Principles in Practice: The Blog of the Objective Standard

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Iran's 'Lucky Break'

Posted by Alan Germani at 1:57 PM

In "Hezbollah lets Iran buy time for nukes," Arizona State University professor Orde Kittrie provides an overview of Iran's nuclear program, recounting the regime's goals and discussing the "lucky break" it got toward achieving those goals when Hezbollah recently attacked Israel from Lebanon.

The big winner thus far in the clash between Hezbollah and Israel is Iran. Through attacks by its proxy, Hezbollah, Iran is deftly succeeding in distracting the world from the rapidly progressing Iranian nuclear weapons program.

Iran's success brings it one step closer to one of its ultimate goals. That goal is America's destruction. As Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has starkly put it: "God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States. . . . This goal is attainable, and surely can be achieved."

Why does Iran want to destroy the United States?

Because the United States is the foremost purveyor of Western culture. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, wants to root out Western culture because it is contrary to Islam and in his view directs "everyone toward materialism while money, gluttony and carnal desires are made the greatest aspiration." As Khamenei put it in an interview in May 2004: "The source of all human torment and suffering is the 'liberal democracy' promoted by the West."

Kittrie goes on to provide a sobering summary of Iran's recent nuclear achievements and spells out its connection to Hezbollah, suggesting that the recent Hezbollah offensive against Israel was coordinated to divert attention from the Iranian nuclear weapons program. Whether this last is true or not, the effect is the same: The world is now focusing on the "plight" of the terrorist-harboring Lebanese while ignoring the destruction and death that will befall the West if we allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

We would not be in this dire situation were it not for the corrupt altruistic ideas that guide our foreign affairs (including "Just War Theory"). Only by embracing a rational, self-interested foreign policy—which would entail mercilessly crushing the Iranian regime—will Americans be able to live without the threat of a nuclear strike hanging over our heads.

Labels: Foreign Policy and War