OPINION:
GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s call for peace through strength was right on point (“Romney’s peace through strength,” Comment & Analysis, Tuesday). The now-defunct Strategic Air Command’s motto was “Peace is our profession.”
During the Iranian hostage crisis, if President Carter had sent a back-channel message to the mullahs that either the hostages be released within 48 hours or the defense establishment of Iran would be reduced to rubble, the hostages would not have spent 444 days in captivity. The hostages were released immediately after Ronald Reagan took the oath of office because the mullahs feared President Reagan would have turned something in Iran into rubble.
When the United States was gearing up to liberate Kuwait after Saddam Hussein invaded that nation, there was great fear that Saddam might use chemical weapons against U.S. troops. President George H.W. Bush had Secretary of State James A. Baker quietly inform Saddam that if he used chemical weapons, portions of his country would be destroyed. Saddam didn’t use those weapons.
There is nothing in the world like American strength and presidential resolve to make dictators think twice before acting contrary to the best interest of world peace. Depending on the United Nations is like depending on the debating society to instill fear in the karate club.
JOSEPH R. FARRELL
Alexandria
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