Much news media coverage of the past week's General Assembly opening and of Iran’s attempts to achieve nuclear weapons has been framed as a clash between Iran and Israel. This is incomplete. With the exception of an excellent article inUSA Today, little press attention has been paid to the threat Iran poses to the United States and the rest of the world.
A nuclear Iran would pose multiple threats to America:
A nuclear Iran would pose multiple threats to America:
- Security
- It would spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East
- American military bases and thousands of American troops are already in range of Iranian missiles
- Iran operates in Central and South America in cooperation with organized criminal cartels, terrorists including Hezbollah cells and governments hostile to the United States such as Venezuela
- Iran is the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror and even if it did not share nuclear weapons technology with its terrorist allies and proxies, would have a shield under which to expand their operations
- Economy
- A nuclear Iran could more credibly threaten to or actually close the Strait of Hormuz and would hold hostage much of the world’s oil supply
- As most transportation relies on petroleum products and virtually all goods have to be transported, prices of everything would rise, consumers would retain less disposable income and general economic activity would be depressed
- Interests and Values
- Iran supresses freedom of speech and assembly
- It persecutes women, homosexuals, religious and ethnic minorities
- Citizens are subject to torture, arbitrary detentions, unfair trials and cruel punishments
It is vital that the context of the Iranian threat be provided. Media that take the easy route and make this a story about Israeli saber-rattling fail to inform their audiences of the profound implications of an Iran with nuclear weapons capability.
