Making A Decision On Iran

by Charles Krauthammer - Septermber 15th, 20906 - Townhall.com

WASHINGTON -- In his televised 9/11 address, President Bush said that we must not ``leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons.'' There's only one such current candidate: Iran.

The next day, he responded thus (as reported by Rich Lowry and Kate O'Beirne of National Review) to a question on Iran: ``It's very important for the American people to see the president try to solve problems diplomatically before resorting to military force.''

``Before'' implies that the one follows the other. The signal is unmistakable. An aerial attack on Iran's nuclear facilities lies just beyond the horizon of diplomacy. With the crisis advancing and the moment of truth approaching, it is important to begin looking now with unflinching honesty at the military option.

The costs will be terrible:

Do you know what country has an official "Death to America" day?

Do you think that these people are joking?

Do you wish to withdraw from the middle east and expect someone else to deal with the problem?

Tell me your answers to these three quesstions and I would like to think I could tell you whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. However this is now becoming unclear. To me it seems that our nation has a large element that has totally lost touch with reality. The world is what it is. Wishful thinking will get you dead. Doubt that? Ask the 6 million jews who thought they could get along with Hitler. At the time "He can't be that bad" was the contstant refrain.

Today we have more and more who are saying, "let's just get out of Iraq and let them solve their own problems." The problem is that they are going to solve their problems . . . . by blowing up the world, starting with Israel and America.