Straw denial fuels new fears on Iran

Socialist Resistance no34 | page 11

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mythmakers are not allowed situation friends Bush, Blair boasting South The people of ion warrant for Saddan one of which is deep underground.

Vice President Dick Cheney has suggested that one way round the problem might be to let Israel act first and "let the rest of the world worry about picking up the diplomatic pieces afterwards".

However with hundreds of thousands of US troops on the ground in Shia-dominated areas of Iraq, it is clear that there would be many and varied ways in which Iran could strike back and hurt the US in retaliation for any attack.

Following the protracted chaos of the invasion of Iraq, it seems that a ground force invasion is probably to be discounted.

But Straw's empty assurances simply underline the need to maintain active campaigning to force the withdrawal of all US and UK troops and bases from the Middle East, before the complete nuts take the next step towards an escalation.