‘Withdrawal the solution to the mess’, and interview with Tariq Ali by Inter Press Service posted at Asia Times, September 18, 2007
Inter Press Service: Who, according to you, is the main beneficiary of the US-led “war on terror”?
Tariq Ali: Undoubtedly Iran. But then the Americans could not have occupied Afghanistan and Iraq and without Iran’s support. This is what no one likes talking about. Had the Iranians said, if you take Iraq we will fight you, the occupation probably would not have taken place. But the Iranians, who regarded the Taliban and Saddam Hussein as enemies, kept silent.
The Americans thought, because the Iranians supported them before they went in, things would be fine. But the Iranians were opportunists. They had their own agenda and defended their own state interests—just as the US defends its interests. These interests are now clashing, and so the US is threatening Iran.
IPS: Do you think that the US will now launch a war against Iran?
TA: I do not believe that the US can launch a new war on Iran because they haven’t the troops. Second, if they do that they will be fighting the Iranians on three fronts – Iraq, Afghanistan and in Iran itself. So I think it is very unlikely that a war against Iran will happen. read more