The American Spectator

Jacob Laksin’s article “Confronting Iran” completely misses the point. Perhaps he should write for the New Yorker or for the Democrats.

He seems surprised when the State Department recommends more diplomacy. Don’t they always? “Engagement” is what diplomats do. Does he remember the Lusitania? Or the invasion of Poland? Vietnam? Lebanon? Tehran? Etc. It takes leadership to go to solve problems, not bureaucrats.

It seems Mr. Laksin thinks the U.S. has unlimited power to go everywhere at once. We neither posses the military or political power to do all we wish.

The point is that President Bush is trying to get the U.N, i.e. the world, to actually do something constructive. Before we can act; he must first demonstrate that the U.N. Security Council is failing in its mission, that there is a threat to the world, and there is no more time to waste. Also, it must be proven that military action is the solution, so the world will support us. Otherwise we will unite the Muslim world against us.

Therefore, before the problem of Iran, North Korea, and China can be solved, Iraq must prevail.