While there are few nations in our region that welcome a nuclear Iran, it must be stressed that Iran has the “inalienable right” as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Iran says that’s exactly what it’s doing. The US, Israel and Europe suspect the Iranian government of hiding a weapons program, but they have absolutely no proof to back up these claims. The question is why should we believe the West over Iran, bearing in mind the intelligence fiasco vis-à-vis Iraq and the terrible consequences emanating from that?

Iran and Syria, which appear to be showing a united front in adversity, are currently being demonized and threatened. Just to be clear, these countries, which Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz refers to as the “Outcasts Alliance”, are not the bullies here. Yet, just as it did with Iraq, the West works hard at painting itself as the “good guy” fighting evil influences and just as happened with Iraq, Western publics merrily lap up the propaganda uncritically.

Almost every US government official refers to Iran’s deceit and urges Iran to live up to its international responsibilities under the NPT. Sounds good until one realizes just how laced with hypocrisy these statements really are.

Israel, India and Pakistan are all nuclear powers that haven’t bothered to ratify the NPT and consider IAEA inspections a violation of their sovereignty, yet they are in no danger of being dragged before the UN Security Council to be rapped over the knuckles, slapped with sanctions or ultimately bombed.

At the same time, North Korea, which admits to having a nuclear weapons program and a long-range missile delivery system, is being handled with kid gloves. So what kind of message does this send to Iran, which has thus far played by the rules?

First, the NPT is no longer worth the paper on which it is written. It’s clear that the West has rejected legal niceties in favor of self— interest. In other words, countries which have not signed-up to the NPT receive preferential treatment over those that have, provided they are willing to make friendly noises toward the US and Israel.

George W. Bush showed his contempt for the NPT when he promised nuclear cooperation with India in direct contravention of the treaty. More importantly, the US is actively violating international agreements by developing a new generation of smaller tactical nuclear weapons, designed to be used, rather than nuclear deterrents.

America’s “do as we say but not as we do” attitude is further evident from its refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (agreed upon at the 2000 NPT Review and Extension Conference) and its failure to ratify the Biological and Toxin Weapons Protocol.

We should also remember that it was George W. Bush, who unilaterally quashed the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and is responsible for an about-face on America’s own 1994 proposal to ban anti-personnel landmines.

Let’s also remind ourselves of George Bush’s threats toward the UN to the effect that if it wouldn’t play ball over Iraq, then it would be reduced to an empty debating society and his refusal to accept the jurisdiction of the International Court, although the US was formerly one of the court’s main proponents.

The Geneva Conventions also fell foul of the Bush administration when Attorney-General Alberto Gonzalez referred to them as “quaint” and suggested many of their provisions should be rendered obsolete. Today the US is quick to invoke the Geneva Conventions when it comes to treatment of their own military personnel but has cleverly exempted its own prisoners from the auspices of the Geneva Conventions by referring to them as “battlefield detainees” irrespective of whether they were ever in the theater. Indeed, many were kidnapped from their own homes.

So the question is this. Does the US have the right to pronounce judgment on Iran’s alleged failure to adhere to international norms when it has shown such blatant disrespect for international institutions, laws, treaties and protocols and has recently used banned weapons itself not least depleted uranium, cluster bombs and white phosphorous (shake ‘n’ bake)?

I don’t think so and this may be one of the reasons the US is keeping a fairly low profile behind the EU three (Britain, France and Germany) front guys and potential fall guys. It is Europe which stands to lose the most from any confrontation with Iran in economic terms, as evidenced by Iran’s recent currency shift from British and European banks. In March, Iran is poised to open a new oil bourse scheduled to trade in euros, which could provide an enormous fillip to the faltering European currency, but rather than capitalize on this, Europe prefers to do America’s bidding.

In the event of a military showdown between the US/Israel and Iran, the biggest loser would be Iraq as the firebrand Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr has already expressed his intention to support the Iranians. It is also possible the Dawa and Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) parties, that have strong links with Iranian leaders, might follow suit.

One can only imagine how an unprovoked attack on Iran would play out in Lebanon too. Hezbollah would certainly back Iran risking major new sectarian divisions in Lebanese society and, perhaps, opening the door to renewed conflict with the Israelis in southern Lebanon. Those Gulf countries with large Shiite minorities also risk being destabilized.

The nuclear genie has long been out of the bottle. The so-called “Father of the Pakistani nuclear program” A.Q. Khan headed an organization which sold nuclear secrets to any country that could come up with enough cash including Iran. Iran has the technology, the facilities and large uranium deposits and its leadership is not prepared to give up its rights to nuclear energy so that Israel can sleep well at night and maintain its regional hegemony. Issuing threats against Tehran will only serve to make it more determined and any strike upon its nuclear plants could not only result in a Middle East Chernobyl, it would convince Iran that building its own nuclear deterrent is the only way.

Before the situation gets out of hand, Europe, Russia and China should forge an alliance to bring Iran into the fold by offering security guarantees and financial incentives. And Israel and the US should quit poking the nest before the entire world is terminally stung.