The real question for those in power, those with wealth, those with ownership of the machines of war, those who benefit from war, is: "How do we get this Iranian war started?"
Obviously, we prefer a non-atomic war. But if that is the only choice, if that is the only choice we have, well then, how do we get it started? Let's think this through.
Russia and China have stymied any potentially effective way to stop or slow down Iran from developing an atomic weapons. A reasonable presumption can be made that those two countries believe they will not benefit from the impending use by Iran of its atomic capability, to the same extent as the Western countries, if it is slowed down or stopped in its rush to produce such capability. How do you figure that?
Right now, Russia and China are the main beneficiaries of that "rush" by virtue of being suppliers of technology and raw materials to Iran to build the bomb. They will automatically be called on to defend Iran if attacked by Western nations and Israel. Those nations can wipe out Iran's capability and end the current supply chain. They can also attack Russian and Chinese responses to Iranian material and usage capability - to enormous Western/American profit generated by such an attack. The greater the destruction, in any direction, the greater the profit.
Nothing is unknown here, except for one element.. All the parties know how, what, how much, where, and when, a war could be started and even how it can be sustained. No party knows when the war will end. It is also true that no party knows what the extent of the carnage will be. But that question is irrelevant. Great and bloody slaughter alone is not measurable in dollars. Therefore, its measurement is irrelevant. Now medical supplies and equipment used in war is measurable. But, since it is measured in profit for both sides, and the profit is relatively small when compared with the machines of war and destruction, as with destroyed flesh, its measurement is inconsequential.
Republican presidential candidates are calling for war with Iran. They are being supported by huge contributions from those people and companies that will benefit directly from apocalypse now. Obama is cast as cowardly, uncaring for Israel, weak in dealing with Iran, even un-American for not threatening Iran strongly enough( to prepare the American People for their next big war.
The American People must now do their patriotic duty again by calculating the dollar value of their sons and daughters, called into combat, never to return from the slot-machines of war.
Nachum Meyers
March 10, 2012
