The Monroe Doctrine

A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both
--James Madison

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend
--Henri Bergson

National Public Radio and other news sources are reporting that the U.S. administration is going to present evidence that Iran is meddling in the affairs of Iraq, and is instrumental in causing U.S. casualties. This seems a given.

Accepting Iran's aiding and abetting of Iraq as true, what then are the implications? What permits the U.S. to romp and stomp through Iraq, yet disallows the Iranians from involvement, branding them persona non grata?

U.S. intervention has been bloody and violent. Yet somehow, America sees this as legitimate. The entire region is now destabilized as a result of our efforts, and this is o.k. However, when Iran does anything at all, this is viewed as emanating from satanic intentions. Iran has a legitimate national security issue dealing with Iraq and a foreign army of invasion on its borders.

There was a time when America had a Monroe Doctrine that addressed issues of this nature in the North American arena. One must remember, also, that the Lincoln administration's key foreign policy was to keep foreign powers at arm's length from our Civil War. All international powers were warned off from intervention. This was done with the threat of war towards England.

In effect, today's policy is that we can kill and deal violence on a daily basis, but that is solely our prerogative, and Iran better opt out. Possibly America should realize that there actually is a United Nations in place to deal with such issues as mediating national rivalries. Ignoring or de-legitimizing the U.N. is not conducive to world peace. Moreover, a preemptive or knee-jerk war against Iran will not solve any national issues for U.S. policy, instead only multiplying them.

The U.S. wants secure borders with Mexico and Canada, but will not acknowledge that Iran has the same right vis-a-vis its neighbor, Iraq.

America must remove its helmet and deal realistically on the world scene as it is, and not as we wish it to be.