Avoiding War With Iran
by
Ron Paul
by Ron Paul
In recent weeks
the Bush administration has stated its willingness to use diplomacy
in dealing with Iran, which is a welcome change from previous policy.
Lets hope its more than just a change in tone. With
ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan costing more than $5 billion
per week, record levels of federal spending and debt, and oil hovering
around $70 per barrel, American taxpayers certainly cannot afford
another war.
Iran, like
Iraq, is a major source of global oil. For all our posturing, the
truth is that worldwide crude prices would spike rapidly if we attacked
Iran. With summer coming, demand will increase and gas prices at
the pump will be over $3 for most of the nation. Airlines are raising
ticket prices to compensate for jet fuel prices that have nearly
doubled in a year. A strike on Iran in coming months would create
serious trouble for an American economy that is already struggling
with high energy prices.
Its time
for a foreign policy based on reality, a foreign policy that serves
the interests of ordinary Americans. The reality is that we will
continue to use oil as a major source of energy in this country
for the foreseeable future, and therefore the health of our economy
will be affected by the price of oil. Like it or not, some of that
oil will continue to come from the Middle East even if we get serious
about tapping domestic sources.
The US has
not used diplomacy with Iran for nearly 26 years, since the hostage
crisis of the Carter era. But this no negotiation stance
hasnt worked: Irans defiant behavior continues, and
its uranium enrichment program has not been dismantled.
Is Iran a nuclear
threat? Not according to our own CIA, which says Iran is years away
from developing nuclear weapons. This is not to say we should sit
back as nuclear weapons proliferate in the Middle East. But we shouldnt
allow war hawks to wildly overstate the threat posed by Iran, as
they did with Iraq.
Since 2001
we have spent over $300 billion occupying Afghanistan and Iraq.
Were poorer but certainly not safer for it. We removed the
Taliban from power in Afghanistan much to the delight of
the Iranians, who consider the Taliban an archenemy. Warlords now
control the country, operating a larger drug trade than ever before.
Similarly in
Iraq, our ouster of Saddam Hussein will allow the majority Shia
to claim leadership title if Iraqs election actually leads
to an organized government. This delights the Iranians, who are
close allies of the Iraqi Shia.
Talk about
unintended consequences! This war has produced chaos, civil war,
death and destruction, and huge financial costs. It has eliminated
two of Irans worst enemies, and placed power in Iraq with
Irans best friends. Even this apparent failure of policy does
nothing to restrain the current march toward a similar confrontation
with Iran. What will it take for us to learn from our failures?
Government
power in Iran is divided, and President Ahmadinejad the man
responsible for hateful comments about Israel does not control
their nuclear policy. We should ignore him as a pariah, and deal
instead with Ali Larijani, head of Irans National Security
Council, who has made several reasonable statements about the US
and shows a desire to have direct diplomatic talks.
Discussions
with Iran are not appeasement. On the contrary, dialogue is needed
to explain clearly that Americas objectives of non-proliferation
and peace in the Middle East will not be compromised. 25 years of
isolating Iran has moved us farther from, not closer to, achieving
those objectives.
May
23, 2006
Dr. Ron
Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.
Ron
Paul Archives
|