Unsolicited Advice to the Government of Iran
Presuming that you are not actually ignorant enough to desire war with the United States, you might be well advised to read the history of the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor in 1898 and the history of the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964.
Having done so, you will surely recognize that Americans are reluctant to go to war unless attacked. Until Pearl Harbor, we were even reluctant to get involved in World War II. For historians of American wars the question is whether we provoke provocations.
Given the unilateral U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, you are obviously thinking the rules have changed. Provocation is no longer required to take America to war. But even in this instance, we were led to believe that the mass murderer of American civilians, Osama bin Laden, was lurking, literally or figuratively, in the vicinity of Baghdad.
Given all this, you would probably be well advised to keep your forces, including clandestine forces, as far away from the Iraqi border as you can. You might even consider bringing in some neighbors to verify that you are not shipping arms next door. Tone down the rhetoric on Zionism. You've established your credentials with those in your world who thrive on that.
If it makes you feel powerful to hurl accusations at the American eagle, have at it. Sticks and stones, etc. But, for the next sixteen months or so, you should not only not take provocative actions, you should not seem to be doing so.
For the vast majority of Americans who seek no wider war, in the Middle East or elsewhere, don't tempt fate. Don't give a certain vice president we know the justification he is seeking to attack your country. That is unless you happen to like having bombs fall on your head.
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I cannot believe what I am reading. None of the wars we had lately had been necessary but to gain from it. I am so sick of hearing the word freedom, what freedom when the parts of the Patriot Act are unconstitutional, the spying on US citizens, etc. We point the fingers at other nations for human rights violation when he have Guantanamo and secret prisons around the world. Are we stupid yet?
Saudis are the most getting caught in Iraq attacking our soldiers yet NO ONE talks about them but divert the attention to the Iranians
who supported us the most after 9/11. Yes, agree that was an in-house deal - against all laws of physics and no one, but no one investigated it properly or tested the remnants.
Tell me, just who took those photographs way up in the sky looking down at the WTCs when the first plane hit, and from all angles, distances, no less. But war drums are rattling
nevertheless.
If Americans don't go to war unless attacked, then 14 million Native Americans must have been developing nuclear weapons 200 years ago. Red man was asking for it. It's all clear to me now.
You have missed the point. Gary is saying, albiet very delicately, that our blood thirsty VP and child thug Prez are searching for a reason to attack Iran. They need only the hint of provacation and we will drop bombs first, ask questions later. I agree completely with him. Ahmedenijad needs to lay low for the next 18 months, keep plenty of witnesses handy and stay as far away from Iraq as possible. We know how easy this current crew in the WH can manufacture "events". Remember those 6 nuke warheads that "accidentally" got loaded on a B-52 from Minot AFB and flew to LA, managing to avoid all the numerous safeguards to prevent such things? One of the war heads is still missing. When one thinks of the provocation it would take to get the over 60% of US population on board with another war, this time with a much more leathal Iran, I can easily imagine a nuked US city, blamed on Iran will do the trick. They get Iran without much fuss from a terrified populace and they declare Martial Law and stop the elections. I wouldn't put anything past these murderers in the WH.
MIDWEST............YOU ARE JUST SAYING WHAT MANY AMERICANS ARE!! IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE MANY "TRUMPED" UP HAPPENINGS WITH THIS BUSH ADMINISTRATION. WITH ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED (OR NOT HAPPENED) IT IS POSSIBLE YOUR "ACCIDENTIALLY" EVENT MIGHT JUST "HAPPEN"
If indeed the "honorable" Mr. Hart was using double-talk to warm Ahmedenijad about Bozo and Cheney, then that is a problem in and of itself. Why can't people just say it like it is? Hey, our president is a delusional buffoon and wants to attack so you guys better not provoke him or his sidekick or they will come over and trounch on you. We waste so much time with these hidden messages. Personally I don't think his message was hidden. I think he was telling him to back off because we can take him out in a heartbeat, just like we are doing in Iraq (giggle). Face it facts, nobody in the rest of the world believes we are a credible force while this administration is in charge, except Congress and Gary Hart.
