Iraq and Afghanistan

Yesterday’s paper bought us the news that “the cause of regime change in Iran is expected to be revived if President Bush is reelected.” It reports that Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has submitted a bill that would give congressional support to “regime change” in Iran. The report suggests that the first step administration conservatives contemplate would be to try to start a revolution. But I imagine that when that doesn't work, perhaps the “imminent threat” of Iran developing a nuclear weapon (such as Pakistan, India, and Israel already have) will be enough to launch another invasion.

The idea of invading Iran is foolish on many counts. First, Iran is a much larger country than Iraq and its people are much more united. Second, while it is to some degree a theocracy, Iran is also to some extent a democracy. Iran’s media are controlled to an extent, but also remarkably vibrant. Iran’s women are in chadors, but light years ahead of much of the Middle East in the extent to which they participate in public life. Both through the efforts of the shah and the clergy, the country is now quite well educated, with millions of Iranians ready and willing to participate in the modern world.

Yes, we should support greater freedom in Iran and work with the world to contain its nuclear ambitions (which are supported by many Iranian liberals as well as conservatives), but no one should contemplate the United States plunging Iran into the kind of turmoil we see in Iraq because Washington has policy disputes with Tehran.