Letters to the Editor
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How we bombed North Vietnam, the No-Fly Zone, and the stealth attack on Syria
Three factors almost guarantee some sort of action against Iran. The historical imperative makes this a certainty. Congressional restrictions against bombing North Vietnam were never observed. When you have a large number of aircraft, supporting a war, a No-Fly Zone is almost impossible to police. American warplanes were everywhere in Southeast Asia. The North resorted to publicity tours, luring American celebrities into Hanoi to expose the deceit.
The No-Fly Zone in Iraq, their No-Fly-Zone, defined the combat theatre, and the rules of engagement, but it was also a similar abuse of power.
American war planes were hitting infrastructure in Iraq; hospitals, schools. The Democratic President consulted regularly with Republican Senators, who wanted more. In his second term, the President, who wanted to move to the middle, gave them more than he should have. A similar No-fly-Zone over the Southern border of Iran would represent an equally hypocritical position in US policy, one that allows both parties to sleep at night (in the same bed). Additionally the recent sleath attack on Syria, proves that covert bombing is not only possible, it is likely. Will Tehran keep it's mouth shut, if US or Israeli bombers hit sensitive targets, or will they attempt to propagandize the event? I tend to believe they will do what Syria is doing, keep quiet and continue to work to acquire nuclear technology and weapons. After all the Bush policy isn't mean to permanently deny rogue countries the right to nuclear power, but to make it more difficult and push their time table back. Something very worrisome happened in Syria, and we know this because Syria has said nothing.
Once a No-Fly-Zone to protect the Persian Gulf is established, and to patrol the Iran/Iraq border, there are so many causes here, that even Bush could think of a few, abuses of the rules of engagement can follow. Those abuses will include carefully planned raids against Iran, by politically motivated pilots, circa Vietnam. Or what was John McCain doing there?
When the Al-Jazeera News network is taken out in the opening raid, you can guess where it will all be going. Democrats have signed on early, rather than being labeled Dovish for protesting these limited operations, obstensibly offered to protect the backs of our troops. Get over it America, we're going there.