MEDIA REACTION: SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: IRAN; SCO PAULO

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000673 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: IRAN; SCO PAULO "The US Between Containment And Aggression Against Iran" Foreign Policy analyst Newton Carlos commented in liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (8/9): "Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns told a Senate committee that Iran represents today what Moscow was in the Cold War - the main challenge to the Western world's interests, especially those of the US. The same strategy that defeated and destroyed the former USSR, the containment policy, should be adopted [he said], with the use of heavy diplomacy such as military threats like the sending of a second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf.... The containment policy could extend its limits, but its essence, as was the case of the USSR, is to reach goals through pressure and intimidation.... Secstate Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have conducted the establishment of an anti-Iran front by joining moderate Arab nations to Israel. Promises of billions of dollars in weapons are part of the strategy.... But, what will happen if the containment fails to isolate Iran and stop the expansion of its influence and its nuclear ambitions? One of the hypotheses is that the way would then be opened for [VP] Cheney's group, which includes Elliot Abrams, who was involved in the conflicts in Central America in the 80's and is now a member of the National Security Council." White