7:00 AM: The lead story in the New York Times this morning focuses on Iran's nuclear program. Iran is making progress processing uranium faster than was previously thought. This puts them on the fast track to being able to develop nuclear weapons. This is not good news for sane people who are afraid, not only of an Iran with the bomb, but of what the current U.S. administration might do: using this development as a pretense for starting another war.Our options are limited when it comes to Iran for exactly the same reason that we find ourselves isolated in Iraq. Under Junior, we have squandered the good will and trust of our allies and friends around the world. We've dropped the ball on the Middle East peace process, and we've failed to maintain an even-handed diplomatic approach in our dealings with both sides in the Palestinian dispute. We are in no position to broker a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian question, we are mired in the Iraq situation while the administration "stays the course," and we are severely limited in terms of options in dealing with Iran. Add to this our dependence on Middle East oil, and our refusal to wean ourselves from foreign oil and act responsibly when it comes to energy conservation. We have a disastrous foreign policy driven by an irresponsible energy policy.
The only hope I see in this is that somehow Junior can be restrained from taking unilateral action against Iran. This will have to come from our own military, which has been stressed and stretched to the limit in Iraq. The generals must say "No!" to Junior, and the administration must send a clear signal to Israel not to take preemptive action. If we can make it past the next election without a crisis involving Iran, the next president, who will have his or her hands full with damage control, may be able to put together the diplomatic push needed to finally get a handle on the Iranian situation. The thought of Junior starting another war with Iran is just too depressing to contemplate.
Photo: fox cub on the move
Jim
1 comment:
Hello Jim.
Well, it is interesting that the contents of this blog is current to the the actual events over the past week.
It's scarey thinking that Iran has the capabilities of producing nuclear weapons.
It would be foolish for the Bush Administration to take into their own hands the attempts to stop the Iranians.
There is cobwebs in my mind, but do remember something of Ronald Reagan and the 6-6-6 back while he was president. The Koran or some other document from the middle east called that a leader would bring WWIII (Nuclear).
The Middle East has been a location that has been very active in their settling disputes over land and wars that were necessary to bring about a calm.
I was stationed on a U.S. Navy vessel in the Middle East (Suez Canal) roughly 1976-1978 about the time that Israeli President Begin and Egyptian President Sadat were discussing and through efforts of then President, Jimmy Carter, were able to come to agreement and shake hands in public. (Something that led to the demise of Sadat as he was assassinated reviewing the troops.)
Brokering a Peace Accord is one thing, starting a war without actual correct information is another.
Junior seems to be trying to finish what his father could not do. Ex-Secretary of State Colon Powell, was the Head of the Joint Chief's of Staff at the Pentagon. Gen. Schwartzkopf wanted to go to Bagdad in the first war and take Saddam out of power at that time and Powell told him that it was not possible for a positive outcome.
Seems that Junior didn't get that memo or the brief in the transition eh?
Well, I will be like You, Dan and the rest of the American public, to pray and hope and that Junior doesn't get another "Let's do this" idea before he leaves office.
My prayers go out to the families of the service men and women who are serving in Afghanistan and Iraq at this time.
Too many people have been killed in the honors of Junior's "Stay the Course" and the numbers keep going up every day.
It would be a different story of Junior's or Cheney's family members were involved in the battles. Now they are saying that Crown Prince Harry from the United Kingdom is heading there. Well, here's hope to the British protecting their "royal member".
BILL POULIN
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