|
Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D.
|
|
Specter Threatens American Security and Questions His Own Sanity When Dabbling with Syria…and Successors to Saddam and the Shah
By Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. Special to The Bulletin
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=17878063&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=6 Rarely do current events promptly disprove a politician’s strident assertions, but this sad fate just befell Senator Arlen J. Specter (R, PA). In the current issue of the Washington Quarterly (Winter 2006-2007), a misguided Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter wrote: “Facing serious dangers from nuclear weapons from Iran and North Korea, the United States should be willing to negotiate BILATERALLY with those two nations. Success in diffusing these threats will require multilateral assistance from other world powers, but our willingness to treat Iran and North Korea with dignity and respect could go a long way in disarming those nations militarily and diplomatically.” [http://www.twq.com/07winter/index.cfm?id=231] This core-criticism—particularly from hypocritical Democrats—claims simultaneously that Bush wrongly emphasized MULTILATERAL efforts against North Korea and Iran, while Bush wrongly goes-it-virtually-alone in Iraq. No matter that North Korea was leveraged by involving China, Russia, Japan and South Korea. No matter that NATO troops help fight the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. No matter that the Iraqi Coalition isn’t strictly American. And no matter that the Surge may already be working! This pact rectified President Bill J. Clinton’s fatally-flawed effort of a decade ago, for it is multilateral, staged and verified. And it resulted from effective economic sanctions that were negotiated, in part, by U.N. Ambassador John R. Bolton. Specter’s emphasis on bilateral communication would have led to an inferior arrangement, if any emerged. Senator Specter may pride himself on being predictably unpredictable, both regarding domestic and foreign policies. Yet, his pattern of personal posturing is INTOLERABLE, both because what he sculpts reflects a fundamental flaw in his worldview and because his modern “art” damages America’s international interests in this post-modern era… in which imposition of pre-modern thought (via terrorism) threatens our very survival. When this self-defined “maverick” has functioned publicly at cross-purposes with various Administrations—for decades—he has also self-marginalized his personal foreign policy. Because he doesn’t or can’t “hear” the effects of his actions, the threat of a nuclear Iran necessitates issuance of an urgent clarion-call to advise him to CEASE AND DESIST! Syria Usurping diplomacy from professionals in the Bush Administration endangers America’s capacity to lead the fight against Islamo-Fascism. Checks-and-balances—no matter how much they may compete—empower the Executive Branch to marshal our allies to help integrate negotiation and militarism. And if Specter chooses to be numb to the import of this World War to preserve Western Civilization, we risk electrocution by this live-wire. This past Christmas, he traveled to Syria for his 16th taxpayer-funded visit since 1984. Why has he blindly elevated the image of these father-son dictators, Hafez/Bashir Assad? Why did he afford undeserved legitimacy to their hegemony despite protestations from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice? Why did he meet with the terrorist who fuels the strife in Lebanon by supporting anti-democratic Islamists? Why did he meet with the sworn enemy of America and Israel, whose inner-circle was implicated by UN in the assassination of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005? How could he shake a hand bloodied by deaths and injuries to a score of legislators and journalists? Specter revealed to the Associated Press his version of reality-testing which, even if true, would not justify his ego-driven solo-mission. He wouldn’t have gone, said he, “if there were any signs the administration (Middle East) policy was working.” Thus, he became the fourth senator in recent weeks to break an informal travel embargo and visit the Syrian capital, following visits in December by Democratic Senators Christopher Dodd (Connecticut), Bill Nelson (Florida), and John Kerry (Massachusetts). Iraq His ability to misperceive foreign leaders was starkly manifest during his visit in 1990 to meet Saddam Hussein, with Senator Richard C. Shelby (D, Alabama). After having spoken with him for over an hour, he determined he was “rational” and concluded that America has “a certain national arrogance” in regard to certain foreign leaders, because “I don’t think we’re approaching him properly.” This was, of course, prior to Saddam’s violations of U.N. Security Council Resolutions, as he promoted worldwide terrorism. In this regard, it is instructive to recall former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s speech to the U.N., for the second (ignored) half thereof detailed Saddam’s admissions of terrorism. