Our Policy with Iran

     First of all, let me clarify something.  We do not have a policy.  We just react to different situations, nothing more!  In fact, let's face it, we don't have a policy on dealing with anybody.  As I stated in the previous blog about our policy with Russia, we simply react to situations, most of the time very passively!
     Modern history buffs will undoubtedly say that the worst foreign policy deal ever struck by anyone was the Munich Pact of 1938 when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Premier Eduard Daladier signed an agreement with Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy, giving away Czechoslovakia.  It has been hailed as the worst deal ever carried out by anyone and Chamberlain's political career was ruined thereafter when Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia shortly after signing the agreement.  However, I beg to differ at this point, because at least Chamberlain and Daladier did not give away money or make other concessions.  They only gave away a country - something that we have done a lot! 
     The Iran Nuclear Deal that we made is much worse than any deal that Chamberlain made with Hitler!  We not only gave away a country, Iraq, but we also paid out billions of dollars, and are still paying, and also made various concessions, gave favorable trade deals, etc.  What we did when we signed that deal with Iran is much worse, much more far reaching, and something that we will have to pay for a long time to come!
     We will never know the exact amount that our government paid out to Iran.  You can be sure that Washington will not release the true figures.  It took the recent bit of accusations from Trump's campaign to unveil some of the facts.  Initially Obama's government vehemently denied any such doing, i.e., paying ransom to Iran for the release of four American hostages.  Remember, our government does not pay ransom to terrorists, or so it claims!  But when things got a bit too hot, State Department finally admitted last week that $400 million in cash was paid to Iran shortly after the release of hostages.  Remember, at first it was claimed that the payment was all part of the funds that our government was releasing on the Iran Nuclear Deal.  Then this week, the government announced that we paid out a total of 1 billion 300 million dollars to Iran in 13 payments.
     The staggering amount of money that we have paid out to Iran thus far for the so-called Nuclear Deal far exceeds what was "frozen" and held in the U.S.  The explanation we get from our government is that the amount is greater because of the compounded interest that had accrued over all these years, since 1979 when the Iranian funds were "frozen."  I am a bit confused on this issued.  It was my understanding that when funds are "frozen," that is exactly what takes place.  Money cannot be taken out or otherwise used, therefore no interest is accrued during the "frozen" period.  However, it appears that the Iranians had their funds in some sort of special accounts that accrued interest!  The explanation makes no sense and even an elementary school student would have a hard time accepting it!
     It seems to me that we are essentially helping to strengthen and enrich Iran!  The colossal amount of money that we have poured in so far has not only increased Iran's military capability and strengthened their economy, but has emboldened their government to a point that they just don't give a damn about us!  We are still the great "Satan," a name that they have applied to us since 1979 and have been using constantly after signing the deal!  Only now they probably add "sucker" to that name!  Iran doesn't just thumb its nose at us, it regularly shows us the middle finger in no uncertain terms!  Just yesterday their gunboats harassed our destroyers in international waters, openly daring us to do something, which of course, we didn't do!  We have no credibility with Iran, and by extension, any country in that region that is under their influence.
     Just who is under their influence?  Iraq, a country where thousands of American lives were lost and maimed is now under Iran's sphere of influence.  We gave it to them as part and parcel of that terrific Nuclear Deal that our government swore will bring world peace!  Iran has extended its influence into Syria, where Iranian troops and their proxy, the Hezbollah, are supposedly fighting ISIS, but in fact are more occupied fighting anti Assad forces! 
     Recently, the Iranian Foreign Minister announced that Russia will no longer be allowed to fly combat missions into Syria from Iranian bases.  This announcement was made after a controversial bombing of rebel forces and the heart wrenching images of injured children appeared on television.  So, as PR damage control, the Iranian Foreign Minister made that announcement.  But Russians really don't need Iranian bases to bomb Syrian rebels!  They have bases in Syria!  The use of Iranian air bases was a demonstration of Russia's influence, and it was Russia that released the information that their bombers used Iranian bases.  Make no mistake about it, Iran and Russia are partners in that region.  Iran is a much valued customer of Russia's military hardware, and of course, we provide the money to Iran to pay Russia for those weapons!
     We have the most muddled, incomprehensible foreign policy ever in the history of the modern world.  The wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world just stumbles and muddles along, not knowing what it will do in the next hour, let alone tomorrow!  Our superbly trained and armed military is hamstrung by stupid policies imposed on them by bureaucrats that are only concerned with their political survival and are blind to what is going on around them.  Our government, in short, has become an expert in postponing the inevitable and sidetracking important issues and not informing the public of the truth.  We, the public, in turn have listened to what the government wants us to believe for so long that we don't know what really is going on, despite the fact that some things are happening right before our eyes. 
     The news media is no help because it has its own agenda, not to mention political aspirations.  Our news media has become the "king makers" of the modern era.  They can manipulate public opinion so easily that essentially, it is the news media that elects our presidents!  I know it sounds like the ranting of an anti news media lunatic, but think about it!  Notice how some candidates are shown in favorable light even if they are known to be involved in scandals or illegal activities.  While others, on the other hand, are constantly portrayed as incompetent or otherwise unsuitable for the office.  The news media has been doing this for quite a while now, since TV became an important vehicle of presidential candidates, from about the 1960 elections.
     But it is also strange how the news media keeps the foot off the accelerator when it comes to Iran.  I am puzzled as to why the news media is not covering Iran more thoroughly, especially our government's involvement with Iran.  Could it be that the news media, which heavily favors the current administration, does not want to show how incompetent it is, after all the news media helped put it in office! Remember how heavily the media criticized George W. Bush for not visiting Louisiana soon enough after Katrina?  Bush wasn't even on vacation playing golf, yet the media ripped him apart.  Notice how light the criticism is of Obama and his late visit to flood disaster areas?  Obama was playing golf when even one of the presidential candidates was visiting the disaster region, for PR, of course!  Yeah, the news media does have its darlings and its agenda.