Well, Duh...
The hottest topic of discussion this past weekend was the possibility that the current US regime would attack Iran, possibly with tactical nuclear weapons. Whether in the blog world or on the Sunday morning talk shows, people suddenly were facing the fact that the government just might be stupid enough to engage in another military action in the Middle East. The Emperor in Chief and his minyons all disavowed any intention to bomb Iran back to the dark ages, stating over and over again that diplomacy was the weapon of choice but never taking the military option off the table. We all know what that means...we've seen this scenario play out before. This time, however, the media doesn't seem to be quite as cooperative, as the NY Times makes clear in an editorial today.
Iraq shows just how badly things can go wrong when an administration rashly embraces simple military solutions to complicated problems, shutting its ears to military and intelligence professionals who turn out to be tragically prescient. That lesson has yet to be absorbed by the Bush administration, which is now reportedly honing plans for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Congress and the country need to ask the administration just what is going on, and just what it hopes to accomplish by this latest saber rattling.
If the administration's real goal is to change minds in Iran and energize diplomacy, it is not going about it in a very smart way. If, instead, it intends to proceed with a bombing campaign when and if diplomacy fails, Congress and the public need to force the kind of serious national debate that never really took place before the American invasion of Iraq.
...An American bombing campaign would surely rally the Iranian people behind the radical Islamic government and the nuclear program, with those effects multiplied exponentially if the Pentagon itself resorted to nuclear weapons in the name of trying to stop Iran from building nuclear bombs. [Emphasis added]
First, BushCo doesn't seem to accept the fact that we simply cannot continue to pre-emptively attack Moslem countries in the Middle East with impunity. Sooner, rather than later, this tactic will ignite the kind of holy war that can only result in catastrophe for the entire world.
Second, BushCo cannot be allowed to continue using military action for political gain. The polls show the both the Emperor and the Republicans are unpopular and distrusted in large part because of the Iraq debacle. Starting another war is not going to change that. It merely will cause the needless deaths of thousands.
While it would have been nice if the NY Times and other media sources had spoken out against the war in Iraq before it got started, at least the Times is willing to do so this time around. Now, if Congress will do its freakin' job, there's a chance we can head the cheery marauders off at the pass.
Iraq shows just how badly things can go wrong when an administration rashly embraces simple military solutions to complicated problems, shutting its ears to military and intelligence professionals who turn out to be tragically prescient. That lesson has yet to be absorbed by the Bush administration, which is now reportedly honing plans for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Congress and the country need to ask the administration just what is going on, and just what it hopes to accomplish by this latest saber rattling.
If the administration's real goal is to change minds in Iran and energize diplomacy, it is not going about it in a very smart way. If, instead, it intends to proceed with a bombing campaign when and if diplomacy fails, Congress and the public need to force the kind of serious national debate that never really took place before the American invasion of Iraq.
...An American bombing campaign would surely rally the Iranian people behind the radical Islamic government and the nuclear program, with those effects multiplied exponentially if the Pentagon itself resorted to nuclear weapons in the name of trying to stop Iran from building nuclear bombs. [Emphasis added]
First, BushCo doesn't seem to accept the fact that we simply cannot continue to pre-emptively attack Moslem countries in the Middle East with impunity. Sooner, rather than later, this tactic will ignite the kind of holy war that can only result in catastrophe for the entire world.
Second, BushCo cannot be allowed to continue using military action for political gain. The polls show the both the Emperor and the Republicans are unpopular and distrusted in large part because of the Iraq debacle. Starting another war is not going to change that. It merely will cause the needless deaths of thousands.
While it would have been nice if the NY Times and other media sources had spoken out against the war in Iraq before it got started, at least the Times is willing to do so this time around. Now, if Congress will do its freakin' job, there's a chance we can head the cheery marauders off at the pass.
posted by Diane at 4:01 AM
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