In his latest article, Rod McGuinness, managing editor of newmatilda.com, interviews Robert Baer, an ex-CIA operative. The article, “Iran is the key to peace” outlines some of the West’s misconcieved ideas about this Middle-Eastern superpower and articulates some very important points:
“Still, the West’s misunderstanding of Iran within the US government, defence circles and foreign policy think tanks, clearly frustrates him. “They are not a fascist state. They let me in – an ex-CIA guy who used to deal for many years with the Iranian opposition. They understood I was not a threat or still a spy or anyone that could do any damage. [By contrast] I cannot go up to [Osama] bin Laden’s cave and wander around. Or Saudi Arabia – I can’t go to Saudi Arabia because of my Saudi book.” (In 2003, Baer published Sleeping with the Devil, How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude. It was later adapted for the film, Syriana.)”
“Baer says, “I can see why they would want [a nuclear weapon] eventually because Saddam should have had one … In essence they want one but I think they are going to time it a lot better. The Iranians are really, really smart, sophisticated people. I’ve seen the backside of their diplomatic negotiations and talks and I would say they are infinitely more sophisticated than their American counterparts. I have seen them comment [on US military engagements], places we shouldn’t have been, what’s happening in the United States – and their analysis was as good as the New York Times and the Washington Post.”