Gary,
I am glad you hav epointed out that we as people do not want to provoke a war with anyother nation. But justifying the Iraq invasion by any excuse is unproductive. Actions speak louder than words and we have been culpable in the folly in Iraq and afghanistan. Our gov't has not allowed other dirctoral regimes rest of the laurels of their ancestors- why should anyone allow US to- and our laurels aren't that good to being with (you needn't attack a country to dominate it- we've done that through economic means)Let's get real about history. Iran has been a thorn in our paw for decades- why is it suddenly time to jump their sh*t? Nuclear proliferation- sorry that excuse is woren out- we could literally blow them off the map and they know it too. Frankly the Decisions of the gov't have baffled me, concerned me and terrified me- my own gov't and it's rhetoric is more of a terrorist to my psyche than any irrelevant countries President or even islamic extremeist- My gov't is the most powerful in the world an dhas far more deadly copnsequence sto it's actions. I dare say Gary, you could also send a 'Wake Up' letter to the WH, Congress, the military and the Supreme court of the US.
But then again it seems that players have changed sides but failed to change their jersey's.
I SEEM TO REMEMBER A FEW "DESPOTS" THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS SUPPORTED IN THE PAST THROUGH ECONOMIC NEANS.....
Don't forget that 9-11 was the latest false flag operation to kick start the PNAC plan for world domination. Visit architects and engineers for 911 http://www.ae911truth.org/h.org/, and you will see the evidence is overwhelming that it was an inside job. Go to the links for Pilots, Military, and Scholars for 911 truth, and you will see that there are many qualified people questioning the Govt's official story based on facts, not politics. Wasn't it Machiavelli that said it is easier to sell a big lie as opposed to than a small one?
Well said Gary.
Senator Hart,
You usually make a fairly good case in your articles, but this one appears to be an exception. Many of the commenters think you meant the exact opposite of what I think you meant, and of what your own record of comment would indicate you meant.
Maybe a bit more clarity would help avoid confusion...
Re Podewumun comment.
That's what I thought as well, he never struck me as being crass and therefore the only way that could be read was as sarcasm on his part... which makes many of these comments redundant.
Mr. Hart has decided to talk about the elephant standing in the room with us - the likelihood that the out of control executive branch will unleash a reign of destruction on Iran.
Once upon a time, was it not necessary for the President to ask a joint session of Congress for permission to go to war? So, when did the Republicans change the Constitution so that they can now go off and use our Armed Forces as their own personal play thing?
mamcat is correct.
Mr. Hart is pointing out that Cheney and his stupid little, petulant Georgie Porgie are just drooling at the mouth to be able to, if necessary, twist and lie and manufacture a reason to hit Iran, and to use it, quite possibly, to declare martial law an suspend the upcoming elections.
Iran needs to be terribly, terribly cautious and to pull back in a manner as to not give the loons anything to work with in justification.
However, as we see the Iranians have their own version of Bush and Cheney, that is rather unlikely.
what Mr. Hart is saying is "these people" (everyone knows who that is) need to be watched very, very closely. I picture Cheney in the laboratory as we talk
Since the Kyl-Lieberman amendement has declared the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, Bush can justify attacing its bases in Iran as part of the war on terror. Iran will retaliate for this and the war the Bush administration wants will be on.
You know, it's enlightening, reading about Iran's internal situation on human rights, and just now about Myanmar's brutal crackdown on monks. Tiny little Israel is the focus of so much pathological hatred, the sole object of the UN "Human Rights" Commission's condemnation, despised by the pseudo-"left" and much protested, boycotted, and whatever else, despite the fact that tiny Israel is a democratic republic where Arab men and women can vote, organize, protest, and women and gays have rights and voice--yet WHERE is the massive outrage at the violent, sadistic treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi and nonviolent Buddhist monks? Where are the demonstrations, the UN debates and condemnations, the sanctions, the crowds, the boycotts? The silence out there, particulary of the so-called "left" that's so rabid about Israel, speaks VOLUMES. I no longer call myself "liberal," even though that is my stance on the majority of issues. You condemn yourselves. Hypocrites!
The rpoblem with "liberals" or even so-called "progressives" who support ILLEGAL Israeli actions is that they contradict themselves. They fight for the same human rights and social justice that other progressives fight for, but when it comes to Israel, all their logic and rationalism goes to hell. It's a form of "Israeli Exceptionalism" that I have never been able to wrap my head around. If you feel so strongly about Myanmar, you should feel similarly outraged by the treatment of the indigenous population of Palestine.
