As we all know, the French intervention in Mali has brought anti-western blowback in Algeria, where dozens of Americans and Europeans are being held hostage by Islamist militants. So what if the U.S. attacks Iran? Iran is a far richer and more technologically-resourceful society than Mali. What would the blowback be in that instance? It would surely be huge– cyber and human attacks, as the US military command states here [excerpt below]. (Thanks to Harry Hjalmarson)
And not to conflate American and Israeli concerns, but did Jeffrey Goldberg acknowledge this American reality in arguing that Israel can’t live with a nuclear Iran the other night in New York? I’m awaiting a report on the former Israeli army corporal’s debate performance. Meantime, here is Bloomberg’s Tony Capaccio:
Iran’s developing ability to launch cyber attacks will make it “a force to be reckoned with,” the head of the U.S. Air Force Space Command said.
General William Shelton said the Iranians are responding to an attack on the computer operating system that runs the uranium enrichment facilities in the country’s suspected nuclear-weapons program…
Iran has denied responsibility for a spate of cyber attacks against online banking sites that accelerated in September. U.S. banks, including JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Bank of America Corp. (BAC), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNC), have said some customers were having difficulty at times accessing their websites. Former Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, was among those who have said Iran may be at fault.
“Iran respects international law and refrains from targeting other nations’ economic or financial institutions,” Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in a Jan. 11 statement, according to the a report on the website of the state run Press TV news channel.
All countries lie. Usually. Period. So Israel and USA may say they did not murder Iranian scientists and did not launch cyber attacks on Iran, and Iran may say it is not building a bomb and not launching cyber counter-attacks on USA. Ho hum.
The USA (its governing class, that is) believes in war. It lives by the sword. It is an empire, by gad! And therefore although it may not welcome counterattacks, it is willing to suffer them because they become excuses for more and more severe war-fighting. Israel, ditto. Did I mention that (the governing classes of) USA and Israel believe: [1] they are invincible; [2] they are deserving to rule over others who are morally corrupt when they object to our (as we like to suggest, with forked tongue in cheek) “benign” interventions in their business and their territory; and [3] the rest of the world (unless very white-skinned indeed) are scum.
I am troubled that the grand Iranian Ayatollah has said that it is contrary to Islam to make and keep nukes. Or whatever he said. Because I suspect he will be made out a religious liar (rather than merely, ho hum, a political liar) with bad fallout for Islam.
Israel’s whore has spoken so it must be true.
British mainstream political discourse is totally unbalanced, almost in the sense of ‘unbalanced’ that suggests mental illness. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, a former Foreign Secretary, was remarking on television that the Army is the real power in Algeria – ie Algeria is a military dictatorship. The legitimacy of this regime and the crazy ‘terrorist’ status of the other side goes completely unquestioned both in television interviews and in parliamentary debates. As if French neo-imperialism,which we seem to be supporting without reservation, was an unquestionably noble cause.
If Mali terrorists were operating in Syria they would be cheered on by the US and NATO instead of being bombed.
The US has no problem with terrorism as long as the “right people” are being terrorized.
Err Phil if I am not mistaken you supported the Nato led “rebellion” against Libya last year. It was clear from the first week that this was an Islamist led rebellion. Also many informed analysts see that the current war in Mali (and its spill-over into Algeria) is blow back from that Libyan adventure. Please let us know: what the hell are you advocating?
As much as I appreciate your perspectives on the world, you are one contradictory guy.