The Devils Brew

History tells us that it has never been easy for the Persians (modern day Iran) to think practically until almost on the verge of total annihilation. By this time it has always, without exception, been too late to save Kings and Empires.

I am not going to give a history lesson here (I have given it in articles several years ago) but suffice to say the Iranian Clergy find themselves in the same historical 'location' as their predecessors.

They have a enemy whom they have demonized (sic. The United States) yet without the military (or, at the very least, technological) assistance of this very enemy, Shiasm itself may not survive. Their enemies can see this but the Iranian leadership is blinded by it's very own rhetoric and thus finds it impossible to 'do a deal with the devil.'   Pride.   America, on the other hand, agonizes as to how to stabilize Iraq without destroying it's relationships (economic, military and political) with the Sunni world – which, on the whole, is more 'practically minded' than their zealous Shia counterparts.   On the other hand, it is that very zeal which will motivate Iranian Shias (and many in Iraq not under the direct military control of the government) to stand and fight their ground in a way their Sunni counterparts will not.  Be in no doubt, these ISIL fanatics, highly motivated by religion, will not stop at Iraq.  The 'apostate Satan Iran' and the 'Satan Israel' will both be high priorities for their next crusades – adding to decades (maybe centuries) of new strife in the region.   They will be as inflexible about doing a deal with Iran as Iran currently is in negotiating for it's very survival with the United States.

Blinded by their own rhetoric, Iran's leadership cannot see that it's very existence is at stake.  If there every is a 'pact' between Iran and ISIL it will be a Molotov-Ribbentrop, holding position, in outlook, and, again, Iran will be the ultimate loser and will face total destruction at the hands of a very vengeful enemy – not the United States but their own Sunni 'co-religionists' backed by the rest of the powerful Sunni world united as one to rid itself of 'the Iranian heretics' for once and for all.

History would suggest that the Iranians will not 'see reason' until the 'Barbarians' are not just at the 'Gates of Rome' but are actually sacking the 'Eternal' city and putting all it's citizens to 'the sword'.

The sad fact is that today our politicians and many religious leaders have all painted themselves into corners, making it virtually impossible to escape the prisons of their own vanity, pride and rhetoric. This equally applies to the United States as it does to Iran. No superpower can survive as an insular island.  Likewise Shiasm will not survive as a religious force of world influence without the assistance of that one power which has the technological capabilities to assist it at this time of extreme crisis.   Be assured, even if the religious leadership in Qom and Tehran cannot see it, this is more a long-term crisis of survival for Iran than it is for the United States.  But both countries will ultimately be weakened should ISIL succeed in Iraq.  First Iran then the interests of the United States because in the (extremist) ISIL Sunni world Caliphates and Emirates will no doubt demand Islamic compliance codes both amongst themselves and in their dealings with 'Infidels' which the Christian world (it's citizens in particular) will ultimately find unacceptable for most interactions, except dealings in trade and commerce.

Hence my earlier statement about the ball being 'kicked' further down the road before hard choices and decisions have to be made and taken where ideologies based on religious extremism are not just in ascendancy but become the status quo.

America's (Sunni) allies in the region are all warning about doing a 'deal with the devil' (Iran).   The Shia religious leadership at Qom and Tehran are all warning their Clerics and politicians about doing a 'deal with the devil' (The United States.)  In the United States powerful politicians are equally warning about doing a 'deal with the devil' (Iran.) In this schizophrenic situation they are all damned if they do - but believe you me, they are all most certainly damned if they don't.

In the end it may well be that we will have to walk away from our responsibilities to the entire region and leave it to it's own bloody fate - only to return when the regional Puppet Masters have settled their leftover 'scores' from the era of the Prophet – or when so much innocent blood has again been shed amidst so much destruction and havoc reaked throughout the entire region, that they all have no choice but to grudgingly and universally sue for a temporal peace.

Patrick Emek

(amended June 24, 2014)