Paul Craig Roberts: “Surge” really aimed at Iran

2007-01-23

Richard Moore

Original source URL:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=ROB20070115&articleId=4473


The ³Surge² Is A Red Herring


By Paul Craig Roberts

Global Research, January 15, 2007
Antiwar.com

Bush¹s ³surge² speech is a hoax, but members of Congress and media commentators 
are discussing the surge as if it were real.

I invite the reader to examine the speech. The ³surge² content consists of 
nonsensical propagandistic statements. The real content of the speech is toward 
the end where Bush mentions Iran and Syria.

Bush makes it clear that success in Iraq does not depend on the surge. Rather, 
³Succeeding in Iraq . . . begins with addressing Iran and Syria.²

Bush asserts that ³these two regimes are allowing terrorists and insurgents to 
use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material 
support for attacks on American troops.²

Bush¹s assertions are propagandistic lies.

The Iraq insurgency is Sunni. Iran is Shi¹ite. If Iran is supporting anyone in 
Iraq it is the Shi¹ites, who have not been part of the insurgency. Indeed, the 
Sunni and Shi¹ites are engaged in a civil war within Iraq.

Does any intelligent person really believe that Iranian Shi¹ites are going to 
arm Iraqi Sunnis who are killing Iraqi Shi¹ites allied with Iran? Does anyone 
really believe that Iranian Shi¹ites are going to provide sanctuary for Iraqi 
Sunnis?

Bush can tell blatant propagandistic lies, because Congress and the American 
people don¹t know enough facts to realize the absurdity of Bush¹s assertions.

Why is Bush telling these lies? Here is the answer: Bush says, ³We will disrupt 
the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and 
Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry
and training to our enemies in Iraq.²

In those words, Bush states perfectly clearly that victory in Iraq requires US 
forces to attack Iran and Syria. Moreover, Bush says, ³We are also taking other 
steps to bolster the security of Iraq and protect American interests in the 
Middle East. I recently ordered the deployment of an additional carrier strike 
group to the region.²

What do two US aircraft carrier attack groups in the Persian Gulf have to do 
with a guerilla ground war in Iraq?

The ³surge² is merely a tactic to buy time while war with Iran and Syria can be 
orchestrated. The neoconservative/Israeli cabal feared that the pressure that 
Congress, the public, and the American foreign policy establishment were putting
on Bush to de-escalate in Iraq would terminate their plan to achieve hegemony in
the Middle East. Failure in Iraq would mean the end of the neoconservatives¹ 
influence. It would be impossible to start a new war with Iran after losing the 
war in Iraq.

The neoconservatives and the right-wing Israeli government have clearly stated 
their plans to overthrow Muslim governments throughout the region and to 
deracinate Islam. These plans existed long before 9/11.

Near the end of his ³surge² speech, Bush adopts the neoconservative program as 
US policy. The struggle, Bush says, echoing the neoconservatives and the Israeli
right-wing, goes far beyond Iraq. ³The challenge,² Bush says, is ³playing out 
across the broader Middle East. . . . It is the decisive ideological struggle of
our time.² America is pitted against ³extremists² who ³have declared their 
intention to destroy our way of life.² ³The most realistic way to protect the 
American people,² Bush says, is ³by advancing liberty across a troubled region.²

This, of course, is a massive duplicitous lie. We have brought no liberty to 
Iraq, but we have destroyed their way of life. Bush suggests that Muslims in 
Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine are waiting and hoping for more invasions to 
free them of violence. Did Bush¹s invasion free Iraq from violence or did it 
bring violence to Iraq?

It is extraordinary that anyone can listen to this blatant declaration of US 
aggression in the Middle East without demanding Bush¹s immediate impeachment.

Republican US Senator Chuck Hagel declared Bush¹s plan to be ³the most dangerous
foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam.² In truth, it is far 
worse. It is naked aggression justified by transparent lies. No one has ever 
heard governments in Iraq, Syria, or Iran declare ³their intention to destroy 
our way of life.² To the contrary, it is the United States and Israel that are 
trying to destroy the Muslim way of life.

The crystal clear truth is that fanatical neoconservatives and Israelis are 
using Bush to commit the United States to a catastrophic course.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of 
the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Centre for Research on 
Globalization.

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© Copyright Paul Craig Roberts, Antiwar.com, 2007
© Copyright 2005 GlobalResearch.ca
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