The Iranian Theocracy and the Inevitable Future

   For the longest time American politicians have believed that they could negotiate with the Iranian theocrats and convince them to join with civilized nations in productive relationships.  This reflects a hopelessly naive understanding of the world and life view of the Mullahs.   In order to understand where the relationship with Iran is going one must examine the fundamentals of Shiite Islam.

   In the first instance, Shiite Islam rejects all notions of natural law.   This means that they reject the idea that universe as it exists bears moral content.  Without a notion that the universe bears moral content there is no foundation for universal human rights.     For the Shiites, tribalism is not something they accidentally back into in the same manner that western leftists back into tribalism by subscribing to group identity politics.  For Shiites, tribalism is at the core of their belief.

   Shiites do not believe that all men are created equal....that none are endowed with a right to dominion and none are endowed with an obligation of servitude.  They are supremacists.  They believe they are endowed with a right to dominion and all others are endowed with an obligation of servitude.

  In the matter of eschatology greater difficulty arises.  Shiites believe that they are under moral obligation to usher in the end of days.  They see all efforts in this direction as man perfecting himself within history.

 On account of these aspects of religious belief they will not be dissuaded from building nuclear devices.  Further, they will not be dissuaded from using those devices.  They cannot be bribed to give this up.  They will build a bomb and they will use it.  They see this as their moral obligation.

  So the only question which remains is the issue of where they will use it first.  The most likely first use of these weapons will not be against Israel or the United States.  The most likely first use of these weapons will be against Saudi Arabia.  They will gamble that Israel and the United States as well as others will temporize and do nothing if the weapons are used against Saude Arabia.  They are probably right.