IDR Blog
Iran-Israel spat: National Interest is Supreme
This big picture of strategic weight must be kept in view while working out Indiaâs response so as to not to impinge on national interests.
Israel, the western alliance led by America and the Arab world constitute large group of countries, which offer huge strategic benefits. This big picture of strategic weight must be kept in view while working out India’s response so as to not to impinge on national interests.
Besides lack of resources, most of the western armies are exhausted and are in withdrawal mode from Afghanistan. Further, this being an election year in USA, the domestic constituency after Iraq and Afghanistan wars will not permit America to be involved in another war. The economic recession in the European Union is too severe to be overlooked. Therefore, most of the players that support Israel are not willing to precipitate a conflict even while there are clear indications that Iran is moving towards becoming a nuclear weapon state.
In case war is imposed, Iran will mine the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt oil supplies to majority of the countries. While Iran may not have conventional military superiority, it definitely boasts of asymmetric warfare capabilities that can damage the already heavily recessed world economy. Despite the grave provocation by Iran through display of nuclear technology capabilities, it is in the interest of majority of the nations to avert war.
India is one of the few countries in the world that maintains healthy relationships with most of the nations involved. It is in India’s interest, therefore, to emerge in the role of a mediator to diffuse tensions between different players.
The most perplexing thing is, that this is about religion. Not religion directly, but the issue is that the differing sides have soldiers adhering to different faiths. Mohammad the Prophet said, that faith of Judaism was not being followed properly. Let us be frank, would he be happy with the way, non-Muslims are thinking about Muslims today? I know nothing about Judaism, but it is a great faith. I don’t know anything about Islam either, but great Hindu saints have practiced that religion. I really respect the religion, and it is true, that no religion is seen as being an influence on any other in India. How were there wars about God? I really believe, that those who fought on religion, and conquered lands in the name of religion, apart from certain people, were actually the greatest criminals. Today, no one wants to conquer, but they are fighting, for God. What can one say, about this?