No Deal with Iran

For those of us who fought for our nation, it is pretty simple - we don't make deals with people or governments who chant "death to America" and kill our troops.   A world view that thinks you can reason and talk to our enemies will surely get us in a war not prevent one.   Since our President thinks he can talk and reason with Iran, the deal is still bad; we get  nothing not even our people out who are being held, and we make sure Iran has funds for a  new round of terror in the Mid East.  The administration is pulling out all the stops to get congress to approve this deal, including asking retired general officers to show their support.  Many of our general officers had political careers as they rose to higher rank.  Many are not  warriors.  General Barry McCaffrey is a warrior general who I served with, he has come out against the Iran agreement.   I share his email below.   Veterans, we  need to step up and warn our nation of the futility of trying to appease our enemies.


From: Barry McCaffrey
Subject: Iran Nukes--White House Request
Date: August 4, 2015 at 11:43:35 PM EDT
4 August 2015

Jamie--

In my view the Iran nuke deal is a deeply flawed agreement. Cannot sign your letter of support by retired senior officers to support the White House position.

The agreement is opposed by our Allies ---Israel and the Gulf States. Greeted with joy and relief by the Iranians.

No linkage to the increased threat from billions of dollars flowing into Iran and reinforcing their conventional muscle.

Inadequate inspection regime.

Zero possibility to "snap back" economic sanctions.

Legitimizes Iran as a nuclear power in 15 years.

We are in a bad place. Better to have not had an agreement. The Iranians will have a nuclear program with or without this agreement.

The option was not war. The option was walling Iran off for another decade--- and threatening nuclear retaliation if they attacked their Sunni neighbors will nuclear weapons.

This agreement will likely accelerate nuclear proliferation in the region. The Sunni Arab states will want a nuclear deterrence to the Persian Shia capability.

Do not support this agreement. Probably too late to back out. We have shed our allies.

Feel free to share this email as you wish.

Barry McCaffrey

General USA (Ret)

A Strategy to Defeat ISIS

Memorial Day is also a reminder of what it takes to defend America, and to consider the current threat that radical Islam is to our country and the free world.   Those of us who served can’t help but be frustrated by the current unwillingness of our government to use the power we have against what is a clear and defined enemy.   I heard a strategy outlined by a retired military officer that called for the  introduction of sufficient ground forces to defeat ISIS on all fronts; it would require troops from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey to enter the battle in Iraq and Syria in sufficient numbers and from different directions.  The key part of the plan was America’s willingness to lead the effort with at least one division and bring out of retirement General Petraeus (as we did in Korea with General MacArthur)  to bring the other partners together with the necessary resources and define the strategy.   The plan would have a good chance of acceptance by the other countries IF America would lead with some troops.  Unfortunately with our current leadership that probably can’t happen at least until the enemy is seen as the threat it is to us and/or we have a change in leadership.  The summary of the discussion was the other countries in the Mid-East seem willing to commit airpower, as we have, but no troops (because America won’t).   What if America would lead as we have in the past to defeat ISIS and restore our credibility in the world..

The Wrong Road

Most veterans can look at the world today and realize our nation is heading down the wrong path.  We are facing a new enemy that is as evil as Nazi Germany ever was, but has several different forms in different countries.   Our military has been cut to the bone, fewer divisions, fewer fighter wings, and fewer ships.    Our all volunteer force is serving multiple tours in combat due to the shortages, and our citizens are disconnected from the military because of the small percentage of our population serving, and few veterans left in our government.   If we continue down this road, we become weaker, and the enemy bolder until at some point we will see another attack on our homeland.   National security and military readiness needs to be a major issue in the next election.  Veterans can play a part by educating our citizens and politicians, before it is too late.   Stay involved in the battle!

Leaders Needed

Leaders Needed - Where is the leadership in our country in the face of a radical and deadly enemy who seeks to destroy us?    We have a president who refuses to identify the enemy as radical Islam, and is determined to retreat from the battlefield.   We hear from our military leaders (mostly retired) that the fight against the enemy is being "micro managed", forces not being used or applied in a tactical or strategic way.    One example would be the poor use of air power, very few strikes and using expensive munitions against low value targets.   What could a squadron of A-10s and Apache helicopters do against the enemy in the desert environment, why no AC-130 gunships?   We are limiting our forces, fighting at a low level of combat power, and trying to find an escape strategy to get out of that area of the world.   What our president is missing is the enemy will not stop or retreat and we will see  more attacks in Europe and our own country.  Our national leadership can be accused of a dereliction of duty and putting our country at risk.   Veterans need to speak out, America needs a new voice.