The International Herald Tribune had an editorial recently on Iran and the current United States’ administration’s use of preemptive strikes. [original story]
In general, I would say that it is wrong to start wars. However, the IHT article seems to go along well with the post I wrote about nuclear proliferation and the dangers of totalitarian rulers. Or rather, it goes directly against what I said. All of the reasons to not execute a preemptive strike against Iran’s nuclear capability, and its alliance with terrorists, are old and tired.
The author is apparently unfamiliar with US law. Zbigniew Brzezinski writes, “if undertaken without formal Congressional declaration, it would be unconstitutional and merit the impeachment of the President.” It is an established fact that periods of armed conflict under a set number of days, or directly tied to iminent threats are not covered under US law regarding the declaration of War on the part of Congress. He also writes, “if undertaken without the sanction of the UN Security Council either alone by the United States or in complicity with Israel, it would stamp the perpetrator(s) as an international outlaw(s).” This is not relevant. The United States does not answer to the United Nations, it answers to its own laws and treaties it has signed. If the United Nations will not undertake to follow its own rules, member states may, can, should, and will.
The United States, along with many allied countries, invaded Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein. Whether or not they found any weapons of mass destruction is irrelevant for the time being – Saddam had consistently defied international bodies, and the US merely stood up for what the UN claimed to promote.
Those in power have a responsibility to do good for their people – and for those others whom they can. When a leader, whether it is Adolf Hitler, or Slobodan Milosovic, or Saddam Hussein, oppresses his own people to the point of killing them merely becase they displease him, he is no longer fit to rule.
The IHT article goes on to list volatility in the energy market, international dislike, increased terror acts, and increased muslim fundamentalism as potential problems to such an act. Iran’s potential to ‘hand over the bomb’ to a terrorist group is not in doubt. And that terrorist wouldn’t likely use it on them. They would be far more likely to use it on a prominent target in the west.
In an ideal scenario, Iran would capitulate to economic sanctions, and diplomatic avenues. But we live in a far from ideal world.
Is the United States perfect? By no means. Neither is any other country. However as a nation, we have been blessed with power, influence, and backbone. I don’t want it to come to the point of needing to make a strike against Iran to hold them accountable for atrocities they are and have been complicit with. But if no one else will take a stand, I pray we do.