(michaeltotten.com/) Michael Totten - Reza Kahlili [a pseudonym] joined Khomeini's Revolutionary Guards right at the beginning in 1979. His book A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran, was released this week. He told me in an interview: Iran's leaders "have shown through their behavior over the past three decades that they have one goal, and that's to confront the West. If you look more deeply into the thought processes of the people controlling the government, these are people who strongly believe Islam will conquer the world. Every act they commit is in that direction. They don't just want a nuclear bomb to make them untouchable. They think it will be the trigger for Islam conquering the world. If all they wanted was to protect their government, as many are saying, they have the best opportunity right now. They can negotiate with the West, join the global economy, be respected and all that, but they refuse to do so." "The least that's going to happen if they become a nuclear power is that they'll become more aggressive and hold the world hostage. Just look at the past thirty years of behavior. They arm Hizbullah, Hamas. The defense minister is on Interpol's Most Wanted list. They're providing arms to the Taliban. They've gone to Venezuela, Mexico, they're spreading their forces. The least that will happen is they'll become the power in the Middle East and they'll control the energy resources of the world." "They believe what they say. I know they do. I know Khamenei has private prayers with the Mahdi [the prophesied redeemer of Islam]. It's all crazy talk, but they take it seriously. Thirty years ago they were told the Mahdi wants them to proceed with the nuclear project, and that's why they're not bending. They think they're untouchable and that the Mahdi wants it. It would be a disaster for the world. They should not be allowed to become a nuclear armed power."
2010-04-07 08:35:05Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive