Iran has offered to help the Iraqi government fight the Sunni insurgents. The US is considering helping the Iraqi government fight the Sunni insurgents.
What? Am I going crazy? Do I need to lie down on my own analytic couch? Am I hallucinating and in need of medication?
Is this the same Iran that has promised the destruction of Israel and refuses to stop developing the capacity to make nuclear weapons?
Maybe I’m spelling it wrong? I R A N.
Nope. I just Googled Iran and it’s exactly the same country.
Well, it’s a relief that I haven’t regressed into a psychotic state. It’s not a relief that my country, that I love, has lost its moral and logical way.
As a psychiatrist, values and consistency are very important. If I were treating the leaders of our country (group therapy with the president, VP, Secretary of State, secretary of defense and the leader of the house and senate) I’d focus on one glaring fact, they are all political prostitutes. Oil rules, guns rule and votes rule. Money, like the amounts that the Koch Brothers have, can buy a lot of political commerce.
The refusal for the Republicans and Democrats to reason with each other is not unlike the inability of the Sunnis and Shiites to reason. Of course the Republicans and Democrats don’t go around killing each other, but they do force our government to shut down and create chaos in the world markets.
The answer? Clarify the values our country should support and live by them. Wait… Aren’t we the same country that supported slavery for 300 years?
Maybe I do need my couch…to take a nap. Maybe this whole thing is just a dream, well actually a nightmare.
Art Smukler is the award-winning writer of Chasing Backwards, a psychological murder mystery, Skin Dance, a mystery, and The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. All are available as paperbacks and eBooks.
Sent from my iPhone
Art Smukler, MD - Books & Thoughts 
Art,
Why do I generally start my comments with “where do I begin”? U.S. and Iran does make for strange bedfellows. And you’re right about oil rules. After knowing how you continuously probe with questions, I think you’d get totally frustrated doing group therapy with our leaders as all or most of the responses would either be lies or non-responses.
The news is reporting that Iran already has 2000 troops in Iraq and we have an aircraft carrier steaming toward the area. We already incurred tremendous financial and human costs (with dead and wounded U.S. soldiers) with toppling Saddam and training the “security forces”, who are now throwing down their arms and fleeing. Reminds me of South Vietnam in 1974.
Worst case scenario is the terrorists take over the country, perhaps Syria also and then continue to spread religion by the sword. Best case?? scenario is an Iraq that splinters into Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish regions/countries that somehow find a way to tolerate each other.
Are we going to see a similar picture in Afghanistan with the Taliban taking control again as we pull out?
I hate to take the position that these entities have been fighting each other for 1000’s of years and there will continue to be bloodshed and repression of human and womens’ rights, but the U.S. no longer has the capability to be the policeman of the world. Perhaps, we need to focus our priorities on protecting our country against terrorism and reach a point where we don’t need oil or at least have enough other energy sources that domestic oil production satisfies our demand.
You sure know how to stir up the muck!!!!
My best,
Mike
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Thanks Mike. As usual, a cogent, insightful observation. Thanks
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always right on
Barbara
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Thanks!
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