Hend Alhusain
Prof. : Steven Wexler
ENG 306
03 Marcch 2013
Herb, Jeremy. “US and Iran inch closer to military conflict.” The Hill. 16 Jan. 2012. thehill.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Military Conflict Between United States and Iran is Higher Than Ever, Says Military Analyst
Washington, D.C.- March 1, 2013 -“The probability of armed conflict between the United States and Iran is higher now than at any point since 1988, and the risk will only increase over the coming year,” said Matthew Kroenig, of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Tensions continue to increase over Iran's nuclear developments and hostile approach to negotiations. Multiple attempts have been made by the United States to discuss the matter during peaceful interaction.
The 2012 presidential election was focused on domestic issues with and eye on the economy. However, Iran's position contunuously threatened that agenda.
“Iran can change the subject,” said Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. If Iran decides to go forth with the execution of a former U.S. Marine it has sentenced to death, this could threaten the foreign-policy record President Obama has built during his` presidency.
Tensions between Iran and the West heated up tremendously last year when Iran threatened to close down the Strait of Hormuz. This decision came as a direct response to the idea of economic sanctions from the United States and European Union.
The United States assured that it would interfere with any attempts to close the strait, which is an extremely vital passageway in the Persian Gulf. This action prompted Iran to make all attempts to force the U.S. out of the Gulf.
The relations between the United States and Iran were pushed even further after Iran sentenced Marine Amir Hekmati to death for allegedly spying for the CIA. The United States denied the allegations saying they were unfounded.
At the root of the issues with Iran is its decision to continue its nuclear program, which the U.S. clearly feels is an attempt at building nuclear weapons, and Iran claims is to produce energy.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has accused the United States and Israel of being behind the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist who was assassinated after a motorcyclist placed a bomb under his car. The U.S. has denied all involvement.
“Clearly there are those areas that for us are red lines,” said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, while speaking to soldiers at Fort Bliss in Texas.
“Number one, we cannot allow them to develop a nuclear weapon,” said Panetta. “That’s a red line. Number two, we cannot tolerate Iran blocking the Straits of Hormuz.”
According to reports, the United States has issued a warning to Khamenei to not close the Strait of Hormuz. Since Iran’s economy is deeply dependent on oil exports, closing the Strait of Hormuz would amount to an economic death sentence.
The U.S. is not going to get into an all out war with Iran unless there is an Israeli attack. However, an attack on Iran is still a heated issue inside Israel. According to Benedetta Berti, a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, “The idea of going unilaterally is definitely thought of as a last-resort option.”
17730 Lassen St, Northridge
California
(+16192434131)
No comments:
Post a Comment