AMAZING, ISN'T IT HOW THIS UNITED NATIONS KEEPS "SANCTIONING ISRAEL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS OFFENSES"....IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE DEAF DUMB AND BLIND TO ALL THE HORROR IN THE REST OF THE WORLD....WHILE THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE TERRORIZED COUNTRIES LIVE IN THE LAP OF LUXERY IN OUR COUNTRY..WHILE NOT HAVING TO OBEY OUR LAWS WITH RIDICULOUS IMMUNITIES...AND THE LIST GOES ON....GET THE UN OUT OF THE US AND GET THE US OUT OF THE UN!!
Unless you intended to yell all your responses, please turn off your caps.
If we provoke provocations, then Americans are NOT so reluctant to go to war unless attacked. Americans love a good war, and will do anything to get one!
I have loved you since you managed McGovern's campaign in '72, Mr Hart, but please try to get real.
There's a distinction here between the American government (president) and the American people (including Congress).
The American people and Congress historically need to be convinced to go to war, and American presidents historically do the convincing, when they want to send the boys overseas. It's not to the people's and Congress' credit, that we are always, always, always convinced.
Mr. Hart's reference to the "Maine" is that, whatever sunk the "Maine," it was not a Spanish torpedo. That was just the story that was used as the war cry that bought the public's outrage.
As was the "attack" on the "Pueblo." As was the Gulf of Tonkin. As were the fictional Iraqi WMDs.
Our presidents, gifted with the massive machinery of opinion-manufacture, regularly use their power of opinion to generate warlike sentiments in citizens who by now should know better. We are not truly a peace-loving people, if we are so easy to convince.
They did it in Iraq, and they'll do it in Iran too, if no one stops them.
The Iranians, the Chines, the russians--are mining the hell out of the Striats of Hormuz right now.
Divine Justice?-we'll see...
Mr Hart, even if the Iranians read your letter it's pointless to give them advise on how to avoid be attacked by Cheney and the neoCONs. nothing the Iranians do or don't do will make any difference. it's a done deal. as with the war on Iraq it's all part and parcel of the PNAC plan for world domination. any excuse will do and if an excuse doesn't materialize in a timely fashion one will be fabricated.
LOL! Americans are reluctant to go to war unless attacked. Unless the foreign country has oil. Unless the foreign country is led by an ex-CIA asset who helps run cocaine. Unless we can find a proxy army to do it for us so we only have to mine some harbors and run guns and crack for the proxy army.
It's hilarious that America's leaders still try to sell the pablum!
My unsolicited advice to the government of Iran is build a nuclear bomb and test it underground and make a public announcement about it all as soon as you possibly can. Because that's the only proven way to put an end to talk of American aggression. Just call up Lil' Kim, he'll tell you how it worked for him.
Wouldn't work. One nuke explosion in Iran would get an immediate attack by the US, before they had a chance to build an inventory. Probably using our own nukes, too.
Our prexy ain't afraida no nukes. Nixon wanted to use them in Vietnam, fer gosh. Can't see Boy George letting tricky dick beat him out. Gotta one-up him.
Whoa, Senator, the VAST MAJORITY of Americans (2 out of 3) favored this invasion and occupation FOR OIL because their CONgress reps (including Hillary) told them it was necessary to fight the War on Terror, and the preznutz assured us of WMDs. Later WE knew it was ONLY the oil.
Excellent advise to Iran, Senator, please just DON'T believe it will make ANY difference to the fascist geopolitical asswipes that want to bomb Iran, because the Senate's actions (including the dem senators rubber stamping the preznutz' foreign policy on Iran 'TODAY') says YOU'RE WRONG, at least about CONgress' motives!
CONgress does NOT fit your statistical model, nor should they EVER be included as part of the 'vast majority'.
Their votes have NOTHING to do with far fewer of US than even a subjugated minority. Their 'votes' are reserved for LARGE campaign lobbyist donors ONLY!
Pure wisdom my friend, pure wisdom.
Mr. Hart, I think Iran has an Ace up its sleeve we aren't even considering. What if, we attack Iran and China dumps our currency and bonds on the Market at a loss? In one move the US will lose its Banker and won't have time nor money for its hobby of fighting elective oil wars with all the fires of a collapsed economy needing attention.
Really, how long do you think the rest of the world will tolerate the United State's overt goal of securing the Middle East oil? Or the securing of oil and natural gas in South East Asia for that matter?
Iran maybe the tripwire that unleashes blowback on the United States that is completely unexpected.
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