Elevating the discussion on Iran options
The Officers Club:
Iran has been in an undeclared war with the US since the late '70's. For the most part we have treated Iran like we treated Osama prior to 9-11. We have absorbed the blows and moved on. We are trying to make it clear to them that we will not just absord a nuclear attack. Our problem is that Iran's leadership is also living in a fantasy world. The chances that they will get real are remote.
One thing that should be clear, but apparently is not yet, is that any attack on Iraq should not be based on escaling pain depending on their reaction. That is a repeat of the failed bombing policy in Vietnam. To speak in the language of the 1960's Joint Chiefs, what is needed is a "hard knock." The bombing should destroy not just the nuke program, but Iran's ability to respond and make war. Her airplanes and missiles and navy should be destroyed, as well as command and control targets. If we do not we will be inviting an extended war of escalation as well as faltering will among our allies.
...Hersh hypes the use of a bomb that does not exist, since congress cut off funding for research on a nuclear bunker buster. The article appears to be the paranoid fantasies of the anti war left. Then it could be just a part of an attempt at "bad cop" diplomacy meant to convey the seriousness with which Iran's nukes are viewed.
The Hersh article is breathless, un-sourced, and over-hyped. Yeah, there are probably war plans being drawn up. People are probably talking about it in the government –it would be irresponsible if they weren’t. My advice is to consider history when dealing with Iran. Will negotiation work now, when it has failed when tried with nearly every hostile regime America has faced down? Will diplomacy somehow convince Iran to stop supporting terrorists? What will the consequences be when Iran gets a nuclear weapon? Will containment work- and do the folks arguing for containment know they are committing our resources to Iraq for a much longer period of time? The discussion on this needs to be elevated above “neocons are rushing us to war again!”
Iran has been in an undeclared war with the US since the late '70's. For the most part we have treated Iran like we treated Osama prior to 9-11. We have absorbed the blows and moved on. We are trying to make it clear to them that we will not just absord a nuclear attack. Our problem is that Iran's leadership is also living in a fantasy world. The chances that they will get real are remote.
One thing that should be clear, but apparently is not yet, is that any attack on Iraq should not be based on escaling pain depending on their reaction. That is a repeat of the failed bombing policy in Vietnam. To speak in the language of the 1960's Joint Chiefs, what is needed is a "hard knock." The bombing should destroy not just the nuke program, but Iran's ability to respond and make war. Her airplanes and missiles and navy should be destroyed, as well as command and control targets. If we do not we will be inviting an extended war of escalation as well as faltering will among our allies.
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