XVI. Religious Iranians avoiding Mid-East Power Politics

Background:
    
This is a Whacko Theory, but it's based on an item I was asked to write in September, 2012 in the Didactics and Globalization blog series that I entitled "Israel and Iran."  The research I did for that piece uncovered certain facts that led to my present understanding  of Iran.


1.  Iran has survived as an independent nation-state despite the pressures to control it by powerful nations and power-blocs.  The United States for decades has sought to depose its government ever since 1979.  European powers have tried to control it in order to gain privileged status over its oil.  Though friendly, Russia is its competitor for the Chinese markets. What prompted panic and fear in Iran from these separate power blocs--Russian vs. the West--has been their attempts to take over neighboring countries--Afghanistan (Russia and the US), Iraq (the US), Syria (the US)--by means of war and other hostile aggressive actions, e.g., sanctions. Moreover, it feels threatened from Israel, whose military might far out surpasses their own.  Their answer to Israel: build a nuclear arsenal. 


     And it goes without saying that Iran lost its war with Saddam's Iraq as gas warfare was deployed on their soil.  Nor can they assert influence in the region that even comes close to that swayed by Saudi Arabia, United Emirate Republic; even Kuwait/   


     Internally, there's a lot of political pressure from conflicting factions.  On the one hand, Muslim nations are pressured to hate Israel, ever since the 7-Day War that robbed Islamic countries of their lands, e.g., the Golan Heights.  Iran has had to deal with this extremist group internally, which calls upon all Muslims to fight Israelis throughout the Middle-East.


2.  But this land is ruled by a religious faction.  Its people are not known to pursue an aggressive posture in the political arena, nor have they a history of hostile invasions of their neighbors.  Nevertheless, they are situated in the Middle-East where the quest and control of regional oil fields affects Mid-East politics; where greed for profits from the sale of oil as much dictates actions of regional nations as does thirst motivates the entire species of mankind to seek life-sustaining water.


The real question Iran must confront is how can it survive in a region that is a-moral, not given to seek guidance from Allah, on how to live peacefully amid one's neighbor states.


The Whack-o Theory


After studying the Iranian situation, I have come to think that Iran is already in possession of nuclear armaments, probably since 2002 or 2003.  I cannot believe that a country so sophisticated as to fen off attempts to control it or take it over would need some 15 to 20 years to develop its nuclear capabilities!  Makes no sense to me!  But I believe it is not an aggressive nation, prone to war and take hostile action against its neighbors. 

So, how does one nation survive in a hostile environment, where everyone wants to destroy you?  You learn to be all things to every nation that threatens you; and secretly go about your business of surviual!