Rhetoric From President and Vice President Threatens War with Iran

http://www.jbs.org/node/6061/print
Rhetoric From President and Vice President Threatens War with Iran
By John F. McManus
Created 2007-10-23 16:41
ARTICLE SYNOPSIS:

In his recent press conference, President Bush threatened Iran. A few days later, Vice President Cheney threatened Iran. The statements of our nation’s top leaders are frighteningly reminiscent of threats made against Iraq prior to launching U.S. forces against that nation.

Follow this link to the original source: "Cheney, Like President, Has a Warning for Iran [1]"

COMMENTARY:

During his October 17 press conference, President Bush went further than ever before in demanding that Iran cease its efforts to become a nuclear weapons power. His message for the world was, "If you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems to me you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon." Note that Mr. Bush upped his demand from having a weapon to having "the knowledge necessary to make" a weapon.

In his October 21 speech in Washington, Vice President Cheney echoed the President’s threat in what has been assessed by many as a significant ratcheting up of demands aimed at Iraq. Cheney said, "The Iranian regime needs to know that if it stays on its present course, the international community is prepared to impose serious consequences." He added: "The United States joins other nations in sending a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon." As one observer noted, the vice president’s former "not acceptable" reference to Iran’s potential nuclear designs had been upped to "will not allow."

The United Nations Security Council has imposed sanctions on Iran and has insisted that the government in Tehran abandon its nuclear weapons program. Prior to launching the 2003 attack on Iraq, UN Security Council issued resolutions containing demands on the government of Saddam Hussein. It was those resolutions that U.S. officials said "authorized" the invasion.

Saddam Hussein’s government was accused of harboring weapons of mass destruction and cooperating with Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. It is now clear that there was no substance to either charge. Yet, four-plus years later, the war against Iraq drags on.

Are we about to see unwarranted charges used to create another war? Iran’s leaders have repeatedly stated that its nuclear program is being undertaken only to generate electricity. Producing electricity with nuclear power is several orders of magnitude less demanding than creating nuclear weaponry.

Those who made accusations against Iraq were wrong, but war was begun nevertheless. Are we to see the beginning of another war based on more false charges?

Also, in a world where many nations have developed their own nuclear weapons capability, who are we in the United States to insist that Iran cannot follow?

When a nation is at war or even under the threat of going to war, its people tolerate increases in government power, centralization of that power, and diminished personal liberty. Writers and historians throughout history have noted this and many have warned that all should be on guard to prevent unscrupulous leaders from taking their nations into conflicts in order to increase government power. Alexander Hamilton noted this when he wrote that misuses of military forces are "schemes to subvert the liberties of a great community."

It has become obvious to many Americans that the war against Iraq should never have been started. All who understand this today must ensure that a similar attack will not be launched against Iran.

McManus 200b.JPG
John F. McManus [1]

John F. McManus is President of The John Birch Society.