Wider die Dämonisierung des Iran

February 14, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott 3 Comments

Das nicht auszuschliessende Streben der Islamischen Republik Iran nach einer nuklearen Option ist ein strategisches Sicherheitsrisiko im Nahen und Mittleren Osten. Die Einhegung der nuklearen Forschungs- und Entwicklungstätigkeit durch die IAEA im Rahmen des bestehenden Sicherungsabkommens ist nicht gelungen. Umstritten ist noch immer, welche Handlungskorridore offen bleiben, um die nukleare Bewaffnung eines Regimes zu verhindern, das nach Innen deutliche repressive Züge zeigt, auch wenn zugleich ein beträchtlicher Teil der Bevölkerung die Führungselite des Landes unterstützt oder resignativ akzeptiert. Zugleich ist das iranische Regime nach aussen aggressiv und subversiv, allen … Continue Reading ››

Russia

Vom Nutzen der Erinnerung

February 7, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott Leave a comment

Rußlands innerer Zustand weckt Besorgnis. Die politische Elite des Landes ist tief gespalten und in eskalierende Machtkämpfe verwickelt. Der Streit um die Verfassungsregeln führt das Land in einen kurzen Bürgerkrieg, in dem das oppositionelle Lager durch den Einsatz der Armee ausgeschaltet wird. Zeitungen, Parteien und NGO’s werden verboten. Wahlen zu den Regierungen der Provinzen werden ausgesetzt; es ist der Präsident, der die Gouverneure der Regionen ernennt.

Wahlen zur Staatsduma und in das Präsidentenamt werden manipuliert; oppositionelle Parteien erhalten keinen Zugang zu den elektronischen Medien oder werden durch negative … Continue Reading ››

Rüstung-Proliferation

Don’t rush the Iranian case

February 1, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott 3 Comments

In the last weeks we have witnessed a media campaign – which at least seems to some extent orchestrated – demonising the Islamic Republic of Iran and describing its leadership as an imminent threat to stability in the region and most of all toIsrael. In the centre of the debate is the allegedly imminent capability by the Iranians to build a nuclear device. What is more – it is argued that the ‘Hitler-like President Ahmadi-nejad’ was about to make use of weaponized nuclear devices for the annihilation ofIsrael, thus committing … Continue Reading ››

Rüstung-Proliferation

Zorn, der keine Erkenntnis bringt

January 25, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott 29 Comments

Bernd Marin - sociologist - in two op-eds has criticized talking to Iran on nuclear issues in scientific circles let alone engage that country in a long-term perspective. He attacked those who promote these strategies as either fools or collaborators (excerpts of Marins comment are published below my op-ed). Find below my response in an op-ed exclusively published by the Austrian daily 'Der Standard' on January 25th, 2007.

Mit heiligem Zorn stürzt sich Bernd Marin in die Debatte über die Schrecknisse eines … Continue Reading ››

NATO

NATO – post mortem

January 18, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott 8 Comments

NATO as an alliance has lost its raison-d’être. This is not due to a lack of common security threats NATO allies are facing but to a striking lack of common threat perception, the lack of a stable consensus on how to deal with threats if at all accepted as common and, finally, appalling buck passing when it comes to war fighting by many European softliners.

The striking and growing differences in military capabilities of NATO’s members undermine alliance coherence. What sense does it make for the strong, well-armed … Continue Reading ››

US Leadership

Iraq: Surge and Conquer

January 11, 2007 Gerhard_Mangott 4 Comments

Iraq is not about democracy. Despite democratic globalist’s emphasis on US moral obligations to spread democracy globally even by military means it is time to return to a realist perspective and start defending US and allied powers’ vital interests. Democracy does not work in current Iraq and democratizing this country should have never been of any concern to the US. Had realist motivations prevailed in 2003 the US would never have intervened in Iraq militarily in the first place.

However, it is idle to lament on … Continue Reading ››

US Leadership

The Fairy Tales of Multilateralism

December 29, 2006 Gerhard_Mangott 8 Comments

With the US tied down in the Iraqi quagmire, leftist intellectuals urge the US to abandon allegedly neocon unilateralism and return to concepts of multilateralism. Multilateralism is praised as a panacea for handling failing states, terrorism or proliferation. The op-eds are full with multilateral recipes for handling crises in all corners of the globe.

Those advocates however hardly ever define what they mean by multilateralism. Does their multilateralism call for consensus among the P-5, the veto-holding powers in the SC of the UN, as a noble principle or … Continue Reading ››

US Leadership

Iraq: Don’t cut and run but change course

December 20, 2006 Gerhard_Mangott 4 Comments

Iraq is much too important to Western interests to be abandoned. The US and its allies – and far too few countries consider themselves to be US allies with shared interests – must not give in to calls to weaken its presence in Iraq. The Baker Commission's recommendations are playing to US public opinion which longs for a change of course in Iraq and a soon withdrawal of US troops. However, the Commission does not offer reasonable solutions to address the current Iraqi quagmire without … Continue Reading ››