Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 16:49:09 -0500
From: dhenwood-AT-panix.com (Doug Henwood)
Subject: Re: Iran's role for imperialism


At 10:24 PM 7/2/96, Hugh Rodwell wrote:

>Let's look at the significance of Iran for the imperialist system in the
>Middle East. With the mindset of English diplomacy.  American diplomacy is
>too like the French, being irritated by anything less than complete
>subservience. English diplomacy doesn't give a toss, as long as the tribute
>is paid, and is a past master at setting local interests at each others'
>throats (Zionist and Palestinian, Hindu and Muslim, Turk and Greek, and a
>thousand others).

Iran has, what, the third-largest oil reserves in the world? The stinking
Yankee imperialists take it very personally when these reserves are under
the control of a government that denounces you as The Great Satan.

I'm confused by phrases such as "American diplomacy is too like the
French," introducing what appears to be an unfavorable comparison with the
Brits. Does this mean that the U.S. is doing a poor job of empire
management? It seems like it's doing a rather masterful one to me.

It seems Washington is now very worried about Saudi Arabia taking the Iran
route, though. Perhaps there's some exquisitely subtle dialectical logic
that could argue that that would not be a loss for U.S. imperialism.

Doug

--

Doug Henwood
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