OPINION:
In the Commentary piece titled “Obama’s last chance to stop Iran” (Feb. 7), Noah Beck explains with clarity the potential for a perfect storm developing as we continue under the delusion that Iran can be persuaded by negotiation to stop nuclear warhead development.
In all honesty, President Obama inherited a deteriorating situation from Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both of whom declared that an Iranian nuclear capability was unacceptable but made little real effort to take any firm action. Time, however, brings problems that are kicked down the road to an inevitable conclusion, and the acquisition of Iranian nuclear capability will occur during Mr. Obama’s current term.
Mr. Beck’s well-reasoned column does not raise any issues that had not been stated previously, and makes us wonder who is listening. Mr. Obama’s nominations of John F. Kerry for secretary of state, Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense and John O. Brennan for CIA director should alarm anyone who has the slightest interest in national security.
A Senate that acknowledged the responsibility thrust upon it of advising and consenting to the nominations of such important positions would send this trio packing. Sadly, Mr. Kerry is already approved and the other two may well follow. It will take more than a few well-written columns to motivate Mr. Obama and his three trusty cohorts to do more than talk about the growing danger that is Iran. I conclude they all suffer from deafness.
STANLEY ORMAN
Rockville
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