AMU Military

Iran Treaty: The Perils of Wishing Away the Lessons of History

By Dr. Robert “Smitty” Smith, faculty member at American Military University

The treaty with Iran is fraught with danger because our leaders are trying to wish away history. Since 1979, the United States has been at war with Iran. Yet, somehow, national leaders are refusing to take notice of it and are failing to confront Iran.

We accommodate and refuse to confront. Even Thomas Jefferson, who was no militarist, had no trouble destroying the Barbary pirates who were a threat to the fledging United States’ economically and had insulted the nation by their actions in the context of world diplomacy. So why are we enabling Iran?

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, waits for the start of a meeting to pin down a nuclear deal with Iran, on March 30, 2015
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center, waits for the start of a meeting to pin down a nuclear deal with Iran, on March 30, 2015

In Libya, the U.S. overthrew a leader who was no threat and had a stable country of sorts, but ignored the Green Revolution where it should have taken up the cause for democracy. Why the U.S. didn’t do so in Iran gets little press, yet needs examining. By this failure, we’ve allowed for the destabilization of Iraq, the growth of ISIS, the greater Syrian civil war, and increased drug trade of deadly narcotics to the U.S.

The excuse for this? Well, we destabilized Iran in 1953 so this allows for every single action by them since then. One would think the Iranian people would love to return to what is now perceived as the sunny days of the Shah and his secret police versus the crippling theocracy.

We seem unable and unwilling to accept the fact that there are nations and regimes that will never play nice. We ignore that Iran’s theocratic leadership obvious mens rea, which no matter how you try to paint it is fascistic. Even while negotiating, they threatened the U.S. with destruction via an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. We ignore Iran’s funded proxies who wage war against us.

The treaty, which will pass, is maddening to many in the military who have confronted Iran. Hundreds of Americans were killed directly by Iran in Iraq. The Iranians sent to the Islamic insurgents explosive force projectiles (EFPs). EFPs were a game changer, and killed and maimed many of our men and women.

I knew the factories they came from. I knew the routes they were smuggled in. I even knew the networks—and we did nothing.

The Bush administration refused to confront evil. The Obama administration seems to embrace it. For myself, I had a friend whose son was killed by one of these Iranian devices. Moreover, my son watched the Stryker in front of him get ambushed by one of these, vaporizing the front half of the vehicle and the four soldiers in it.

Truly, what we have is a failure to communicate basic premises of the world. Are the Western political class and supposed intellectual elites so poorly educated about history not to see the lessons? Or are they just willfully blind to the obvious?

About the Author: LTC Robert G. Smith has served in the capacity of an armor officer, logistician, military intelligence and engineer officer. He is a graduate of the Armor Basic Course, the Armor Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College and Army Combined Arms Staff College and the Advanced Joint Professional Military Course in Joint Warfare. Robert Smith_2

After 9/11 he was recalled to active duty, serving as the lead Army military historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History for the attack on the Pentagon. He has subsequently served as the Vth Corps historian for the initial invasion of Iraq and in the Deputy Directorate of Special Operation (DDSO) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While on the DDSO he wrote a highly classified study on SOF in the Global War on Terror. Among his awards are the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal and Combat Action Badge. He is currently a faculty member at American Military University, teaching courses in intelligence, national security and military science studies. He recently received the university’s 2014 Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award.

Wes O'Donnell

Wes O’Donnell is an Army and Air Force veteran and writer covering military and tech topics. As a sought-after professional speaker, Wes has presented at U.S. Air Force Academy, Fortune 500 companies, and TEDx, covering trending topics from data visualization to leadership and veterans’ advocacy. As a filmmaker, he directed the award-winning short film, “Memorial Day.”

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