A Willing Suspension of Disbelief

Theatre of the Absurd

Would the real Iran please stand up.  As we read of the congratulations and rejoicing amongst the Western Commentariat, we find ourselves in fundamental confusion.  A deal with Iran has been struck, we are told, whereby Iran will lay aside its ambitions to develop nuclear weapons, and the West will remove its sanctions on that nation.

New Zealand's own foreign minister, now deeply ensconced in UN counsels and machinations (while NZ presently sits on the UN Security Council), has joined the chorus of self-congratulation.

New Zealand's foreign minister has welcomed the Iran nuclear deal.  Murray McCully said today the nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers was an "important" breakthrough.  "Over the last eighteen months negotiators have been working to secure an agreement that will increase international confidence in the nature of Iran's nuclear programme," Mr McCully said.

"This agreement is a positive development for regional stability in the Middle East and will allow for further progress to be made in the relationship between New Zealand and Iran.  As the current president of the United Nations Security Council, New Zealand will do what it can to expedite any necessary Security Council action, and we call for the agreement to be implemented as soon as possible," he added. [NZ Herald]

This "deal" with Iran has been struck whilst Iran, throughout the process, has publicly and repeatedly called for the annihilation of the United States (with whom it was negotiating) and the obliteration of Israel off the map.  It has also been one of the biggest sponsors of  Islamic terrorism over many years.  But have no fear.  Iran is run by trustworthy, truthspeaking, honourable men.  We know.  We can tell.  We can see what you ordinary rubes cannot. 


What does one make of this?  There are only a few possible interpretations.  First, that the West has been taken in a kind of pacifism and war-weariness which has led its leaders and governments to see Iran through rosy coloured spectacles, because the alternative is too painful to contemplate.  They are willing believers, despite all contrary evidence.  Presumably Western governments see Iranian death chants against others as staged theatre, towards which wise Western leaders should maintain a posture of wilfully suspended disbelief.  How else could such utterances be ignored?  The spirit of Neville Chamberlain has once again overtaken supine, war-weary Western governments.

A second interpretation is that Western leaders have seen beyond the rhetoric emanating out of Iran and believe that Iran is a much-needed ally in the struggle against ISIS.  It is an "enemy of our enemy is our friend" scenario.  This, coupled with a deeply held world-view which sees all that is evil in political Islam as a Western-caused phenomenon.  Therefore, being "nice" to Iran will dissipate its hatred and enmity towards America and Israel.

In any event, we have been here before.

How To Think About the Iran Deal in One Photo

This requires no comment, so I’ll just leave it at this:

Powerline

 Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.