US influence diminishing across world: US war veteran

Slaughterer Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Ehud Barak says differences remain with United States over a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear energy facilities.

Despite Israel’s efforts to convince Washington of the necessity of a military strike against Iran, the White House has in several occasions announced that there remains “time and space for diplomacy,” concerning Tehran’s nuclear program.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Darnell Stephen Summers, a Vietnam War veteran, to further discuss the issue.

The video also offers the opinions of two other guests: Wayne Madsen, an author and investigative journalist from Tampa, and Geoffrey Ben-Nathan, a Middle East expert from London. The following is a rough transcription of the interview with Summers.

Press TV: We have heard for years and years now, almost seeming never-ending, about the “attack Iran” story from the Western media especially. Let’s talk about the length of time we’ve been hearing about it and the role the media has played. Do you think it’s trying to create this environment of fear or why do you think we have heard this story repetitively now?

Summers: If we look at the preparation for the attacks on Iraq, especially the last attack, I think it was in 2004, there was this buildup of hysteria in the media.

The CIA has just released documents which clearly indicate that the whole story of the weapons of mass destruction was a fabrication. This particular situation right here speaks to that situation. They’ve lied on several occasions.

I’m a Vietnam veteran, the Gulf of Tonkin incident was a lie. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara admitted that and apologized to the soldiers and also to the Vietnamese.

This is just another in a long series of blatant lies to enact and initiate aggression against Iran at this point, the next victim.

Press TV: Do you think that the fear factor plays a big part in this, in creating an environment of hysteria, a hysteria that really gets everyone going? Because in the West, the more they talk about… when they say Iran, they make sure they use the word “nuclear” at the same time.

Psychologically, it affects people in a negative way. How do you think that hysteria in general plays in all of this?

Summers: I’ve been in Iran for the last four days or so. I must thank the organizers of the New Horizon Independent Filmmakers Festival for having me here and being part of the jury, and also for giving workshops and being a part of the conference.

In the course of being here, I’ve had discussions with people. People came to Iran being worried about an impending attack, you know. They’re not an aggressive nation. They’re not a threat to anyone that I can see. They’re very peaceful people. They’re people who want to live in peace.

Of course, I see evidence of the fear also here with the concern, rather, and I could understand that.

Also, there are people in Israel who are affected by this hysteria. There are people who do not want war. We see in your report that 61 percent of the people in Israel are emphatically against this war.

Yeah, fear does play a role. They build up hysteria. They’ve done it consistently.

I’m 65 years old. I’m from Detroit. We have the largest Arab speaking population outside the Arab Peninsula, and I’ve lived with this problem all of my life, and I know what it’s done to people in my city and that it’s done to the people in Gaza and the West Bank and also in Israel.

Press TV: What do you think, looking at what Mr. Ben-Nathan has said as far as the reasons that Israel hasn’t attacked so far. Your take.

Summers: First of all, who’s the aggressor here? Who has the nuclear weapons? Who is attacking defenseless people? Who has the overwhelming military superiority in the area? Those questions have to be answered. Who helped South Africa develop nuclear weapons?

This argument about the Holocaust, the Jewish people suffered immensely in the Second World War, there’s no question about that.

However, at the end of that war, to expel people from their homeland, that’s just a historical fact. To subjugate these people, to murder them, in essence, is a crime against humanity. We have to look at these facts squarely in the face.

I think that a lot of people, including in Israel, this 61 percent that are against [war], why is that? Why are they against it? Answer that question. The world has to answer this question.

People are lining up, even the generals in Israel, the generals in the Pentagon, opposing this war. Why is this?

It’s not because of statements that you say, that the president of Iran has made — it’s not a quest of some Holocaust denial. It’s because people are being murdered in Gaza, as we speak.

Press TV: Mr. Summers, let’s look at the unilateral support. We’re talking about domestic support for Israel but it seems internationally that there is a lessening of support. Up until now they’ve had 100 percent support, but do you see that there appears to be a crack in that support now?

Summers: Of course, the US role is diminishing across the planet. People are beginning to recognize… there are all of these disclosures that are coming to the forefront now. People are beginning to extrapolate. It’s clear.

[The previous guest speaker Geoffrey Ben-Nathan] talks about “if Israel possess nuclear weapons”. Why would he make such a ridiculous statement? They do possess nuclear weapons.

I was in the military for four years, I know they have nuclear weapons. You know it. I know it, and the world knows it. Weapons of mass destruction.

Now, if you couple that with the diminishing role of the United States, they’re losing influence in that region of the world where a significant number of the natural resources that they need to fuel their economy [exists].

The United States uses, let’s say conservatively, 60 percent of the world’s energy on a daily basis. That’s patently unfair. So, they need to replace those sources. They need to guarantee those sources.

Part of the incentive or the motive behind all of this is to acquire control over that area. With your role diminishing, your ability to acquire those raw materials also diminishes.