Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Comment on LGF -10-17-2007 Bush on Iran

#348 lifeofthemind 10/17/07 3:40:42 pm reply quote report 0
Charles,

Remember that foreign policy professionals are driven to not repeat obvious errors of the past. An iron law in International Relations could be called "Don't do a Dean Acheson." Poor Mr Acheson was roundly condemned for giving a speech in which he carefully explained the US strategic perimeter in Asia, leaving the Korean peninsula out. Kim Il Sung promptly invaded the South. This statement of the President was an explicit statement of US policy and a clear warning to Putin that if Iran goes nuclear the US will use force and if the Russians attempt to extend to Iran the protection of their nuclear umbrella, as the American umbrella has been extended to NATO, Japan, Taiwan and Israel, then the result will be war. This is one of the most significant policy statements of the last 60 years.