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“We have never understood the white man, who fools no one but himself.”
- Crow Chief Plenty Coups Given that the treaty system with Native Americans was an effective tool of exploitation and conquest, often to be set aside indefinitely, what’s one more broken treaty with Iran from the land of many broken treaties? To be sure, U.S. imposed misunderstandings and dishonest interpretations became the rule and not the exception of treaty making. Moreover, the executive and congressional penchants for making last-minute additions and deletions to complex conditions, coupled with details that were lost in translations into Indian languages, were destined to explode in bloody hostilities between whites and Native Americans. Consequently, so-called peace treaties inflicted genocidal wars. When the P5+1 Treaty’s Signed-The Real War Begins Iran, however, doesn’t seem worried over the U.S. decertifying and breaking the P5+1 nuclear treaty. In fact, the Islamic Republic is challenging the conventional story of the U.S.’ west ward migration across the North American continent as being one of uplift and progress, which is now playing out east ward against their own nation-state. Unlike Native Americans, who trusted the U.S. Government’s most reliable yet deceptive tool used to secure their sacred lands, neither is Iran allowing cheap U.S. speculators to acquire their children’s future in the form of lands and resources. When the peace treaty was signed, and with their view of American history, they knew the war had just started. A Treaty With U.S. Is Like a Pact With the Devil With the recent International Atomic Energy Agency’s announcement that Iran was “in all ways living up to its nuclear-related commitment,” Iran is moreover scoffing at the U.S.’ broken treaty system. Realizing it’s always been a tool of exploitation and conquest, some Iranians even believe the treaty with the U.S. was like making a pact with the devil. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ senior commander declared that his forces have “buried many like Donald Trump and know how to fight against America.” The nation’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reminded the U.S. that Iran’s ballistic missile range has been restricted to 1,240 miles, restricted only to the Middle East. Iran and the World Isn’t Buying U.S.’ Distortions Though President Trump and Senate are taking steps against the international nuclear deal with Iran, laying out a more aggressive approach, Russia, China and European allies are already balking. So too is the International Monetary Fund that’s going to go ahead and loan money to Iran. For now, neither are they buying the president’s false claims. At stake is the P5+1 treaty that’s keeping Iran from developing nuclear weapons-eliminating two-thirds of its centrifuges and 98 percent of its enriched-uranium stockpile. Nixing the treaty could also make Iran reconstitute its nuclear program. Given the violence in the region, does the U.S. really need another irresponsible “military option”? Great White Fathers Won’t Fool Iran After observing two centuries of broken treaties with Native American Tribes, Iran is in a much better position. They won’t be lured by so-called peace councils or dishonest land cessions. They also have alliances with Russia and China. What’s more, they maintain strong geopolitical ties with various groups and numerous infrastructural projects. The Islamic Republic is also ready to resist by force any legislative malfeasance or U.S. expansionist aims. Rejecting corrupt annuities in exchange for a false peace, they know from American history that each successive treaty renewed will be a call for more war instead of peace, especially as they refuse to forgo any part of their homeland. Peace Is First Made in the Heart Given that peace is first made in the heart and not at council tables, Iran understand from studying American history that the U.S. has always displayed a vituperative dissonance over settling on workable solutions. The treaty system was-and is-no difference. What the U.S. Government promises or gives with one hand, is soon taken away with the other.[1] Iran doesn’t plan to allow their own nation to succumb to congressional or executive responsibility. To be sure, they won’t become another victim of the 371 treaties that were recognized by more than 500 Native Tribes, each one broken. Nor will they vanquish, as the Great White Fathers and white men expected Native Americans to do.[2] In the land of many broken treaties, what's one more broken treaty with Iran may at least this time turn out to be too costly. Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John’s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.WN.com. You can read more of Dallas’ writings at www.beverlydarling.com and www.WN.com//dallasdarling. Notes: (1) VanDevelder, Paul. Savages and Scoundrels, The Untold Story Of America’s Road To Empire Through Indian Territory. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2009., p. 209. (2) Ibid., p. 210. |