An impossible exaggeration

After reading Samantha Bass’s piece about Iran, one is left expecting to be ushered into a bomb shelter, place their hands over their head and brace for impact. But armed Iran does not necessarily mean nuclear holocaust. The author states that Iran has “refused to speak about its nuclear program, or allow international inspectors to search the plants in question,” but according to CBS News, Iran has agreed to allow inspectors into the Natanz uranium enrichment site in the near future. In addition, Iran is scheduled to meet with members of the United Nations Security Council for talks this month.

The author continues down a slippery slope, claiming that if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, it will be able to “control the entire Middle East.” As the United States has been finding out for the past several years, even controlling two countries in the Middle East is quite difficult. The author misses the fact that Iran itself is surrounded by nuclear neighbors. China, Russian, India, Israel and Pakistan, are all members of the nuclear club. One would think that with the recent attack on a major military base by insurgents, Pakistan — not Iran — would be the country world leaders would be looking at with paranoia.

The idea of a nuclear attack on Israel by Iran is moot. No country would bomb another sheltered by a nuclear umbrella, regardless of whether or not the author believes Iran will threaten anyone that doesn’t “adhere to its fanatic Shiite beliefs.” The last time I checked, the Shiite denomination doesn’t preach international terror and domination. Regardless of some of its unsettling actions, and the recent election complication, Iran is a democracy, with an elected leader subject to the rules of its parliament, and the will of the Iranian people.

The nuclear situation in Iran needs to be addressed; however, it must be engaged productively by the world community, subject to the system of containment and sanctions that have kept a nuclear holocaust distant in the minds of all except those looking to force action by fear mongering and sensationalism.

Alexander Kostal

University undergraduate student