[PAA-Discuss] Escalation in the Middle East

[robert]

Escalation in the Middle East 

Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk - January 15, 2007 


While the president's announcement that an additional 20,000 troops would be
sent to Iraq dominated the headlines last week, the real story was the
president's sharp rhetoric towards Iran and Syria. And recent moves by the
administration only serve to confirm the likelihood of a wider conflict in
the Middle East. 

The president stated last week that, "Succeeding in Iraq also requires
defending its territorial integrity- and stabilizing the region in the face
of the extremist challenge. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria." He
also announced the deployment of an additional aircraft carrier battle group
to the Persian Gulf, and the deployment of Patriot air missile defense
systems to countries in the Middle East. Meanwhile, US troops stormed the
Iranian consulate in Iraq and detained several Iranian diplomats. Taken
together, the message was clear: the administration intends to move the US
closer to a dangerous and ill-advised conflict with Iran. 

As I said last week on the House floor, speculation in Washington focuses on
when, not if, either Israel or the U.S. will bomb Iran-- possibly with
nuclear weapons. The accusation sounds very familiar: namely, that Iran
possesses weapons of mass destruction. Iran has never been found in
violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and our own Central
Intelligence Agency says Iran is more than ten years away from producing any
kind of nuclear weapon. Yet we are told we must act immediately while we
still can! 

This all sounds very familiar, but many of my colleagues don't seem to have
learned much from the invasion of Iraq. House Democrats strongly criticized
the Iraq troop surge after the president's announcement, but then praised
the president's confrontational words condemning Iran. Many of those
opposing a troop surge are not calling for a withdrawal of our troops from
the Middle East, but rather for "redeployment." Redeployment to where? Iran?


We need to return to reality when it comes to our Middle East policy. We
need to reject the increasingly shrill rhetoric coming from the same voices
who urged the president to invade Iraq. 

The truth is that Iran, like Iraq, is a third-world nation without a
significant military. Nothing in history hints that she is likely to invade
a neighboring country, let alone America or Israel. I am concerned, however,
that a contrived Gulf of Tonkin- type incident may occur to gain popular
support for an attack on Iran. 

The best approach to Iran, and Syria for that matter, is to heed the advice
of the Iraq Study Group Report, which states: 

". the United States should engage directly with Iran and Syria in order to
try to obtain their commitment to constructive policies toward Iraq and
other regional issues. In engaging with Syria and Iran, the United States
should consider incentives, as well as disincentives, in seeking
constructive results." 

In coming weeks I plan to introduce legislation that urges the
administration to heed the advice of the Iraq Study Group. Dialogue and
discussion should replace inflammatory rhetoric and confrontation in our
Middle East policy, if we truly seek to defeat violent extremism and
terrorism. 
Source: http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2007/tst011507.htm 

Last updated 15/01/2007

 

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