Via Eli Clifton, Thomas Pickering, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN under George H.W. Bush, warned against a military strike on Iran in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today. Here is a clip:
This is essentially the consensus in the U.S. military and intelligence community, as best as I can tell. As Clifton mentions:
Pickering’s comments today closely match the warnings issued by former Israeli spy chief Meir Dagan earlier this month. Dagan warned that an Israeli attack on Iran could spark a “regional war” and, at best, could only delay Iran’s nuclear program. That assessment is shared by U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Incidentally, this scenario was shown to be almost certain after a classified war simulation held this month forecasted that a “strike would lead to a wider regional war, which could draw in the United States” and kill many, many people. As Ha’aretz reports, this Congressional Research Service report estimates that Iran could completely recover from a strike on its nuclear program within six months.
Beyond Dagan and Panetta, Pickering’s assessment also matches that of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey who has made statements in recent weeks that an attack on Iran would be pointless, dangerous, and unwise. High level officials have been issuing such warnings for months. Hell, retired generals and intelligence officers have taken out full page ads in the Washington Post arguing against war. Former CENTCOM Commander Admiral William J. Fallon and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General General James Cartwright said as much in a CSIS panel a few weeks ago, adding that the talk of attacking Iran essentially amounts to warmongering.
What is still amazing to me is that the pro-war jingoists are ignoring these assessments. Typically, jingoists exalt military leaders and put weight on their practical and strategic judgment. That the War Party, and especially the GOP candidates, are ignoring those judgements is a sign of how off the rails our political landscape is right now.
"That the War Party, and especially the GOP candidates, are ignoring those judgements is a sign of how off the rails our political landscape is right now."
Oh yeah. Off the rails? America's political landscape is a freaking train wreck.
Um, Ron Paul is the only candidate from either party who is staunchly anti-war… the broad sweeping brush doesn't fit.
1) RP doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the Republican nomination, &
2) He's not a "real Republican," as far as most Republicans are concerned, since he doesn't uphold military interventionism. He's not exactly a "RINO" by their estimates, as he makes most of the right "conservative" noises on the economy, but an unfathomable Libertarian outlier who doesn't even accept their faith in American Exceptionalism.
I wish I were wrong in this assessment, but you know I'm not.
Sadly, you nailed it A.G. . Ron is great, but since Reagan, the Americna people have been intoxicated with war and anything military.
Can somebody tell me how the US became an israel's vassal state?
That's where the problem is. The problem is not having warmongers in the country.
How has a tiny middle eastern terrorist state been able to turn the US into a puppet in order to use its military might for their criminal activities?
Chritian zionists have already flushed $5trillion to the toilet in Iraq and Afghanistan on behalf of their masters the zions. Now they want to flush $5trillion x 10 in Iran in order to permanently bankrupt the israel's vassal state!!!!
He is very true with the statement as there would be so many of the financial problems if we go way with any of the country and it is a good decision to prevent country from these problems and think of the common public.
Regards,
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Any further wars would absolutely destroy our already crippled economy. I'm not sure what could possibly be achieved by pursuing what these warmongers want.
I'm agree on it, They should see that what they are doing. I believe they'd Do better… greenhouses
What is still amazing to me is that the pro-war jingoists are ignoring these assessments. Typically, jingoists exalt military leaders and put weight on their practical and strategic judgment. That the War Party, and especially the GOP candidates, are ignoring those judgements is a sign of how off the rails our political landscape is right nowspring holiday limousine
Iran did so one of the many countries that attacked lately. You should not do that as long as there is no obvious reason why it should do this.Hunting in Texas
There are a lot of innocent people will fall victim if you do this. This could be one of the major problems for violating world peace.Beowulf Clusters
he makes most of the right "conservative" noises on the economy, but an unfathomable Libertarian outlier who doesn't even accept their faith in American Exceptionalism.