John Bolton Goes to War

Published in El Pais
(Spain) on 15 May 2019
by Lluis Bassets (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Brandee McGee. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
In 2003, he was an advocate for the Iraq War, and now, still saying one thing publicly but thinking something else, is working discreetly for another war he deeply wants in order to overthrow the regime of the Ayatollahs

They don't want another war. Or that's what they say, although their gestures refute that sentiment. The escalation has already taken place. The amount of friction is growing and so is the risk that goes with it. The Spanish government did well in withdrawing its naval frigate from the U.S. convoy, which diverted from its initial mission of circumnavigating the globe in order to enter the danger zone, thereby putting pressure on Iran. It acted quickly and that is how is should have been: Washington was the one that changed the mission, and it is the one that should defend against decisions and threats that had nothing to do with government in Madrid.

Spain was there from day one, and through the European Union, was part of the group of countries that achieved the feat that was the multilateral Iran nuclear deal. There was also decisive participation from a top European foreign policy representative, the Javier Solana of Spain, in the first phase of negotiations, before George W. Bush authorized diplomatic involvement.

The unilateral and arbitrary rupture of the agreement as the result of Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw, and the encouragement and applause from two hawks like Benjamin Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Salman, negatively affect all of the European partners, including Spain.

It would be ironic if the man who promoted the nuclear deal and who has been damaged by its rupture is now viewed as someone who is obligated to applaud the warmongering gesture and threat against Iran, which has not violated the agreement. The Islamic regime in Iran deserves all due repudiation for its complete lack of respect for the human rights or civil liberty of its citizens, as well as for its provocations and wars for power in the region. But the Saudi despot who ordered the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and organized mass executions of those who oppose him is not likely to take a lesson; neither is Benjamin Netanyahu, who has systematically violated international resolutions and thoroughly destroyed another transcendent diplomatic agreement, the 1993 Oslo Accords between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Trump, focusing on his personal desires, says that he does not want another war in the Middle East. Khamenei, like the astute clergymen who know God's plans, already knows that a war will not happen, and there are reasons to believe there will be no war: the U.S. wants to leave the region, where it has already withdrawn from three conflicts, two in the Gulf and another in Afghanistan; Iran still retains vivid memories of fighting against Iraq between 1980 and 1988; there are two incendiary wars that continue to burn on in Syria and Yemen which is a sufficient argument against being enchanted by a third conflict in which they will ultimately have to face the great coalition of Saudis, Emirates, and Israelis protected by Trump against an Iran that will immediately seek regional alliances and the support of China and Russia.

As pacifist as the declarations by one party or another may be, one must act in response to actions. With Trump is not only exhibiting growing and unexpected provocation in the Middle East. His erratic and noisy presidency is creating new risks in at least three other places on the planet, from Venezuela to Korea, crossing the sea to southern China. Given the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal and its disastrous economic repercussions on the life of Iranians, reformist President Hassan Rouhani has lost momentum, paving the way for warmongering radicals like Qasem Soleimani, commander of Guardians of the Revolution special forces that intervene in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

John Bolton, the warmonger-in-chief, has also been preparing for these dirty tasks his entire life, and has been settled in his new office as national security advisor for a year. Bolton advocated for the Iraq War and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and now, still saying one thing publicly but thinking something else, is working discreetly for this other war that he wants so badly in order to overthrow the regime of the Ayatollahs.


No quieren otra guerra. O eso dicen, aunque sus gestos les desmientan. La escalada ya es un hecho. La superficie de fricción aumenta y con ella el riesgo. Hizo bien el Gobierno español en sacar a la fragata del grupo naval de la Armada estadounidense que se desvió de su misión inicial de circunnavegación del mundo para penetrar en la zona de riesgo y actuar así como elemento de presión sobre Irán. Lo hizo a toda prisa y así debía ser: quien cambió la misión fue Washington y quien debía resguardarse ante decisiones y amenazas que no le afectaban era el Ejecutivo de Madrid.


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España estuvo desde el primer día y a través de la UE en el grupo de países que consiguió la proeza del acuerdo nuclear multilateral con Irán. Hubo también una participación decisiva del alto representante de la Política Exterior Europea, el español Javier Solana, en la primera fase, antes de que George W. Bush autorizara la implicación de su diplomacia. La ruptura unilateral y arbitraria del acuerdo, por decisión de Donald Trump y gracias al estímulo y aplauso de dos halcones como Benjamin Netanyahu y de Mohamed bin Salman, afecta negativamente a todos los socios europeos y también a España.

Sería una ironía que quien promovió el acuerdo y ha sido perjudicado por su ruptura se viera ahora obligado a aplaudir el gesto belicista y la amenaza contra quien todavía no lo ha vulnerado, que es Irán. El régimen islámico de Irán merece toda la repulsa por su nulo respeto de los derechos humanos y de las libertades civiles de sus ciudadanos, así como por sus provocaciones y guerras por procuración en la región. Pero pocas lecciones puede recibir del déspota saudí que ordenó el asesinato de Jamal Khashogi y organiza ejecuciones masivas de quienes se le oponen. Tampoco de Netanyahu, sistemático vulnerador de resoluciones internacionales y concienzudo enterrador de otro acuerdo diplomático trascendente como fueron los acuerdos de paz de Oslo de 1993 entre israelíes y palestinos.

Trump, atento a sus deseos íntimos, dice que no quiere otra guerra en Oriente Próximo. Jamenei, como sucede con los clérigos perspicaces ante los designios de la providencia, ya sabe que no se producirá. Debería haber razones para creerles: EE UU quiere irse de la región, donde ha librado ya tres guerras, dos en el Golfo y otra más en Afganistán; Irán todavía mantiene vivo el recuerdo de la suya contra Irak entre 1980 y 1988; hay dos incendios bélicos que arden en Siria y Yemen, argumento suficiente para que no prenda un tercero, en el que al fin se enfrenten abiertamente la gran coalición de los saudíes, emiratíes e israelíes amparados por Trump contra un Irán que buscará en seguida alianzas regionales y apoyo de chinos y rusos.

Por muy pacifistas que sean las declaraciones de uno y otro, hay que atenerse a los hechos. Con Trump no es tan solo en Oriente Próximo donde crece la exposición a la chispa imprevista que provoque el incendio. Al menos en otros tres puntos del planeta, su errática y vociferante presidencia está creando nuevos riesgos, desde Venezuela hasta Corea, pasando por el Mar de China Meridional. Con la ruptura del acuerdo nuclear y sus nefastas repercusiones económicas en la vida de los iraníes, pierde fuelle el presidente reformista Hasán Rohaní y llega la hora de radicales belicistas, como Qasem Soleimaní, comandante de las fuerzas especiales de los Guardianes de la Revolución que intervienen en Siria, Irak o Líbano.

Para estas sucias tareas también se prepara toda su vida John Bolton, el belicista en jefe, arrellanado desde hace un año en su nuevo despacho de consejero nacional de Seguridad de la Casa Blanca. Bolton fue en 2003 el apóstol de la guerra de Irak para derrocar a Sadam Husein y ahora, todavía con la boca pequeña, trabaja discretamente para esa otra guerra que tanto desea con la que quiere derrocar el régimen de los ayatolás.
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