Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ leaked memo to National Security Advisor General James Jones (USMC Ret) that said the United States does not have an effective long-range policy for dealing with Iran’s continuing movement towards a nuclear weapon capability raised some eyebrows. And so it should. But neither the American people nor the White House should need a memo to alert them to this reality. As Fredrick the Great said “Negotiations without arms are like notes without instruments.” The Obama administration’s Iran policy has no melody because it has no threat of arms. (MORE)
Filed under: Military, blockade, covert action, Cuban Missile Crisis, enriched uranium, Fredrick the Great, General James Jones, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Iran's nuclear facilities, Iran's nuclear weapons program, massive ordnance penetrator, millitary force against Iran, Mitch Rapp, negotiations withoug arms, notes without instruments, Osirak nuclear reactor, plausible denial, protect and defend, Robert Gates, sabotage, Secretary of Defense, surgical strike, US military planners, Vince Flynn
It should be obvious by now that Iran is hell-bent on acquiring a nuclear weapon and that nothing short of the threat of overwhelming force is going to disuade them.
I would like to see the ideas or plans of those that think the current administration can stop Iran from achieving a nuclear weapons capability without the credible threat to use military action as a last resort.
I just don’t see how the US can threaten the use of force after Iraq. The American people were burned once, they don’t want to get burned again.
Great column Ed. Keep up the good work.