Feb. 20, 2006 issue
Will Iran be another Iraq?
By J. Daryl BylerPage:
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Iran’s nuclear program has become a focus of global concern. At issue: Is Iran developing nuclear weapons or, as Iran claims, only pursuing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes?
As a signer of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, Iran is prohibited from the former but entitled to the latter.
Some U.S. politicians and pundits are calling for military strikes to destroy Iran’s suspected nuclear sites. Inflammatory anti-Israeli comments by Iran’s new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have provided plenty of grist for those eager to take a hard line against Iran.
On Feb. 2, the International Atomic Energy Agency referred Iran to the U.N. Security Council, which could take punitive measures against Iran.
Are we about to see a repeat of U.S. actions in Iraq?
I traveled to Iran in December with two Mennonite Central Committee colleagues. MCC has worked in Iran since the early 1990s and has had a student exchange program there since 1998. An MCC learning tour traveled to Iran earlier this month.
We were warmly welcomed by Muslim and Christian leaders and by public and private officials in Tehran, Qom and Bam.
Iranians spoke openly about their hopes and concerns. While many have questions about their new president, they also warned that a U.S.-led Iraq-style invasion would be a big mistake.
Indeed, military strikes are a bad idea for many reasons:
- There is no proof that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Bad intelligence propelled the United States into Iraq. This costly mistake should not be repeated.
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