Iran: Banging the Drums of War?

In this week's Daily Evolver we take a look at the present state of conflict between Iran and the U.S., driven by Iran's stated intention to develop nuclear capabilities. The West claims that Iran intends to develop atomic weapons, while Iran counters that their nuclear program is intended for peaceful means only. And the rhetoric on both sides is increasing. Does this mean that some sort of military operation against Iran is inevitable?

Jeff and David first take a look at the current status of Iran in terms of overall development and center of gravity. Iran has both a modern elite and a long history of tribal communities that are all now governed by a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy. Meanwhile, the traditional population of the United States sees Iran as the number one threat to our security, particularly if they are successful in developing a nuclear weapon. The Western powers are insistent that they need to contain the perceived Iranian threat somehow. New trade sanctions that could severely cripple Iran's oil exports are designed to "encourage" them to become good global partners. At the same time, as some of our politicians have pointed out, if we had a foreign power threatening to blockade our own coast lines, assassinate our scientists, and cripple our economy, there is no doubt we would take immediate and violent action against the perpetrators.

Join us as we explore this tangled issue from an Integral perspective, as we try to cut through the blustering of political gamesmanship on both sides. History has plenty of examples of this kind of heated political confrontation accidentally leading to military conflict, as well as other incidents where both sides pulled back from the brink of military engagement at the very last moment. In a world where some see the enemies of the United States diminishing, and other see the threat rising, can we possibly hope to contain fundamentalist Islamic regimes that view us as a threat to their very right to exist?

Iran: Banging the Drums of War?  Right click to download mp3  Right click to download m4b AudioBook  Duration: 32 minutes

Eleanor Roosevelt once said that "poor minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, and great minds discuss ideas." Integral minds, we might add, discuss all three.

In Integral Life's The Daily Evolver series, host Jeff Salzman explores some of the greatest and most pressing news stories of our time, lending some much-needed perspective to the people, events, and ideas that shape the world around us. The Daily Evolver uses the Integral lens to help make sense of the complexity, anxiety, and turbulence that surrounds our lives, offering a regular touchpoint for one of the most important practices of all: the practice of staying informed.