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The Issue: President Trump deliberation on whether to take military action against Iran’s last nuke site.
President Trump has raised concerns that a post-regime Iran might resemble Libya after Moammar Khadafy — fractured, chaotic and unstable (“Don fears Daffy decision,” June 20).
But the comparison between Iran and Libya is deeply flawed.
Libya’s Khadafy, though brutal, never possessed the strategic capabilities Iran now holds.
Iran is already a regional power, capable of threatening Israel — and far beyond — through its ballistic-missile arsenal and emerging nuclear capabilities.
Moreover, post-Khadafy Libya lacked a unifying opposition or a credible heir, which fueled its descent into civil war.
Iran is different.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has emerged as a potential transitional figure, and reports suggest some elements within Iran’s military are in quiet contact with his camp.
Kim Ezra Shienbaum
New Milford, Pa.
Iran has trained, armed, financed, encouraged and applauded terrorists who have killed American citizens.
For almost half a century, Iran’s leaders have preached “Death to America.”
There will never be a better opportunity to remove these leaders than now.
This will go a long way to promoting peace in the Middle East.
The people in Iran, especially the women, will thank us.
Joe Zeloof
Hamilton, NJ
Launching attacks on Iran, a nation of more than 90 million, risks an uncontrollable regional war with catastrophic consequences.
It is not only immoral — it is insanity.
Such escalation would bring mass suffering and global economic instability and further fuel anti-American sentiment.
This is not America’s war.
It must not become one.
Congress must act now to prevent an unauthorized war and assert its constitutional war powers.
We cannot bomb our way out of failed policies.
More war will not bring peace or security — it will only deepen chaos.
Say no to war with Iran.
Jagjit Singh
Los Altos, Calif.
Iran is not Libya.
There is a large, oppressed population that is pro-Israel, pro-democracy and pro-United States.
We should not allow irrational fears of Iran turning into another Libya stop us from standing up for the oppressed Iranians.
That would be like the allies in World War II not overthrowing the Nazis because of fear that Germany would descend into chaos.
Iran was once a friendly country with a friendly regime that was overthrown by radical Muslims, who might have been stopped if it hadn’t been for Carter administration pressure on the shah.
We share in the responsibility that led to the regime change from a shah who loved his people and American values, to a regime that oppresses Iranians and hates the United States.
Gamaliel Isaac
Manhattan
This nation needs to pull in its swords overseas and attend to the war going on within our own country.
It seems as if our government cannot get enough of spending our time and money to meddle in other nations’ domestic affairs.
Having been a part of these intrusions at one time, I can say most of our various expenditures have been most wasteful and negative.
There is absolutely nothing heroic about “loving war as long as we take few casualties.”
This country of ours in now at war with itself and the opposing factions are becoming more polarized.
We have enough on our hands right here.
Michael G. Merhige
Miami, Fla.
After decades of failed global negotiations and agreements toward delaying and denying Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, Israel has systematically and spectacularly attacked Iran’s nuclear sites.
However, destruction of the deeply buried Fordow uranium-enrichment site remains a serious challenge, likely resolvable only by American bunker buster bombs.
Will America rise to this challenge?
History surely will not be kind should this rarest of moments to finally eliminate this long overhanging threat not be firmly seized.
Richard D. Wilkins
Syracuse
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