Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Define “Unacceptable”

Four distinguished former officials declare in the Wall Street Journal today that a “nuclear Iran is unacceptable,” and argue for a bipartisan approach to the challenge ahead. Former UN ambassador Richard Holbrooke, former CIA chief Jim Woolsey, former peace envoy Dennis Ross, and former UN representative for management and reform Mark Wallace–representing different worldviews, supporting different presidential candidates–are in agreement:

"We believe that Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons is one of the most urgent issues facing America today, because even the most conservative estimates tell us that they could have nuclear weapons soon. ...

We do not aim to beat the drums of war. On the contrary, we hope to lay the groundwork for effective U.S. policies in coordination with our allies, the U.N. and others by a strong showing of unified support from the American people to alter the Iranian regime’s current course..."
If they can really do this, and “lay the groundwork” for policies that will help the international community stop Iran, I (and everybody else) will applaud. But the one most important word in this article is “effective.” We need not a policy aimed at stopping Iran, but one that will actually stop Iran...

[if you mention the UN, you can forget about 'effective' - how many times must we see it? We need start assembling our coalition of the willing now, as we'll be left little time after the UN drags this out for Russia and China to veto in the eleventh hour...]

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