If there's one thing about the Middle East that everybody, no matter who they are, can agree on, it's that the dynamics of the region are constantly changing. So much can happen in just a matter of weeks - whether it be half of Yemen falling to Iranian-aligned rebels, or the P5+1 finally drafting a proposal for a nuclear deal with Iran. While it doesn't take much thought to recognize how dangerous this deal is, this blog isn't about that deal. It's about why Iran can't be trusted. There are many reasons why Iran isn't trustworthy, but among them are its aggressive imperialistic actions in several countries, decades-old support for terrorism, and atrocious human rights record.
First and foremost, it's no big secret that Iran is becoming increasingly aggressive in spreading its sphere of influence in the region. From Syria and Iraq to Saudi Arabia and more recently Yemen, Iran has proven that it has no respect whatsoever for the sovereignty of any nation, anywhere, including the United States. In 2011, Iran plotted to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S right in our capital, Washington D.C. Yemen, once a key ally for the U.S in the fight against terrorism, was overthrown by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels just a few weeks ago. Through its countless terrorist proxies, Iran's aggressive expansionist policy knows no boundaries, and alone, stands as reason enough not to trust the Iranian regime, but there's another, even more obscene act that Iran engages in, one that's even struck at the very heart of our nation.
Iran stands today as not only being one of the oldest and most active state sponsors of terrorism, but is also guilty of carrying out attacks itself. Through its extensive network of terrorist proxies, Iran has ordered countless attacks across the globe. In 1983, a suicide bomber who rammed a truck filled with explosives into the U.S embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 63 Americans. Just a few months later in Beirut, 241 U.S marines were killed when an Iranian suicide bomber drove a truck into the base, then detonating it. Overwhelming evidence pointed towards Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, as being behind both of these attacks. More recently, in 2012, a Hezbollah suicide bomber detonated himself on a bus in Bulgaria, killing the driver, five Israelis, and wounding over thirty people. Bulgarian investigators concluded that Hezbollah, under direct orders from Iran, carried out the attack.
Besides personally ordering attacks, Iran has on multiple times, been found to be providing weapons and training to multiple different terrorist organizations, in particular, Hamas. No matter what grounds a country claims, aiding terrorist groups in any way is a violation of international law, which judging by Iran's abysmal human rights record, doesn't seem to think applies to them, which leads us into the third reason why Iran is untrustworthy.
We often take for granted in the West being able to express our minds freely. Make those same statements in Iran, and you'll be lucky to escape with lashes and prison time. Even as Iran negotiates with us, it continues it's oppressive policies towards religious minorities, particularly Christians. Speaking of Christians, don't plan on becoming one in Iran, it's illegal to convert to any religion besides Islam under the government-enforced sharia(Islamic) law. Over a hundred Christians are, to this day, jailed purely for religious reasons, including an American pastor. In 2014 alone, over seven hundred people, including thirteen children, were executed for offenses not even considered crimes in any westernized country. Women are denied even the most basic of civil rights and are often considered as little more than "property" of their husbands. While adultery in the west is often met with little more than a divorce, in Iran, women who are even suspected of cheating on their husbands are subjected to an instant death penalty, and not just any death penalty, but stoning, to be exact.
So aside from all of this, let's not forget than Iran has a history of lying to us about its nuclear activities, including operating secret underground facilities from which international nuclear inspectors, to this day, are barred from entering. If their nuclear program is really as peaceful as they claim. why are they hiding many of their facilities from us? Why would they hide a peaceful nuclear project?
While some politicians might think that Iran would keep its word and uphold its part of a nuclear deal, judging by it's relentless pursuit of terror and imperialistic intentions, Iran's motives behind its nuclear program couldn't be more obvious. We need to stop and ask ourselves a simple question: "Who are we really negotiating with?"
First and foremost, it's no big secret that Iran is becoming increasingly aggressive in spreading its sphere of influence in the region. From Syria and Iraq to Saudi Arabia and more recently Yemen, Iran has proven that it has no respect whatsoever for the sovereignty of any nation, anywhere, including the United States. In 2011, Iran plotted to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S right in our capital, Washington D.C. Yemen, once a key ally for the U.S in the fight against terrorism, was overthrown by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels just a few weeks ago. Through its countless terrorist proxies, Iran's aggressive expansionist policy knows no boundaries, and alone, stands as reason enough not to trust the Iranian regime, but there's another, even more obscene act that Iran engages in, one that's even struck at the very heart of our nation.
Iran stands today as not only being one of the oldest and most active state sponsors of terrorism, but is also guilty of carrying out attacks itself. Through its extensive network of terrorist proxies, Iran has ordered countless attacks across the globe. In 1983, a suicide bomber who rammed a truck filled with explosives into the U.S embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 63 Americans. Just a few months later in Beirut, 241 U.S marines were killed when an Iranian suicide bomber drove a truck into the base, then detonating it. Overwhelming evidence pointed towards Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, as being behind both of these attacks. More recently, in 2012, a Hezbollah suicide bomber detonated himself on a bus in Bulgaria, killing the driver, five Israelis, and wounding over thirty people. Bulgarian investigators concluded that Hezbollah, under direct orders from Iran, carried out the attack.
Besides personally ordering attacks, Iran has on multiple times, been found to be providing weapons and training to multiple different terrorist organizations, in particular, Hamas. No matter what grounds a country claims, aiding terrorist groups in any way is a violation of international law, which judging by Iran's abysmal human rights record, doesn't seem to think applies to them, which leads us into the third reason why Iran is untrustworthy.
We often take for granted in the West being able to express our minds freely. Make those same statements in Iran, and you'll be lucky to escape with lashes and prison time. Even as Iran negotiates with us, it continues it's oppressive policies towards religious minorities, particularly Christians. Speaking of Christians, don't plan on becoming one in Iran, it's illegal to convert to any religion besides Islam under the government-enforced sharia(Islamic) law. Over a hundred Christians are, to this day, jailed purely for religious reasons, including an American pastor. In 2014 alone, over seven hundred people, including thirteen children, were executed for offenses not even considered crimes in any westernized country. Women are denied even the most basic of civil rights and are often considered as little more than "property" of their husbands. While adultery in the west is often met with little more than a divorce, in Iran, women who are even suspected of cheating on their husbands are subjected to an instant death penalty, and not just any death penalty, but stoning, to be exact.
So aside from all of this, let's not forget than Iran has a history of lying to us about its nuclear activities, including operating secret underground facilities from which international nuclear inspectors, to this day, are barred from entering. If their nuclear program is really as peaceful as they claim. why are they hiding many of their facilities from us? Why would they hide a peaceful nuclear project?
While some politicians might think that Iran would keep its word and uphold its part of a nuclear deal, judging by it's relentless pursuit of terror and imperialistic intentions, Iran's motives behind its nuclear program couldn't be more obvious. We need to stop and ask ourselves a simple question: "Who are we really negotiating with?"