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030205-1.html This past Saturday, he joined the Democrat Majority in its effort to undermine the vital mission of our troops by condemning the newly-initiated “surge” in Iraq…even as he has neglected to formulate a cogent, alternative policy. Such anti-intellectualism threatens the national security he avers he wants to protect. Measured words cannot countervail odious (mis)conduct, as eloquently elucidated by Texas Representative Samuel Johnson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCXt6MD0qyA Iran Now, Specter advocates dialogue with the reborn Hitler, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Others overtly and repeatedly seek Jewish genocide, but only he is rapidly developing the Nuke. Just gaining wherewithal to accomplish this heinous goal empowers him to intimidate the West, for brandishing WMD-potential extorts obeisance to his world domination plans. Indeed, as the new Fox-News satire-show—The Half-Hour News Hour—has observed, Iran’s President is notoriously unscrupulous and highly dangerous: It wryly suggested that, if pressed by the media, he would deny both that he had hosted a Holocaust Denial conference and, indeed, that the number of attendees saying they were there was accurate. Instead, Specter’s actions empower the Mullahs who deny Iranians both freedom and a functional economy, undermining Iranian dissidents who risk their lives to undermine this tyrant who believes that the 12th Imam will emerge after Israel has been destroyed. True “Human Rights” Refusenik and Israeli Knesset Member Natan Sharansky praised Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson (D, Washington) for implementing human rights advocacy in the 1970s, noting that oppression by the Soviets was made tolerable by the hope it would soon be lifted. While reviewing his treatise, even his severest critics must now admit, “True, no two democracies have ever fought a war against each other, but democracies are hardly pacifist: They are just as likely to fight wars as non-democracies, they often start them, and when they do, they win nine times out of ten.” America’s long-term goal of world democratization—not “domination”—must remain at the heart of our mien…and power. http://www.amazon.com/Case-Democracy-Freedom-Overcome-Tyranny/dp/1586482610 To the contrary, Specter negotiates with dictators who oppress, exploit and mass-murder their own citizens. He does not understand Jihadism, which is totalitarian, utopian, expansionist, violent and fanatically intent on replacing the Constitution with the Qur’an (and in suppressing democracy and its accoutrements like enhanced Women’s Rights). Specter, as a senior Senator, usurps Constitutional prerogatives when arrogantly trying to represent United States foreign policy and thereby lends support to America’s enemies. When Rev. Jesse L. Jackson does it, it’s an irritant; when Specter does it, harm ensues. Furthermore, he cannot claim his globe-trotting ever accomplished anything tangible. That North Korea will now commit itself to a staged program of disclosure, shut-down, and verification represents a tremendous accomplishment. That it involves other Asian nations was vital. That it wouldn’t have occurred without them is undeniable. That Specter’s model for international cooperation has been supplanted by Bush’s wisdom and perseverance, this is the message that he must acknowledge as-soon-as-possible! Recalling the three nations identified at the turn of this millennium as the “Axis of Evil,” it is phenomenal that—within only six years—Bush’s Neo-Cons will soon have de-nuked two of them (Iraq and North Korea)! (And recalling the other two countries cited contemporaneously as potential-risks, he got Libya to disarm voluntarily, and Syria is not known to have acquired WMDs, yet.) While an embattled Bush steadfastly plays “global simultaneous chess,” Specter cheapens himself by knowingly sabotaging this strategy. Neutralizing Iraq and North Korea will now allow for enhanced focus—with less distraction—on Iran, permitting Bush to admix the approach popularized a century ago by President Theodore Roosevelt (“Walk Softly, but carry a Big Stick!”). America can be multilateral, preferentially, rather than unilateral or bilateral. Above all, however, we must fight for recognition of our ethical belief-system. “Two (almost) down, one (monster) to go!” Dr. Sklaroff is an oncologist/hematologist/internist. He thanks Robert R. Guzzardi, Esquire—a businessman/philanthropist—for his inspiration.
|
|
To contact me--Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D.--just send an e-mail (rsklaroff@comcast.net).
|