Diplomacy has it merits but it becomes ineffective when it is understood by the enemy to have become totally disonnected from force. There is no more implausible scenario in the Colonel's mind than the one that has the European Union (with the exception of the British) mounting up and riding out to kick ass with a vengeance. We cannot discern what, if any, vital interests the EU thinks it has.
The Iranians see the same thing.
One of the things that irritated the Colonel the most about President Clinton's military intervention in the Balkans was that it was a situation that cried out for the U.S. to say to Europe that here was a European problem a long way away from the United States, and that the U.S. would like to see how the Europeans handle the issue of intervening to resolve a matter with grave human rights implications.
The following from the Wall Street Journal suggests what the result would have been had President Clinton said this:
What we are really witnessing is a demonstration of what happens when Iran's provocations are dealt with in a manner that suits Europe's feckless diplomatic "consensus." After more than two years of nonstop diplomacy and appeasement, the world is no closer to resolving its nuclear stand-off with Iran. But Iran is considerably closer to acquiring the critical mass of technology and know-how needed to build a nuclear weapon.Two YEARS of diplomacy and all that's been achieved has been giving the Iranians more time to do what they've intended to do all along. The Iranians are not serious about giving up their enormous investment.
The consequences of permitting Iran to obtain a nuclear capability are totally unacceptable. Any price of oil must be paid, any disruption of oil supplies must be tolerated.
The time for diplomacy is past.
Iran must capitulate totally or suffer a military strike against all its nuclear-related facilities.
"Unserious Consequences," Wall Street Journal, 1/11/06, p. A14.
1 comment:
I agree
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