Over the weekend much has been made of a report by Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker magazine which suggests that the United States is, at the very least, looking into the possibility of using thermonuclear weapons in a preemptive strike on Iran whom it claims is secretly developing nuclear weapons.
I don’t know about any of you but I find even the suggestion of using nuclear weapons thoroughly depressing. I understand it’s just one of the options that military planners are investigating, but I suppose it’s a clear indication of how serious President Bush is about militarizing the Iran situation, and that in itself in depressing enough.
The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the idea was “completely nuts” and that Britain would not launch a preemptive strike on Iran.
I read a blog in which the author wrote “America must save the world, from itself, yet again.” I read sentences like that and my heart sinks a little.
I can’t help but feel like this is all shaping up into another ugly and unholy mess. I’m no more comfortable than anyone else about the fact Iran might have nuclear capabilities, but I’m also uncomfortable that it’s America that is throwing its Mcweight around here in that same ‘John Wayne – wild west’ swagger that assured us that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction, honest he does!
Call me selfish, but I hope that if President Bush does order something as insane as a nuclear preemptive strike against Iran, then he does so alone and without the support or backing of my country. Not that I suppose it’ll make a big difference in the retaliation that will certainly follow.
Amid the nuclear tension of the 1980’s Sting recorded a song called “Russians” in which he said “We share the same biology, regardless of ideology, what might save us, me and you, is if the russians love their children too.” The obvious point being that if the Russians loved their children they wouldn’t want a nuclear war.
When I read these alarmist stories in the press I just hope those with their fingers on the trigger also spare a thought for their children too.
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Washington Post : Not Just A Last Resort?
BBC : Iran attack debate raises nuclear prospect
Developing Nuclear weapons in peacetime
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 10:09 am
Well, I for one sure as hell hope he DOESN’T initiate a preemptive strike. And remember…it’s not America per se, just the current administration. Most of us are sick of the goddamn Middle East.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 11:49 am
I hope someone tightens the straps on his straightjacket so that he can’t get his finger on the button.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Whatever happened to good old isolationism? I, for one, am all for it especially from a military standpoint.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 3:35 pm
My Dad phoned tonight to say have a good time in America and all that usual stuff that the olds do before I fly away anywhere. I made a joke about hoping not to be there when Bush started world war three and then my Dad, a usually conservative man, said the following.
“The sooner someone assassinates that idiot the better we’ll all be. He a class one prize prat.”
I have to say the comment really took me back. My Dad and I don’t often talk politics because as much as we’re not opposites in that subject, it is fair to say that I am a little more liberal than he is. Like most people in the UK he’s no fan of Blair, or Bush, but for him to say “the sooner someone assassinates that idiot the better” is quite shocking really.
I didn’t know what to say so I said jokingly “Whoa Dad, don’t miss your words there will ya.” He then shot back “Well bloody hell Sie, you can’t honestly think that idiot has done any good can you? All the bloody muslims hate America now and he continues to give them good reasons to. The man is a bloody liability.”
I joked again that the CIA will come and arrest him and then he made me laugh out loud by saying “Well even with our phone number I doubt the yanks would be able to find me. After all they can put probes on mars and read car number plates from space yet they can’t find an arab walking around the desert with a bloody great big dialysis machine can they?” I must admit that last comment made me laugh.
I never really heard my Dad talk so badly about anyone since Maggie Thatcher (whom he hated with a passion). I asked Mom if he was feeling alright and she said he’d “just been swearing at the telly” because the nuclear thing about Bush had just been on. Apparently that is what reminded him to call me???
So there you have it, I have a Dad who swears at the TV. :-D
When I return from America in May I’m going to try and get down to London for a little hang out time with Dad. We’re not as close as we should be. And I didn’t just decide that because of the way he talked about “that bloody idiot” Bush. :-)
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 5:32 pm
god i love that song.
mister krushchev said “we will bury you” i dont subscribe to this point of you.
sting is a genius.
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 6:17 pm
He’s certainly a good bloke for sure. I met him twice in London when I was dating a girl who lived on the same street as him. The first time I was real casual, we chatted in a supermarket line about the merits of coupons. It was a funny chat, very normal. He then asked my name and we shook hands. I was buzzing off that. But then a week or so later in the same supermarket (Waitrose, Kings Road) who should join the line behind me but him and Trudy.
I didn’t notice at first, it was my friend Anne-Marie who noticed and gestured to me with her eyes to turn around. I did and he recognized me and said “Hello Simon.” He then introduced me to his partner Trudy and his little kid Jake. I was super super impressed that he remembered my name, and Anne-Marie thought I was a God for knowing Sting. I didn’t let on that I’d only met him once until much later. I basked in that glory for a while. :-)
Wrote the following comment on Apr 10, 2006 at 10:23 am
I can’t imagine that there could possible be any truth in the suggestion of nuclear attack. Jack Straw was talking about this on the BBC early this morning, stating that it was a nonsense. Of course, to hark a politician’s word without question would be foolish, but for once I would tend to believe what he says. Even Bush isn’t that crazy. Unless god has told him something we don’t know about…