Iran's Khatami Understands Goals of Info Op

The former president of Iran is pointing an accusatory finger at the propagandists of the West whose raison d'etre is to build up the Islamic world as the necessary bogeyman to facilitate the modern national security state.

Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, whose foreign policy was defined by a quest for what he called a "dialogue between civilizations," warned Saturday that tensions between the Islamic world and the West are taking the shape of a new Cold War.

Khatami... said the West was largely responsible. Islam was being cast as the "enemy of humanity" by governments reverting to the polarized worldview that divided the planet for 50 years after World War II, he said.

The West "needs an enemy, and this time it is Islam," Khatami said. "And Islamophobia becomes a part of all policies of the great powers, of hegemonic powers.

Khatami takes a dim view of one of the main attractions of the recent information operation, the cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammed intended to stir up the Muslim "street."

"The affront to the prophet was an act, not an idea," he said. "The tragedy is that this inhumane act is justified in the name of freedom."

"Defilement is an action, not an idea, and therefore it is not freedom of expression. It does treachery to freedom of expression," Khatami said. "Secondly, it is a part of a trend that enrages Islamism around the world. Therefore it has to be interpreted in this context."

Khatami suggested that the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, Iraq, last month was an extension of the trend. "If we go behind the idea," he said, "it leads to the destruction of holy shrines and killing of human beings."

Just in case the threat from radical Islamists fails to work it's magic in terms of justifying the permanent military footing of the U.S. budget, there is a backup plan.

The Bush administration should stop pretending Russia is a genuine strategic partner and adopt a new policy of "selective cooperation" and "selective opposition" to the authoritarian government of President Vladimir Putin, a bipartisan task force has concluded.

In a grim assessment of the recent "downward trajectory" under Putin, the Council on Foreign Relations reports that in Russia democracy is in retreat, corruption on the rise and the Kremlin an increasing obstacle to U.S. interests. The goodwill that developed between President Bush and Putin, particularly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has eroded.

"U.S.-Russian relations are clearly headed in the wrong direction," the task force wrote. "Contention is crowding out consensus. The very idea of 'strategic partnership' no longer seems realistic."

The Council on Foreign Relations?

'Nuff said.