Former Military and Diplomatic Officials Caution Against Striking Iran
Former Military and Diplomatic Officials Caution Against Striking Iran
Over the past few months, neoconservatives have pushed for military action against Iran, recycling pre-Iraq war arguments that military force would “trigger changes” in the country and result in regime change. “Why wait?” Bill Kristol asked in the July edition of the Weekly Standard. “Any way you cut it,” Herbert London of the Hudson Institute wrote, “military force seems like the most likely stratagem for success.”
Yesterday, a distinguished group of 22 former military and diplomatic leaders urged the Bush administration to ignore the neocons and instead “engage immediately in direct talks with the government of Iran without preconditions.” (View the list of signees HERE.) The full text of their letter:
Words not War, A Statement on Iran, August 2006
As former military leaders and foreign policy officials, we call on the Bush administration to engage immediately in direct talks with the government of Iran without preconditions to help resolve the current crisis in the Middle East and settle differences over the Iranian nuclear program.
We strongly caution against any consideration of the use of military force against Iran. The current crises must be resolved through diplomacy, not military action. An attack on Iran would have disastrous consequences for security in the region and U.S. forces in Iraq, and it would inflame hatred and violence in the Middle East and among Muslims elsewhere.
A strategy of diplomatic engagement with Iran will serve the interests of the U.S. and its allies, and would enhance regional and international security.
These leaders join a long list of people who think there are no good military options in Iran.
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Sorry, guys, but rational discussion simply isn’t in the neocons’ plans for world domination. Thanks for your input, though.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:00 amWe strongly caution against any consideration of the use of military force against Iran.
Crap, now I know they’re going to use force!
August 18th, 2006 at 11:00 amI don’t care what you’re “experts” say, let’s go in there and be greeted like liberators!
August 18th, 2006 at 11:02 amKristol is psychotic.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:03 amI propose a duel with flint-lock pistols at 20 paces between Kristol and Ahmadinejad.
Or, if Mahmoud prefers, a sword fight.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:03 am“Oops! I did it again!” G.W. Bush, citing Britney Spears.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:04 amYou seem to forget we need to be at war to sustain and justify the Total Information Awareness program.
William Safire:
“Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend — all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as ‘a virtual, centralized grand database.’
“To this computerized dossier on your private life from commercial sources, add every piece of information that government has about you — passport application, driver’s license and bridge toll records, judicial and divorce records, complaints from nosy neighbors to the F.B.I., your lifetime paper trail plus the latest hidden camera surveillance — and you have the supersnoop’s dream: a “Total Information Awareness†about every U.S. citizen.
“This is not some far-out Orwellian scenario. It is what will happen to your personal freedom.â€
August 18th, 2006 at 11:09 amExperts=experienced war veterans and diplomats
Neocons= chickenhawk girls with extensive stock portfolios
Who…. knows…. more?Hmmm, I’m gonna have to think this one over.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:11 amCome on! I wanna see all those beautiful lights flashing over Teheran in the night. Pretty cool.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:13 amBush didn’t even know there were two branches of Islam prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq; what makes you think he’ll recognize any of the names on this list? I don’t even assume he’ll ever see it. His mind, if such a thing can be said to exist, is already made up, and in any event, it takes orders from his “gut,” and his gut tells him to listen to Cheney.
Hundreds of scientists, hundreds of lawyers have signed letters to the white house regarding Bush policies in the past, and I firmly believe they were all consigned to the wastebasket – and not even the oval office wastebasket at that.
The boy in the bubble would rather fish than read. Woe unto the rest of us.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:14 amKristol, if you wanna war monger, use a famous guy.
Because if everyone has to ask “Who the Hell is Herbert?”, no ones gonna give a shit.
seriously, Robert Andralia told me that.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:15 amOK. But let’s avoid another mistake like Iraq. This time, let’s send over the neocons to do the fighting. Think that might put a damper on their fetish for war games?
August 18th, 2006 at 11:19 amIt won’t matter at all. It’s a letter from former military and diplomatic leaders. They risk nothing by going on the record. Now, when I hear current military leaders warning BushCo off invading Iran, then I’ll know it’s serious.
Besides, the Decider has already decided to use military force against Iran. This means squat.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:23 amI propose a duel with flint-lock pistols at 20 paces between Kristol and Ahmadinejad.
Or, if Mahmoud prefers, a sword fight.
Comment by DieNowForPeace — August 18, 2006 @ 11:03 am
Or slap each other in the face with the soles of their shoes until one cries for mommy…
August 18th, 2006 at 11:26 amGood post’s, and may I add…bush only listens to the voice in his head that is suposto be god…In truth it is probably either creepy rove or evil incarnate cheney. One of these self proclaimed gods will whisper when and where to bomb and bush will believe his god and do just that…..We are all waiting with intrest the latest vaction spot news cast from the decider at camp david…..Blessings
August 18th, 2006 at 11:27 amW and crew have an expertise in military strategy that is not equaled by the signers of this open letter. as in: ZERO is not equal to EXTENSIVE.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:27 amI am waiting for Jason to comment in this thread with a theory that nuking iran would be a good thing and try to incorporate it in his Urban heat sink theory in his usually convoluted manner of flawed logic.
If the Decider decides he wants to attack Iran, nothing short of the rubberstamp congress impeaching him is going to stop this meglomaniac, I’m afraid.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:31 amWayne sez:
If the Decider decides he wants to attack Iran, nothing short of the rubberstamp congress impeaching him is going to stop this meglomaniac, I’m afraid.
One other thing might stop him: mass desertion and conscientious objection by the members of the armed forces. He can’t hold a war if no one shows up.
