Letters

The editorial board also ignored the political and military realities in the area. For more than three decades, sanctions made Iran’s modernization of its armed forces exceedingly difficult. Iraq’s invasion of Iran and the ensuing eight-year conflict further weakened Iran’s military capabilities. In the same period, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries purchased billions of dollars’ worth of the most modern equipment available, and Saudi Arabia has passed Russia in expenditures on weapons. Also threatening to Iran has been the Saudis’ formation of an alliance of Sunni Muslim nations against Iran. ››read more

Neither facts nor nonmilitary alternatives deter Charles Krauthammer ("Iranian regime starts to feel the heat," Sunday) from pushing war with Iran. For instance, Krauthammer omits that the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to Washington said other Arab countries have different opinions about an attack on Iran, and that the United States could make more progress with Iran by pushing for an Israel-Palestinian peace treaty. ››read more

Shying away from a pledge of no first use, it in fact allows for certain contingencies in which nuclear weapons would be used in conventional theater. Second, it uses the threat of nuclear terrorism as a justification for indefinite postponement of a general disarmament. Third, instead of “rebuilding” the nonproliferation regime, the doctrine’s explicit nuclear bullying of proliferation-prone countries actually increases their insecurity and perceived need for nuclear deterrence, thus achieving the opposite result of its intended purposes. ››read more

BrzezinskiWhat I have said repeatedly is that an Israeli attack on Iran through U.S.-controlled airspace would make the United States complicit, and the United States would then become the target of Iranian retaliation. That is why the United States should make it clear that its airspace is not available for a unilateral Israeli attack, and that a violation of it could lead to an incident reminiscent of the attack on the USS Liberty, about which I added "it is nothing to be wished for." ››read more

Nuclear powers bear most of the responsibility for the failures of the international nonproliferation regime. They can hardly claim the high moral ground or the political legitimacy to use military means to prevent others from developing nuclear capabilities. There are several options between a half-hearted diplomatic initiative and the bombardment of a country. What about a nuclear-free Middle East, with international guarantees of non-interference and regional security? ››read more

I urge you to use your veto power to stop these bills from becoming legislation. To embargo gasoline is tantamount to declaration of war against Iran. This is a grave error which will cause untold human suffering making repression of post election protest pale by comparison. ››read more

Gordon BrownIn his recent speech on disarmament, Prime Minister Gordon Brown missed an opportunity to raise the issue of a Middle East nuclear-free zone and the importance of bringing even a modicum of international inspection to Israel's nuclear program. Instead, he lambasted Iran's peaceful and transparent nuclear program as a proliferation threat, overlooking the extensive IAEA access to Iran's nuclear facilities. ››read more

Sie, Frau Bundeskanzlerin, auch die politische Elite in Europa und in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, Sie alle sind mitverantwortlich nicht nur für das Leid der Palästinenser, sondern auch für das Leid der Bevölkerung Israels, ständig in Angst und Schrecken leben zu müssen. Es ist an der Zeit, diese verhängnisvolle Israelpolitik durch eine zukunftsfähige Politik zu ersetzen, die auf echter ökonomischer, kultureller und politischer Kooperation zwischen Israel und dessen Nachbarn aufbaut.

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The Foundation for Defense of Democracies has pushed for warrantless domestic surveillance of Americans and war with Iraq, Iran and Syria. The Heritage Foundation is an influential conservative think tank. It is influential because many of its members are Republican Party advisors and they populate the Bush administration. The Heritage Foundation has goals of dismantling social programs and pushing for a strong military.
In seeking a strong defense program, the Heritage Foundation spends a great deal of money, energy and ink promoting fear and overstated threats. ››read more

His Excellency Dr. Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign And Security Policy/ Secretary General of the European Union and Representative of Six Countries. ››read more

This week the US Congress is debating two non-binding resolutions which, if passed, will greatly increase the likelihood of military intervention against Iran. They call on the US president to "increase economic, political and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities", and demand "stringent inspection requirements" of all goods entering or leaving Iran and an embargo of refined petroleum products to Iran. Although both resolutions exclude authorisation for military action, the embargo will require a naval blockade. ››read more

There is a word for "covert activities" including the "authorisation of lethal force" with the aim of "trying to undermine the government" of a sovereign state - it is 'terrorism'. At least according to definitions in British law. But does the UK Home Office apply the law without discrimination? ››read more

Bahrain's security would be threatened if international tensions over Iran flared into war and the kingdom wanted to be consulted so that could be prevented, a top official said on Wednesday. ››read more

Iran is committed to its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. In principle, Iran refuses to abide by illegal and coercive pressures or threats that seek to deprive Iran of its inalienable rights. ››read more

The United States and Iran share a great deal, despite their division with respect to Israel, Lebanon and other interests. There is their common support for the Shiite-led government in Iraq and for the government in Afghanistan, as well as their common enmity toward Al Qaeda and the Taliban. ››read more

The April 13 editorial "Countering Iran" indicated that The Post is content to repeat the errors that led to the media's failure to inform the public during the prelude to the Iraq war. Indeed, the depiction of Iran as "a growing menace" seems to be taken directly from the Bush administration's prewar playbook. ››read more

Before the U.S. invaded Iraq, Iran warned this country (via intermediaries) that such an invasion would almost certainly set off a civil war and cause the U.S. to be bogged down for years in a grievously injurious adventure. ››read more