Humble Opinions

For some reason, there are many Americans that feel both Israel and America should leave Iran alone to do as it pleases, and certainly not even consider any sort of military action against it. I think those individuals do not have a clear picture of what Iran is, and stands for. Let’s rewind:

Ayatollah Ali Khomeini

Iran’s most powerful figure (whose title is Supreme Leader) is Ayatollah Khomeini. Ayatollah is just a title, his real first name is Ali. He is the successor to a man named Ruhollah Khomeini, who was the 1st Ayatollah Khomeini, and who first came to power in Iran in 1979. In 1963, the Iranian government passed several social and economy reforms in attempt to stimulate and further develop their economy with the help of the United States. Ruhollah Khomeini formed an underground revolution that boycotted the new laws. The United States arrested him, and held him for 8 months. After he was released, the Iranian Prime Minister asked Ruhollah to publicly apologize for starting the economic boycotts. Not only did he refuse, but he had the Prime Minister and four other government officials assassinated. He was exiled to Iraq.

In 1979, a revolution drove the ruling Shah government out of Iran. The US embassy was seized, and 52 American hostages were held for just under 15 months. Shortly after the success of the revolution, Ruhollah returned from exile, and became the Supreme Leader of Iran. He held that position until 1989, when he died of a heart attack. His successor, the current Ayatollah (Ali) Khomeini was his greatest disciple.

Training for Hizballah

By 1982, the terrorist group named the PLO, who were based in southern Lebanon, had committed literally hundreds if not thousands of acts of terrorism against Israel. The terrorism peaked when the Abu Nidal Organization, a faction of the PLO, attempted the assassination of Israel’s ambassador to the UK in London. The attempted assassination left the Israeli UK ambassador paralyzed for life. In response to this and the rising terrorism being perpetrating against its civilians, Israel invaded southern Lebanon, with the sole mission of expelling the PLO, and bringing the state to somewhat normalcy. This began the First Lebanon War. In response to the Israeli invasion, a group formed in southern Lebanon named Hizballah. The important thing to know is that Hizballah is funded, armed, and trained by Iran. Iran is the home to Hizballah training camps.

A peacekeeping force intervened, and occupied southern Lebanon in addition to a ceasefire being signed. The peace keeping troops were French, Italian, and American. They were to occupy Lebanon for a specified period of time. America ended up leaving 2 weeks before the pullout date, after Hizballah drove 2 truck bombs into buildings in Beirut that housed French and American soldiers. The explosions killed over 300 people - 241 of whom were American servicemen!

In 2006, Hizballah fired rockets into several Israeli settlements immediately south of Lebanon, as a diversion for their militants crossing into Israel using secret tunnels they had dug. They ambushed two Israeli army vehicles, killing three soldiers and kidnapping two. The militants shot out all the cameras, and dragged the two hostages through the tunnel into Lebanon. They immediately loaded the soldiers into a car, and drove them deep into Lebanon, changing cars several times. This sparked the 34-day 2nd Lebanon war, which ended in UN Resolution 1701 which stated that Israel would withdraw from Lebanon (since they had invaded), and that the Lebanese government would disarm Hizballah. Since then, Israel has completely withdrawn from those territories, however no disarmament has taken place in Hizballah. Instead, they have received more funds and arms from Iran. The UN later said the disarmament of Hizballah was up to the Lebanese government, but nothing has changed. In 2008, Israel traded convicted murderer Samir Kuntar, four Hizballah militants captured by Israel during the war, and the bodies of about 200 other Lebanese and Palestinian militants for the remains of the two soldiers that were kidnapped from Israel. Seems like a pretty good deal for those that ignited the war, and lost.

The governing power that funds, supplies people, and arms to Hizballah is the same governing power that is today avidly working to assemble a nuclear weapon. Keep in mind Iran’s governing body is still run by Ruhollah’s successor Ayatollah Ali Khomeini. This ruling power is a radical revolution that is under 30 years old.

I personally think they should be completely halted in every possible way without hesitation. If Iran is successful in developing a nuclear weapon, it will set the stage for an eventual nuclear Jordan, Egypt, and Syria, and that will definitely be bad news for all of the world. Nuclear weapons were insanely powerful in 1945, and at this point, the technology has had 63 years to advance. The outcome of even one being detonated is unthinkable.

Let’s hope something good happens very soon…

Tags: ayatollah khomeini, hizballah, iran

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