imaginary Iranian Nukes.
Phillip Weiss points out the conspicuous hypocrisy of Washington: whereas North Korea’s nukes aren’t a threat, Iran’s non-existant nukes are not only a threat, they’re a threat to our existence!
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has been one of the foremost hawks on Iran, repeatedly proposing new sanctions and constantly haranguing about the threat a (hypothetical) nuclear-armed Iran would pose. At AIPAC this past weekend, as Weiss points, Menendez declared (repeating the dominant slogan across Washington) even a nuclear capable Iran is a threat that cannot be contained and therefore must be prevented.
Weiss: “Then yesterday North Korea threatened to use nukes to turn Washington into a ‘sea of fire,’ and Menendez dismissed the threat as ‘absurd and suicidal;’ if North Korea attacks us, that’s the end of North Korea.”
Similarly, both the White House and the State Department have advised America to disregard North Korea’s threat. It’s basically an empty threat that is not credible, they explain.
So, let’s review:
EXISTENTIAL THREAT: Iran, which has never ever threatened to use nuclear weapons on the US or Israel, has never threatened preventive attack, and most importantly, does not have a nuclear weapons program and has so far demonstrated no intention of getting one.
PATHETIC NON-THREAT: North Korea, which has nuclear weapons and threatened to use them.
The Washington establishment is correct on this one: North Korea is not a threat. It’s a nuclear power that can be contained, and although its leadership behaves belligerently sometimes, they are not so irrational to use their paltry nuclear weapons arsenal on the world’s military superpower and current owner of the biggest nuke arsenal in the world. In any case, they do not have nuclear warheads that can reach the United States.
Iran is even less of a threat. Iran could also be contained and also would behave rationally with weapons. But, in fact, they don’t have nukes and have sworn upon the alter of god they will never pursue them.
Two things make the difference. First, US deference to the radical alarmism of the Israelis regarding the Iranian (non)threat makes the truth about Iran virtually unspeakable in Washington.
Second, Iran’s unwillingness to serve as an American puppet regime interferes with Washington’s aim to maintain hegemony in the resource-rich Middle East. In a word, oil. Oil is why the Iranian non-threat is transformed into an existential threat in America.
Unless, that is, Menendez has a better explanation for this rather obvious discrepancy.
baz
March 8th, 2013 at 11:34 am
N Korea has no oil
N korea does not stand in the way of Israels racist agenda of exterminating the palestinians and stealing their land
Therefore , N Korea does not matter
jpworc
March 9th, 2013 at 12:37 am
This article needed to be written. I'm happy to see it was john glaser..your articles are on fire and right on point …
omop
March 9th, 2013 at 3:32 am
Menendez according to a think tank in DC received $343,394 from the PAC and nothing from North Korea.
And more importantly he qualifies for being a dedicated Senator from the USA and has never done anything illegal that can be proven.
Joe Ed
March 9th, 2013 at 3:52 am
When it comes ton US foreign policy, it's all about Israel. N Korea, China, Russia, S America, Africa, Europe…all a distraction
jonest
March 9th, 2013 at 4:42 am
Just goes to show you, if you can stand up to a bully he will retreat like a wimpering little puppy dog.
phd thesis proposal
March 9th, 2013 at 5:57 am
I really like this post. By simply unrecognized genius. This topic is very interesting and relevant.
wars r u.s.
March 9th, 2013 at 6:26 am
menendez sounds like he's been hanging with mccain and graham.
Weekend News and Commentary | Zephyr Global Report
March 9th, 2013 at 9:56 am
[...] Ignore Threat of N. Korean Nukes. Obsess Over Imaginary Iranian Nukes [...]
mee
March 9th, 2013 at 10:06 am
The problem is not the oil itself, the USA don't need the iranian oil, it's the petrodollar. As long as oil is only traded for dollars there's a constant demand for dollars on the world market. The US can create dollars out of thin air and buy products from other countries for these dollars. If oil rich countries started to sell oil for other currencies the dollar would collapse. Saddam tried it, now he's dead. Gaddafi tried it – dead. Chavez tried it – dead. Guess what Iran is doing…
PdeBlac
March 9th, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Spot on Mee.
Mark
March 11th, 2013 at 9:04 am
The entire notion (because it certainly better not be fact) of Iran as an "existential threat" is utterly ridiculous.
And if it IS such a threat, then that alone stands as it's own testament to how weak, inferior, and utterly worthless your country, nation, or religion really is.
If you disagree with my appraisal, please, check the definition and meaning of the word "existential."