Nobel laureate Obama’s deal with Iran

by B. R. GOWANI

President Obama called the Iran vote on Thursday “a victory for diplomacy, for American national security, and for the safety and security of the world.” Andrew Harnik/Associated Press/The New York Times

Geir Lundestad, a historian and former director of Norwegian Nobel Institute, talking about awarding the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama, told Associate Press (AP) that

“No Nobel Peace Prize ever elicited more attention than the 2009 prize to Barack Obama.”

Obama’s reaction upon receiving the Nobel prize:

“We can’t accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for — the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won’t have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.”

“And that’s why we’ve begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons, because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power, but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions.”

The prize was awarded to Obama to create hope in people and to make him more stronger in the wake of former President George W. Bush’s disastrous reign full of death, destruction, and financial loot. But the Nobel committee’s hopes were dashed. Lundestad bemoaned:

“Even many of Obama’s supporters believed that the prize was a mistake.” “In that sense the committee didn’t achieve what it had hoped for.”

One can’t blame Lundestad for lamenting the wrong choice. Obama was chosen as the recipient of the award when he was about eight and a half month in his first term. He hadn’t yet committed the serious crimes then. Yes, he had warned Iran to come out clean on its nuclear program and had, just three days after taking an oath, carried out drone strikes on Pakistani territory. Henry Kissinger and many others had committed great crimes and were then awarded the prize.

However, Obama has, since receiving the prize, committed too much violence and has created situations where Islamists have gained grounds in many countries and are committing heinous crimes and senseless violence which has resulted in chaos and displacement of people. Libya is just one example – thanks to “humanitarian” trinity. That country was attacked and destroyed, and is now in chaos.

But in case of Iran, by paving the way for relations and getting the nuclear deal signed, Obama has done a great thing. The Israel Lobby, many of the senators and House representatives (fearful of the Lobby and dependent on it for campaign money), and others tried their best to scare the people in the US of Iran’s nuclear program – not mentioning Israel nuclear weapons, which is an open secret.

To give the reader some idea about the anti-Iran propaganda, here is Congressperson, Representative Mike Kelly’s (Republican from Pennsylvania), an Israeli puppet, absolutely rubbish words:

“We are sacrificing the safety of 330 million Americans for the legacy of one man [Barack Obama].”

It’s the same nonsense: Appeasement of German leader Adolf Hitler by Britain’s Neville Chamberlain, Second World War, Holocaust, and so on. Without ever letting the people know the difference between Germany and Iran. Germany was very advanced technologically and was one of the most industrialized country in the world. Iran’s economy is more than 50% dependent on sale of oil, and the sale is dependent on US mercy – because it is under US imposed economic embargo.

Let’s go back to the deal. Some of the benefits, probably long term, that is, if the United States respects the treaty, are:

It will, to some extent, diminish the regressive Saudi influence on the Muslim world.

It will also reduce some of the power of the Israel Lobby in the US.

Israeli leaders openly oppose those US leaders who show any kind of sympathy towards the Palestinian people and request Israeli leaders to solve the Palestinian issue. Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu has not tried to hide his hatred for Obama. Obama was, most probably, bidding his time to show Netanyahu his place. And this deal has done that job.

In Iran, there is no prohibition on creating or selling images of Prophet Muhammad (founder of Islam) or Shia imams. (Iran is Shia whereas Saudi Arabia is Sunni. Worldwide, Sunni Muslims are about 85% and Shia Muslims are 15%. And recently, a movie, made by an Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, on the life of Muhammad has been released in Iran. It’s Indian music director A. R. Rahman has been issued with a fatwa by a Sunni organization in India for composing film’s music. Rahman hasn’t disowned the film. Let’s hope, this film will encourage more people to tolerate images.

(This doesn’t mean that Iran is a very progressive country; it’s just that compared to Saudi Arabia, it’s much less regressive and it’s influence is not that destructive.)

At least, for improving relations with Iran, Obama deserves a part of the Nobel.

B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com