ON April 1 the government of Israel (in flagrant violation of international law) bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus. This killed 15 people including two generals.
This was an attack on sovereign Iranian territory. No government in the world would simply shrug its shoulders and accept such an act. Even the incredibly dense and utterly useless UK Foreign Secretary “Lord” David Cameron conceded the point, when asked how Britain would respond to such an attack.
The “line” coming from Nato countries is that their proxies can commit any action, kill as many people and do as much damage as they wish to without consequence. However should an official enemy respond then condemnation will swift and overwhelming. “Because we say so” is the Nato line.
READ MORE: Israeli drones 'playing sounds of babies crying before opening fire'
There hasn’t been a single word of condemnation from Washington, Westminster or Paris, let alone action to stop the Israeli genocide in Gaza over the last six months. In fact it is the opposite; the Western nations have supplied the bombs that continue to maim and kill tens of thousands in Palestine. They then provide diplomatic cover for these crimes to Israel.
The purpose of the Iranian attack on Israel was not to kill, it was to establish deterrence. Iran gave 72 hours’ notice and sent its slowest drones. Nobody was killed and one seven-year-old girl was injured by falling debris.
The cost to Iran of sending the drones was tens of millions of dollars. The cost to Israel/US/UK to defend Israel was anything from $1-$3 billion. Taxpayers in these countries may wish to ask how such sums can suddenly be “found” in a time of austerity, crumbling infrastructure and shrinking wages.
READ MORE: David Pratt: Israel-Iran face-off has sinister echoes of 1991
Any escalation of the conflict with Iran would lead to a collapse in the global economy. Right away Iran would block the Strait of Hormuz. This would mean 30% of the world’s oil supply would no longer be available. Petrol prices would skyrocket. There would be no diesel for trucks to deliver supplies. As a result there would be food shortages and massive price increases.
This is why Joe Biden has told Netanyahu the US will not join in any Israeli retaliation on Iran. However, Netanyahu knows that by doing nothing his government may collapse. Once out of power, Netanyahu is going to jail for corruption.
If Netanyahu does retaliate it will be for entirely selfish reasons of self-preservation, the consequence of which could be nuclear war. The only force capable of stopping this is a unified international anti-war campaign.
Alan Hinnrichs
Dundee
IT has been reported that following representations from Lord Cameron, our latter-day Palmerston, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel “would make its own decisions”.
I assume that if the country is attacked in future, the Israeli government will make its own decisions on defence and not summon a “regional coalition” to bring it military aid and economic succour.
John McArthur
Glasgow
ONCE again the Israelis are threatening to unleash a nuclear war. The excuse, as always, is that they have a right to defend themselves. Well, surprisingly, I have a right NOT TO DISAPPEAR IN A PUFF OF SMOKE. I am 74, I have the right to die peacefully in my bed, NOT under a mushroom cloud. Is that too much to ask?
Margaret Forbes
Blanefield
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here