Contributor Op Ed originally published in Medium.com
Russell Meyers~ 
Not going to claim to be a professional journalist. I am a nurse and a long time social activist on many subjects. I focus on issues. Issues unite, names divide
May 21
Pompeo, Iran Sanctions Are A Turning Point
Today, Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State (sorry if I vomit in my mouth a little as I type those words) issued a statement of US policy toward Iran. That statement included a list of 12 demands for Iran or face the toughest US sanctions so far.
First, let’s examine the demands and a few observations about the demands.
1- Declare to the IAEA a full account of prior military dimensions of it’s nuclear program and permanently, verifiably abandon such work in perpetuity.
Iran has not made any agreement nor has there been any prior demand to account for all dimensions of it’s program. Mostly this was done under the JCPOA. So was verification that they had abandoned their nuclear weapons program. That WAS confirmed by the IAEA inspectors.
2- Stop enrichment of plutonium preprocessing, including closing it’s heavy water reactor.
What this means is abandoning their nuclear power system. Something they have every right to keep in place.
3- Provide the IAEA unqualified access to all sites throughout the entire country.
This had already been achieved through the JCPOA.
4- End proliferation of ballistic missiles and halt further launching or development of nuclear-capable missile systems.
Nuclear CAPABLE? You know what makes a missile nuclear CAPABLE? The ability to carry a nuclear warhead. Which basically describes every damn missile in existence!!!
Give up their ballistic missile systems? Will Israel be required to do the same? No, not at all. So that is telling Iran to surrender their ability to defend themselves against a country that has at some point attacked and/or invaded EVERY country near them at some point in my lifetime and is becoming more aggressive than ever right now.
5- Release all US citizens and US allies.
What were Americans doing in Iran? ALLIES? That would include Israeli and Saudi spies caught inside Iran. Want them released? Then negotiate and bring something to the table besides threats.
6- End support to Middle Eastern “terrorist” groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Pardon me but both Hamas and Hezbollah are political parties with militant components. Both groups were formed as a RESPONSE to threats and actual attempts at invasion and attack by Israel in their respective countries. Neither was formed as an aggressive organization. Can they be aggressive? Of course they can but that is not typically their role, no matter what MSM likes to claim.
7- Respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi government and allow for the disarming, demobilization and reintegration of the Shia militias.
This is TOO RICH!!! The US government calling for respecting the sovereignty of another country’s government?!!! Especially Iraq?!!! Whom WE invaded illegally and removed their government to install a puppet regime?!!
Disarming and demobilization of the Shias? Basically calling for surrender to US proxy forces.
8- End support for Houthi rebels in Yemen and work towards a peaceful political settlement in Yemen.
Try not to choke on this one. Has he paid any attention? Saudi Arabia is committing genocide in Yemen and he expects any resistance to lay down their arms in the belief that the Saudis who have slaughtered civilian women and children will cease hostilities? No, he does not believe that would happen. He knows it would not. That would be suicide for them.
9- Withdraw all forces under Iran’s command from the entirety of Syria.
Iran’s forces are there legally and by agreement with the democratically elected Syrian government. The US has no right to be there. Israel has no right to be there. Turkey has no right to be there. All are invaders under international law. The same is true for the UK, Dutch and French forces.
10- End support for terrorist groups in Afghanistan “and the region”and stop harboring senior Al Qaeda leaders.
The same Al Qaeda that we were arming directly and openly? The same ones whose weapons consist of at least 70% US weapons?
11- End the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Quds force support for terrorists and militant partners around the world.
Yeah, that is basically conspiracy theory and nothing more.
12- End threatening behavior against Iran’s neighbors, many of whom are US allies (sic). Including threats to destroy Israel and firing missiles at Saudi and UAE and threats to international shipping and cyberattacks throughout the world.
Okay, so now it’s IRAN conducting cyberattacks around the world? I thought that was Russia’s job!! Damn, Russia, you had ONE JOB and you left it to Iran?!!! Lazy bastards!! (sic)
The only missiles fired against Saudi or UAE countries has been in league with and defense of countries whom THEY ATTACKED!! Threats to shipping? Pardon me but wasn’t it a US ship that fired on an Iranian vessel last year when the Iranian ship had a right to be there? The right for the US ship to be in that area is highly debatable.
Basically this entire list sounds like it was dictated by Netanyahu and merely read off by Pompeo. Because most of this list is a wish list for Israel and Saudi Arabia to be able to invade every country in the ME with no resistance at all.
Note that Iran has not invaded another country in over 200 years. Their threats against Israel for decades have been defensive. Promises that if Israel keeps threatening and/or attacking Iran or Iran’s allies, that Iran will respond. Israel on the other hand in the last 50 years has attacked or invaded Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus and even bombed a US ship at one point. I’m pretty sure I’m leaving some victims of Israel out of this list. In some cases they have attacked the same victims multiple times.
Who gave the US the right to dictate such terms? There was no discussion about any of this in the UN. The UNSC had no input in this. Nor did the UN General Assembly. None of this was included in the JCPOA, which AMERICA abandoned with no evidence or justification. Iran and all the other signatories of the JCPOA are still engaged in the agreement. The US has NOT offered any evidence to remotely prove that Iran has violated that agreement. There are claims and vague references but basically the entire affair is a weakened semblance to WMD’s in Iraq.
All this talk of respecting the sovereignty of other countries. In what way is the US respecting sovereignty of other countries? Sanctions are not respect. Giving orders to other countries is not respect. Military threats are not respect. Bombing is not respect. Invasion is not respect. Overturning elected governments is not respect. The US does not respect the sovereignty of ANY country.
The US likes to claim itself to be the police force of the world. I have to concur but ONLY when you make a direct comparison to the behavior of American police. Militarized, weaponized, drunk on steroids and abuse of power. Willing to shoot innocent unarmed civilians and claim it was because they were afraid.
We have to face the fact that our country is the rogue cop robbing, beating, killing and planting evidence. Sooner or later, the victims and families will band together. I am surprised that so far that has not happening but it is slowly. In the Middle East, I expect to see Iran, Syria, Turkey, Qatar, Lebanon, Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis band together to fight against Israel and the US. It’s likely to happen soon, while their countries are in ruins. Because now is when they have nothing left to lose. They are battle hardened, their pain endurance and emotional determination is high. They still grieve for their losses and that grief and anger is a powerful weapon. They have already learned they can join forces against common enemies. They may have differences but will soon realize “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” They know they can reach compromise with one another. They know that they will never have compromise with their enemies because the US and Israel will never allow it. Their enemies demand complete surrender. The actions in recent days of the US and Israel have illustrated that fact. Neither can be trusted to ever even attempt peace. Unarmed Palestinian protesters shot down while the US withdraws from the JCPOA and makes threats against Iran.
Some people will try and let this speech by Pompeo fade in the distance. Ignore the correlation to what Israel has done. The people in the Middle East have long memories and have already drawn the correlations. This was a turning point. It may not show itself immediately but this was a full pivot which cannot be reversed.
Really incredible and insightful article.