Here’s a case of priorities.
Of not being able to have your cake and eat it, too.
Be it a war or be it diplomacy, be it an attack or be it sanctions, action against Iran’s effort to acquire nuclear capability will cost everybody around the world.
Be it directly, through the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, or be it indirectly, through the decrease in oil exports from Iran, there will be a price to pay.
Now, it is far beyond us (and, apparently, our top political leaders) to understand precisely what makes the price of gasoline go up and down. The complexities there apparently embrace more than supply and demand. But whatever the exact mix of causation, there is no doubt that decrease in supply does play a role in gas prices.
As we say: priorities. If one is truly serious about stopping Iran’s nuclear pursuit — and President Obama says he is, Israel says it is, the European Union says it is, Congress says it is, the Republican presidential candidates say they are, AIPAC says it is — then one will not complain about high gas prices.
One could complain, why now? Why are the major world actors finally awakening to the Iranian threat? The answer, of course, is twofold: first, the international actors can no longer indulge in the illusion of “engaging” Iran; and, two, Israel’s threat of war. That has concentrated the minds of the international actors. So now the gas prices rise. This is a small price to pay as over against the possibility of a nuclear bomb in the hands of Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.
Copyright © 2012 by the Intermountain Jewish News
