When I made my first entry under the category Patriot Notes, I felt so strongly that I decided not to end it with my usual "At least, that's what I think today".
But a reader has pointed out to me that I was perhaps a little too extreme.
As you may recall, I made two suggestions. The first was that congress pass a law making it a high crime and misdemeanor, with appropriate punishment beyond impeachment to use nuclear weapons unless we had already been attacked in the same way. I stand by that suggestion.
But I also suggested that we should refuse to vote for any candidate who would not endorse such a law and policy.
I take that back. A very wise reader pointed out that such a course might very well make nuclear war more likely. If those of us who care about such dangers don't vote, because we can't get an absolute guarantee, we might well end up with leaders elected by those who don't care.
I still think, however, that we should do everything we can to stop the slow but steady movement our government is currently making toward a nuclear strike at Iran.
Craig Unger points out, in his insightful analysis of the current situation, that Paul Craig Roberts, former assistant secretary of the Treasury under Ronald Reagan, has said that
Bush “will attack Iran with tactical nuclear weapons, because it is the only way the neocons believe they can rescue their goal of U.S. (and Israeli) hegemony in the Middle East.”
and that a former C.I.A. officer, Philip Giraldi, concurs:
“I’ve heard from sources at the Pentagon that their impression is that the White House has made a decision that war is going to happen.”
This single act would undo all of the painstaking effort two generations of statesmen and stateswomen have undertaken to make nuclear war the unthinkable tactic politically that it is in reality.
We must do everything in our power to put a stop to these plans.
Along those lines, there is some good news.
According to Christina Bellantoni of The Washington Times in an article posted today, Freshman Sen. James H. Webb Jr. has introduced legislation that would require George Bush to seek congressional authorization before attacking Iran.
The force of this legislation would be to take away any cover that Bush might claim from the vote that authorized his use of force after 911. It would reassert what the constitution says, that congress is the branch that must authorize war.
I'm for it. 1000%.
At least, that's what I think today.
