Iran and Energy

What most disappoints me most about the international attempts to deal with Iran on the nuclear issue is the apprehension over Iran's control of so much oil. Nations are seemingly really loathe to declare sanctions against a country with such a large oil exporting capacity, and they fear that Iran itself might try to restrict oil exports to most of the world, thus driving up prices for its enemies and potentially lowering them for its allies. If we were doing more to wean ourselves off of oil, the potential threat Iran poses would be lessened, at least economically.

The other thing, possibly the most ignorant argument I've ever heard, is that why does Iran need nuclear energy when they have so much oil at their disposal. Well let's see, perhaps they too are considering the creation of alternative energy sources in preparation for a time when using oil can become prohibitively expensive. Or perhaps they're doing it to free up more oil to export and profit off of, instead of burning it all up at home. The only ones who really know are the Iranians. If you're going to accuse Iran of doing something wrong, don't make it out to be about nuclear energy, focus on the real issue: nuclear weapons.

I don't disagree that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. They exist in an increasingly -- sadly enough -- nuclear world, and an increasingly nuclear Middle East. Though not officially, some claim -- one could even say have proven -- Israel to have at least 300-to-400 nuclear devices through the help and assistance of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Iraq, then Iran's enemy when Saddam was dictator, also was pushing for nuclear weapons prior to his nation being crippled during the 1991 Gulf War. Also, one must consider that both Pakistan and India are nuclear, and Iran is separated from Pakistan only by Afghanistan, where U.S. forces are centered in that region.

On the other side, Iran has the occupied nation of Iraq, which is currently controlled (mostly) by U.S. troops. Indeed, if I were Iran, I would be worried about my neighbors using their nuclear stockpiles in negotiations, as well as fearing my neighbors could become U.S. invasion corridors. So Iran's position on nuclear energy and -- although not widely spoken -- nuclear weapons is a dangerous, unfortunate, and destructive policy, in a way I can almost see why they would go such a way.

Is there a solution? Not an easy one, I'm afraid. The United States seems to have designs for Iran, and Iran has designs for Israel. The entire region hangs on the constant brink of annihilation so long as nuclear weapons are an option worldwide. The thinking generally goes, "If my enemies can have huge stockpiles of nuclear weapons, why can't I?" The United States, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom are setting a poor example in the world by maintaining their nuclear stockpiles as a "deterrent" against nuclear war. But other, smaller nations -- seen as less responsible -- are questioning "why not us, too?"

Can't we start downplaying nuclear weapons as a deterrent before that deterrent is so widely spread that eventually it will fail to be so? Couldn't we start to willingly give up our nuclear arsenal, much like South Africa did with its six warheads in the early 1990s? I doubt much progress would be made with such moves in today's world, not easily. But then again, what's wrong with trying?