U.S. ‘must take the lead’

U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, The Kansas City Star:

We must get this right. Other countries will be closely watching the situation. And there are serious implications for the security of our nation, stability in the Middle East and the nonproliferation regime.

Events surrounding Iran’s nuclear brinksmanship have captured headlines and the world’s attention in recent days, culminating with Iran’s referral to the U.N. Security Council last weekend.

The overwhelming majority of International Atomic Energy Agency board members who voted for referral signals new determination and cooperation in the international community for dealing with the Iranian nuclear crisis head on.

But action by the Security Council is still uncertain and inadequate to resolve the myriad problems posed by Iran. The possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran is a grave concern, but it’s not all that’s at stake.

Today we also face the possibility that Iran will significantly influence Iraq’s political future and that a radical anti-American Iranian regime will soon be entrenched as the dominant military, economic and political power in the Middle East for years to come. READ MORE

Iran has used our preoccupation in Iraq to its advantage in many ways. While we have searched for nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Iran has pursued its own nuclear ambitions. Now, with its decision to resume large-scale uranium enrichment and suspend all voluntary cooperation with the IAEA, Iran is dangerously closer to having the capability to produce nuclear weapons. And recent press reports link Iran’s supposedly peaceful nuclear program to its military work on high explosives and missiles.

At the same time, Iran has deeply insinuated itself in Iraq. It has taken advantage of Iraq’s porous borders and is supporting anti-American efforts there. Its goal seems to be the promotion of a Shiite-dominated anti-American state that can strengthen Iran’s power in the region.

Even before its latest nuclear pursuits and involvement in Iraq, Iran’s actions have been seriously troubling. Iran has pursued dangerous chemical, biological and ballistic missile capabilities; supported terrorists; and undermined the Middle East peace process. Amid all of this, Iran’s leaders have escalated their anti-Semitic rhetoric, threatening to wipe Israel off the map.

Yet rather than handle Iran’s nuclear situation and involvement in Iraq early and decisively with a sophisticated policy that also addresses the broader problems posed by the country, the Bush administration, until recently, largely relied on the Europeans to sort things out.

As a result, we now risk the possibility that the real winner of the war in Iraq will not be the Iraqi people, nor a more secure and stable Middle East, but rather Iran, a country that supports terrorism and opposes most of what we stand for.

We simply cannot let this happen. Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon. It must respect Iraq’s sovereignty. And it must become a constructive member of the international community.

Although cooperation with our allies and strategic partners is critical, the United States must take the lead. The administration must put forth the necessary plan. And Congress must do its part. We must get this right. Other countries will be closely watching the situation. And there are serious implications for the security of our nation, stability in the Middle East and the nonproliferation regime.

There are no simple answers or easy solutions. We must address the immediate nuclear crisis, but must also account for the complexity of the situation and broader longer-term issues involved. This will require serious and sustained action.

We must consider all tools at our disposal and keep all options on the table. Yet there are limits to what we can accomplish militarily, and sweeping sanctions could cause more harm than good.

Still, there are many tools available that this administration has unfortunately failed to utilize effectively or at all. Here are some of them.

■ We should actively support efforts of the IAEA to resume full inspections.

■ We should pursue more focused and vigorous diplomacy and encourage China, Russia and India to play key roles.

■ We should develop necessary human intelligence capabilities.

■ We should cultivate U.S. support among the Iranian population and substantially increase democracy-promotion efforts that encourage the population to demand more moderate leadership.

■ We should consider “smart sanctions,” as well as incentives, focused on Iran’s leadership; avoid harming the Iranian population; and develop strong international support. For example, we should sanction overseas assets of corrupt leaders.

■ We should limit Iran’s ability to disrupt oil and gas supplies, and increase energy prices.

■ And the administration must improve its strategy in Iraq to better secure borders and dissuade support for Iranian-backed Shiites.

We simply cannot allow Iran to emerge as the real winner of the war in Iraq. This must be a top national security priority for both the administration and Congress.
Ike Skelton, a Democrat, represents Missouri’s 4th Congressional District.