August 18th, 2006 at 11:35 amSeems like our neocon policy of bomb first, figure out what to do later is under question?
August 18th, 2006 at 11:39 amHow dare they question the Commander in Chimp!
“military force seems like the most likely stratagem for success.”
Mr. London can confidently say this, due to his careful study of past US military adventures abroad, like Vietnam, and -more recently- Iraq. Both astounding successes in their own right.
It’s quite encouraging to see such intelligent duo learn from prior experiences, and avoid making the same mistakes over, and over…
August 18th, 2006 at 11:55 amCould someone please explain to me why Iran is an enemy of the US?
August 18th, 2006 at 12:22 pmOur Constitution limits the right to declare warr to CONGRESS! What part of this doesn’t George Bush understand? He took an oath to uphold the Constitution, it’s time we demand that he and Congress do exactly that.
August 18th, 2006 at 12:28 pmWayne sez:
If the Decider decides he wants to attack Iran, nothing short of the rubberstamp congress impeaching him is going to stop this meglomaniac, I’m afraid.
One other thing might stop him: mass desertion and conscientious objection by the members of the armed forces. He can’t hold a war if no one shows up.
Comment by TripMaster Monkey
August 18th, 2006 at 12:29 pm———————-
One can wish,can’t one?
#21
Iraq and Iran wouldn’t “open” their economic markets to us, thus, we try to “Democracize” them.
“You’re gonna be a Democracy (i.e. let us control your economy), or else we’ll just kill ya all.”
August 18th, 2006 at 12:36 pmJeffrey #21, the reich wingers say they are an enemy because bush/rove/cheney/rummy and dead eyed rice say so…..You know like, “if you aren’t with us you are against us’ mentalety and I want all the marbles in a childs game….No diplomacy or negotiations ever apply to this bunch, it’s all force and demand alegance. Same reason our country has been devided on all issues these past 5 years…They choose to have it all and give nothing to the good of the country or world. They are all soft handed bloated evil people that are using every means available to do their evil deeds for them because they are all impetent, drug induced softies…Just my spin of course….LOL….Blessings,Peace
August 18th, 2006 at 12:38 pmWhere’s Mr Little today? I thought he put in his 40 hours for the week.
August 18th, 2006 at 12:52 pmMr. Little is out with the other reich wingers picking up his pay check for his trolling work..Friday’s is pay day’s or in other words bushco’s eagle shit’s on friday’s…LOL..Blessings
August 18th, 2006 at 1:00 pmYou might find it strange but I to think we should talk to these nutjobs first. I think we should make the talks very public and open up the Iranian culture for all to see. Let’s make our demands small at first and work our way up from that. With each demand the U.S. will reciprocate with a diplomatic concession:
August 18th, 2006 at 1:27 pm1) If the Iranian Spiritual leaders refrain from calling on the destruction of U.S. will promise not to bomb them back into the stone age (ie. 1970).
2) If the Iranian stops providing Arms to Hezbullah/Hamas we will ask Israel to stop killing members of Hezbullah/Hamas. Only if they refrain from launching Missiles into Israel.
3) If Iran allows U.S. and international inspectors’ access to all nuclear sites, and comply with the NPT we promise not to turn these sites into rubble.
4) If Iran allows Western Satellite TV into Iran we will make Iran CSPAN and News service available on basic cable.
The first coherent argument I have heard from RRS – MAY WONDERS NEVER CEASE!
August 18th, 2006 at 2:20 pmBush: But I’m the decider!
August 18th, 2006 at 2:42 pmRRS, I think that satellite television is already widely available on Teheran, at least among the well to do.
August 18th, 2006 at 3:12 pmWe SHOUD talk with them.We could start with an apology for overthrowing their country in 1953. America needs to find the higher ground and stay there. This is a war of Ideas. And Isreals higher ground is on their side of the border.
August 18th, 2006 at 3:27 pmAfter watching 60 min. interview of the smart educated President of Iran well let’s just say Americans will be learning another language soon. As for Bush he’s not finished reading My Pet Goat yet. Why do some Americans feel it necessary to invade other countries and kill woman and children. What happen to our morals and peace policy.
August 18th, 2006 at 7:33 pmWe invaded Iraq and now it’s a civil war we helped Israel attack Lebanon and we made another mistake. This hold Administration is a mistake.
Insane clown posse…
While most sane people are vigorously arguing against the rather mad idea of the U.S. starting another war — this time with Iran — Dick Cheney continues to inhabit a dark world all his ow…
August 18th, 2006 at 9:14 pmNOTE: Post # 34 has been falsely attributed to me. I did NOT write that post. Someone has misrepresented himself or herself and posted material under my name. This “copy cat†poster has also submitted this material under my screen name on numerous other threads this evening. I would ask that the managers of “ThinkProgress.org†remove those postings or, at the very least, remove my name from them. When I registered on this site and created a screen name for myself, I provided my e-mail address, thus, the identification of the impostor should be readily ascertainable. Thank you.
August 19th, 2006 at 1:54 amThe Constitution limits the responsibility for declaring war to CONGRESS. The president is the commander-in-chief of the military forces but he cannot use them in a war unless there has been a declaration of war by CONGRESS. Every high school senion in the United States learns this, why don’t the members of Congress know iit? They took an oath to uphold the Constitution. Why don’t they do it?
August 19th, 2006 at 9:07 pm[...] It works both ways. Events in Iran influence the debate in Washington. Every new Iranian missile test undermines efforts to argue for a sane Iran policy in the United States (apologies for the wacky link—it’s hard to find the full-text of that letter) and strengthens the hands of the Strangelovian psychos. [...]
August 20th, 2006 at 1:14 pm