Iran needs to hear firm no on nukes
By Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Posted in Congress — Comments (12) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The Bush administration's careful strategy of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear defiance has been on a glide slope of diminishing returns, and Iran has continued to plow ahead. By incrementally advancing its nuclear program while incrementally reducing its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran is creeping methodically toward a nuclear weapons capability.
Although the two presidential candidates sounded similarly tough on Iran during recent speeches, there is a crucial difference between how Republicans and Democrats view the value of American power.
Sen. Barack Obama thinks the cause of Iran's defiance is the invasion of Iraq, which he warned at the time would "fan the flames" of extremism. "Because of the Iraq war, Iran . . . is emboldened."
I see a different problem: American weariness of the Iraq war, and military overstretch, may give Iran an impression of American self-doubt and weakness. That is a much more realistic explanation for why Iran has been emboldened in its drive toward nuclear weapons.
Read on . . .
An Iranian nuclear weapons capability will make an already unstable region and world much more dangerous. Iran will feel free to be far more aggressive, protected by the fearsome power of a nuclear deterrent. More dangerous still, rogue elements within the regime might pass nuclear materials to terrorists for attacks with no return address. The result could be nuclear proliferation spiraling out of control.
In the face of these dangers, the international community must convince Iran that cooperating with the IAEA—not acquiring nuclear weapons—is the path to security. Economic sanctions and boycotts of oil exports can work, if supported by the countries of the free world. But if some of our friends and allies continue business and economic ties with Iran, stronger efforts may be necessary.
Those who think we have no feasible military option tend only to consider a doomsday scenario of massive air strikes to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities. Yet far more limited military options, such as reconnaissance overflights, a blockade of Iran's crucial gasoline imports and limited strikes against regime assets, can still add enormous leverage to our cause.
By being unambiguous in our intentions we can maximize the chances that we may not have to use force at all.
A strategy of diplomacy and increasingly painful economic and military levers can work if we hold in reserve the threat of overwhelming force.
The people and governments of the free world, in a united front, should leave no doubt about where we stand. Our right to defend ourselves has already been triggered by the inherent aggression of Iran's nuclear advances. This right does not need UN Security Council authorization. It does not need to pass any global test. It is an inherent right.
The perceived lack of will in response to Iran's aggression and violations of international law and United Nations mandates is a dangerous enticement to the hard-liners in Tehran, reassuring them they have little to lose and much to gain from developing a nuclear weapons capability. If the international community wants to maintain peace and security, Iran must be convinced that it has more to lose from a showdown over its nuclear program than we do. However, America and our allies must be convinced first.
The next president of the U.S. should unite responsible global leaders to offer Iran the olive branch of an honorable and peaceful compromise. But as Winston Churchill observed at the start of the Cold War: "Any sign that we can be bluffed or pushed around will be deadly." There can be no peace without strength, nor freedom without sacrifice.
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Iran needs to hear firm no on nukes 12 Comments (0 topical, 12 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Just dreams and wishes?
And FYI, we are talking with Iranian officials, just not on an official high level basis. There are some pre-conditions that they need to meet first. That's very common in diplomacy.
Socialism doesn't work. It looks nice on paper, but it's been tried and it's failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
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How did that work out?
'Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a
delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted
by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds
forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick
up a turd by the clean end.'
John
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Why would God invent something like whiskey? To keep the Irish from ruling the world of course.
Monkeys would fly out of my butt.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
Peace through strength.
When Iran fears America, they are much less likely to sucker punch us or any of our allies.
I'm afraid the radical left has had so much air time the Iranians think we are all a bunch of pansies. And if we elect BO, we will have proven that a majority of us are.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
Thanks for the post, Senator Hutchison. I believe you are right on with the desire to see a strong and firm resolve to deal with the Iranian nuke problem. What is almost certainly lacking is world-wide resolve in kind. The UN and the IAEA are toothless and spineless. How many UN condemnations of Saddam were there? Were the UN and the rest of the civilized world ready to follow up on those so sternly worded letters? No. All it did was buy Saddam more time and the US had to shoulder the burden for the Europeans and Middle East states by finally enforcing all that tough UN talk.
You mentioned one thing in your post that would truly work… a blockade. Of course, that would take the will of more countries than the US and certainly Russia is a problem here. But the problem must be contained, and contained soon. But who has the resolve to do this? If the Israelis strike, both the US and Israel will suffer, but likely Israel far worse.
A few other comments… Obama has no sense of history if he thinks the Iraq war emboldened Iran since he apparently forgot about those other little scuffles between Iraq and Iran. Perhaps our early bungling in the Iraq war gave Iran hope, but the recent year or so has surely taught them something different. (Oh how I wish we had pursued Iran over EFPs, but that is a different topic). And as for the thought of a nuclear capable Iran sharing the goodies with very bad people and proliferation spiraling out of control – well that seems like a certainty, doesn’t it?
Finally, for those who think we should just talk to the ‘leaders’, which ones do you propose we talk to? The mullahs or Mr. ImaDinnerJacket? What happens when we talk to them really really nice and they still misbehave? Do we use our stern voice? Sure – diplomacy and some carrots need to be part of the plan, but only when the blockade is in place. To minimize fighting, the world should lay down the rules and timetables in no uncertain terms and get with the program ASAP. Oh, and the blockade should be enforced by every UN member country able to float a boat.
will continue to smile, do his papal wave and say that he has the right to pursue the peaceful use of nuclear energy. He will continue this right up to the point of announcing his intermediate ballistic missile. Any weakness on this issue will be the Mid-East equivalent of handing Hitler the Sudetenland by allowing Iran an opening for never-before-seen thuggery.
The stick is what has been missing - at least a big, public stick. Just cause you have a stick doesn't mean you have to hit with it - just be ready to! One thing the Iranians know better than our own administration is that winning in the mediaspace is more important nowadays than ever. We need the 'stache back in the UN!
Well said.
(and here's where I add KBH for VP!)
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