British Approach to Dealing with Iran May Be the Correct One: Bush Administration Should Listen to What They're Saying

Tony Blair seems to have indicated that Britain would be unable to provide military support for an assault on Iran due to Britain's current international commitments.

Some of the Prime Minister's cabinet members are suggesting that an approach similar to what brought Libya back into the international community would be more beneficial than if a Western coalition were to turn Iran into a parking lot.

The British suggestion raises some excellent points.

We've learned from past experience (Iraq) that when the West starts making demands, war follows. When deadlines are set, war follows. When sketchy intelligence is taken for the gospel truth, or is ignored, war follows. When claims of enemy WMDs ready to be launched within minutes are issued by coalition governments, war follows. When this Administration says "trust us--we're right about this", and they turn out to be wrong, how can this Administration expect us to trust them this time with Iran?

The Bush Administration says it doesn't know how far away Iran is from making an atomic bomb. But again, we are faced with statements coming out of the Administration that Iran must comply with it's demands or else. It's the "or else" part that is particularly alarming, especially when "regime change" is again being touted in Washington. And again, we see the UN Security Council splintering under pressure.

We don't need another war; we need a solution that doesn't involve the U.S. military as the primary instrument for a political resolution.

Given all of this, the British strategy seems sound. Working with Iranians outside the current radical government and in key locations inside Iran could well turn the situation around.

Hopefully Bush listens to his closest international ally and not to the Bush cowboys (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Chertoff & Gonzales) when formulating a strategy to deal with Iran. No disrespect to Condi Rice intended in that last sentence. But she's part of the problem too.

Hopefully President Bush is listening to the ideas coming out of Britain.