War with Iran Not Inevitable

If you've been following my blog, you know I think a war with Iran would have disastrous consequences for America. Our financial and military are both stretched to the breaking point, and the economy is stagnating into what could easily become a depression. The many estimates of dire consequences of an Iranian response (one writer calls it "the perfect storm from hell") would only worsen these conditions.

The good news is that the forces lining up against the Cheney-NeoCon-Israeli coalition for war with Iran may be getting the upper hand. Tom Englehardt makes a good case "Why Cheney Won't Take Down Iran." Justin Raimondo at AntiWar.com also sees signs the tide might be turning against the War Party.

U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as Defense Secretary Robert Gates are said to oppose an attack on Iran. Gates reportedly told Democratic Senators last year that it would "create generations of jihadists and our grandchildren will be battling our enemies here in America." One observer thinks that the threat of higher oil prices due to an Iranian war has Bush and the Republicans "over a barrel," creating a huge problem for John McCain in November.

On the other side is what Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, a former Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury under Reagan, calls "a totally lawless regime" that is hell-bent on getting its way, regardless of what the American people want. Meanwhile, the virtual declaration of war with Iran if House Joint Resolution 362 and Senate Resolution 580 pass is still a threat. So far there has been no vote on either. To their credit, Rep. Tom Cole, Sen. Coburn and Sen. Infofe stand alone among the Oklahoma delegation as not having signed on as co-sponsors.

So while I am more hopeful than when I first addressed this issue almost two weeks ago, we need to remember Yogi Berra's famous words: "It ain't over till it's over." If you haven't called your Congressman and Senators yet about these resolutions, register your opinion today. And pray that if there is any shred of decency left in the leaders of the Bush administration, that they will spare the world and our posterity the all-too-likely horrors of unleashing their war plans on Iran.