Heeding the Experts on Iran

Gen. Joseph P. Hoar

USMC (ret.)

The Philadelphia Inquirer has published an editorial by General Jospeh P. Hoar (USMC, ret.), former commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command and a Middle East Policy Council board member. In this editorial, General Hoar reminds those beating the drums of war — particularly the Republican presidential candidates — of the opposition to a military strike on Iran by America’s top military and intelligence officials.

Heeding the Experts on Iran

It’s become a cliché of presidential debates: Facing any question about Afghanistan or other national security issues, the candidates declare that they would heed the advice of their “commanders in the field.” It is striking, then, how willing they are to dismiss outright the opinions of America’s national security professionals when it comes to Iran.

At a recent conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Republican candidates played a game of rhetorical one-upmanship in expressing their willingness to take America to war in Iran. By contrast, virtually all of America’s most experienced national security leaders have advised caution.

While our best intelligence shows that Iran is developing the capacity to make nuclear weapons, military professionals report that it has not decided to actually do so. They warn that an attack will at best delay Iran’s nuclear program, and at worst will encourage it to acquire nuclear weapons to deter further attacks.

The candidates’ willingness to ignore the Pentagon’s strategic advice is surprising. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently said that while intelligence shows Iran is “developing a nuclear capability,” it also “makes clear that they haven’t made the decision to develop a nuclear weapon.” But Christian Whiton, a senior adviser to Newt Gingrich, accused Panetta of not “telling the truth” about Iran’s nuclear program.

  > Read the full text at Philly.com