I just had to run to the bank, and I listened to Springer on the Radio in the car. Usually Springer annoys me and I don’t listen to him, but he managed to say two good things in a two mile trip.
In regard to bombing Iran (which we need to just oppose, oppose, oppose), he said that if we use nukes as a first strike, we lose the ability to stop anyone else from ever using them. Forget about anyone ever again signing or honoring a non-proliferation treaty. It’s nuclear WWIII as soon as we set the example.
Second, he said that saying ‘nothing should be taken off the table,’ Springer’s actual word was that this was being “cute.” We don’t need to be cute, he said, by saying we’ll “try” diplomacy. Nope; we must use diplomacy. And further, diplomacy worked with the Soviet Union for fifty years, so why treat it as pantywaist now? (“Pantywaist” is my own contribution.)
The usual meaning of the word pantywaist is ‘an effeminate or weak man or boy; sissy’. Nice way of putting it. I couldn’t agree more concerning diplomacy. Diplomacy is an art and a science, and takes a skillful touch–this administration only knows how to wield a hammer. I hear NOTHING about diplomatic actions–only that, according to Condi–in a few weeks we’ll let the security council know there is a problem. I’m all for the UN, but we may have to take an active role here, also.
The UN really knows, it’s just that we as a nation have lost so much credibility with them, between Iraq and Bolton.