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The Damocles Sword hanging precariously over Iran might drop any day. There are plenty of pretexts, albeit highly questionable, that supposedly justify an attack by Israel, the United States, or both, none that could be substantiated upon honest scrutiny.
After a similar scenario that took us to war against Iraq, this might be “deja vue all over again”, to borrow from the late Yogi Berra.
The real question is, Why? If we could demonstrate that allegations against an Iranian threats to American or Israeli security are fictitious, why are the prospects of such an attack still there?
An objective analysis of this question might lead us to see who or what stands to benefit from a continuation of instability and war in the Middle East.
Politically correct, intellectually dishonest.
Remember the campaign promise by the first George Bush: “Read my lips; no new taxes”?
What we don’t realize is that breaking campaign promises might be a blessing after all! During this year’s presidential campaigns, deceptively attractive promises have been made regarding our foreign policies that, if adhered to, would spell calamity for our nation and the world.
Admitting certain truths would be tantamount to political suicide by any campaigning politician seeking an office. Those who do dare to speak out are either retired or retiring politicians with little or nothing to lose as the consequence of their honesty. Even though a great majority of Americas do believe that our country is suffering enormous pains at home and abroad, our political leadership prefers to put all the blame on real and fictitious adversaries elsewhere than on our own misguided policies.
Feeling “entitled” is nothing new in the course of human cultural evolution. The sapient species had evolved a sense of self-awareness that had to be accommodated by an attitude of self-righteousness in order to serve the survival purpose.
What served our species’ best interests had to appear as rightly deserved, therefore, worthy of attainment at any competitor or rival’s expense. Titles such as the Chosen People, the Noble People, the Original People, etc., give clear historicity to this primal instinct.
We are still the members of the same species, and not much has changed.
The nature of human conflict:
I truly believe I’m right,
You do not agree,
Any arguments?
What could be better than clear and concise logic, no matter how syllogistic it might be?
From religious convictions to international diplomacy and personal interactions, the cause of conflict and war could be found in our innate inability to live by the proverbial Golden Rule.
Yet, it can be shown that even this seemingly counterproductive behavior has served an important survival role in our anthropological background.
Myths and legends, old and new, do not simply fall from the sky and enter our history and folklore. From the story of Noah and his ark, the mysterious griffin, the accounts of the battle of Thermopylae, to the womanizing bears and the Bermuda Triangle, all these legends have roots in some historical facts long forgotten in favor of the more colorful narratives.