For the United States, the primary issue in the Middle East has been and remains effective control of its energy resources, according to Noam Chomsky.| That's why oil's at $77 a barrel. The man's a friggin' genius! |
Chomsky believes that such a bloc, if it emerges, might even join the Asian Energy Security Grid and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), based in China. Iran, which already had observer status, is to be admitted as a member of the SCO. He writes, “To Washington, Tehran’s principal offense has been its defiance, going back to the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 and the hostage crisis at the US embassy.” Under Bush, there has been a rejection of Iranian diplomatic efforts in favour of increasing threats of direct attack on Iran. However, despite the sabre-rattling, the US is unlikely to attack Iran because of strong world opposition and 75 percent Americans in favour diplomacy over military threats against Iran. The US military and intelligence community is also opposed to an attack.
Chomsky points out that Iran cannot defend itself against US attack, but it can respond by inciting even more havoc in Iraq. He quotes British military historian Corelli Barnett who has said, “An attack on Iran would effectively launch World War III.”