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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsExcellent NYT editorial explains what can be done to stop US building up to war in Iran
Last edited Wed May 15, 2019, 06:24 PM - Edit history (1)
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/opinion/stop-iran-war.html?smid=nytcore-ios-shareMe.
(35,454 posts)because of the firewall
The good news is that Congress, Americas allies and others can intervene to avert a disastrous conflict.
Although bipartisanship is scarce, caution in sending American troops abroad remains a common cause. Both houses of Congress should immediately hold hearings on the leaked war plans. If the administration wont provide Patrick M. Shanahan, the acting secretary of defense, as a witness, then Congress should agree to whoever the administration sends and include in the hearing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs or his designee. This hearing should be public, but Congress should also welcome a classified session to discuss leaked intelligence alleging plots by Iran.
Congress should also use its powers to challenge the legal authority for a war with Iran. The Senate is scheduled to mark up the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act next week. This provides an opportunity to limit the use of defense dollars for a new war and gives Congress a chance to develop a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force another issue with support on both sides of the aisle. Those in Congress who wish to avoid a war need to remind the country that the debate over authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein, which was presented as a way to strengthen the presidents hand for diplomacy, ended up giving George W. Bush the authority he used to invade Iraq.
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)Great article, I missed it on my first look at news this morning. I'm going to expand a bit as NYT is behind a paywall for some of our members.
K&R and thank you for posting
How to Stop the March to War With Iran
Congress, Europe and business leaders can stand in John Boltons way.
By Wendy R. Sherman
Ms. Sherman is the former under secretary of state for political affairs.
May 15, 2019
snip.....lots more at the link, the copied text is the author's closing
Finally, it is crucial that the news media in the United States and elsewhere continue its crusade for the facts about what is going on with Iran. We cannot repeat the days before the Iraq war when even many of our most reliable news outlets repeated and amplified what was, in fact, a flimsy case for war.
Its quite possible that none of these actions will halt John Bolton, President Trumps national security adviser, in his long-held ambition for regime change in Iran, by force of arms if necessary. And maybe even Mr. Trump sees promise in a wag the dog strategy in the run-up to the 2020 election, rallying his supporters around a wartime president. But a military conflict with Iran would have historic negative consequences for Americas national security, economy and standing in the world. We cannot just let it happen.
Wendy R. Sherman is a professor and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is the former under secretary of state for political affairs, lead negotiator of the Iran nuclear deal, and the author of Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power and Persistence.
Me.
(35,454 posts)But I wouldn't expect otherwise.
I would also reply to the OP with thanks for the paragraphs but DU is doing something funny for me and makes replying directly impossible
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Sounds like war is inevitable, then.
emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)is to move aggressively on one part of the board and then, having gained 'tempo' (freedom and time to move) there, switch suddenly to another part of the board where you most desire to gain territory, attacking mercilesssly.
Perhaps Bolton is doing this: Iran distraction; Venezuela invasion.
Hotler
(11,494 posts)I forgot, I've been told protest don't work. Never mind, move along.