The darker side of democracy

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so, you're probably already aware that the U.S. government is considering an attack on Iran. The alleged reason is to prevent it from building a nuclear bomb that it might use against Israel, but since all the experts agree that Iran's alleged nuclear capabilities fall many years short of what it would take to build a bomb, we have to turn to more pedestrian explanations. Far from being part of a simple distaste for Middle Eastern countries that begin with 'I', though, according to blogger and University of Michigan history professor Juan Cole, this rather dangerous posturing is more about currying favour with extremist voters. On both sides.

What is really going on here is a ratcheting war of rhetoric. The Iranian hard liners are down to a popularity rating in Iran of about 15%. They are using their challenge to the Bush administration over their perfectly legal civilian nuclear energy research program as a way of enhancing their nationalist credentials in Iran.

Likewise, Bush is trying to shore up his base, which is desperately unhappy with the Iraq situation, by rattling sabres at Iran. Bush's poll numbers are so low, often in the mid-30s, that he must have lost part of his base to produce this result. Iran is a great deus ex machina for Bush. Rally around the flag yet again.

I think most of you know how strongly I feel about democracy. But I have to admit that every now and then, I do occasionally question whether it's wise to use a system that backs our politicians into a corner and practically begs them to do anything at all to keep their jobs. (At least when Paul Martin was in that corner, though, it was just the notwithstanding clause that ended up on the potential chopping block, rather than innocent lives.)

For some additional--and incredibly depressing--U.S. voices on this matter, try Power of Narrative and Billmon.