76 Retired U.S. Generals And Diplomats Just Warned Donald Trump Against War With Iran
A letter signed by 76 retired generals, admirals, ambassadors, and diplomats was published on Friday, urging President Donald Trump and his administration not to pursue a war with Iran, Common Dreams reports. The letter, which was published by the organization War on the Rocks, cites strategic and practical considerations for avoiding such a conflict.
“A war with Iran, either by choice or miscalculation, would produce dramatic repercussions in an already destabilized Middle East and drag the United States into another armed conflict at immense financial, human, and geopolitical cost,” the letter says.
Trump, who has frequently boasted that he heeds the advice of military generals more than previous presidents, has so far seemed inclined not to follow such advice as he prepares to mobilize troops to the Middle East in what is being described as a “protective” move for the United States.
There has been no confirmation as of yet that the president has read the letter or been made aware of it.
Among the reasons the letter writers cite for avoiding conflict with Iran is the ease with which such an altercation could spiral out of control, a possibility that they point out many of them have witnessed first hand in similar scenarios over the years. Compounding the danger, they write, is the fact that a lack of direct communication between the two countries in terms of both military and political leaders could greatly increase the chances of an uncontrollable escalation into “unintended military conflict.”
The letter closes with a call for the president to lean on diplomatic efforts to negotiate peaceful solutions with Iran.
“Crisis de-escalation measures should be established with the Iranian leadership at the senior levels of government as a prelude to exploratory diplomacy on matters of mutual concern,” the letter says. “The protection of U.S. national interests in the Middle East and the safety of our friends and allies requires thoughtful statesmanship and aggressive diplomacy rather than unnecessary armed conflict.”
Dozens of retired generals, admirals, and ambassadors warn President Trump off war with Iran in this powerful open letter https://t.co/4jeM7tR8Tp
— War on the Rocks (@WarOnTheRocks) May 24, 2019
The sentiment was strongly welcomed by Trita Parsi, the president of the National Iranian-American Council, who, on Twitter, characterized publication of the letter as a pivotal moment.
“Will Trump listen to them or to Bolton, Bibi and the Saudis?” Parsi asked.
War on the Rocks, the organization that published the letter, describes itself as platform for analysis, commentary, and debate on foreign policy and national security issues. According to the group, they aim to fill a gap the often exists between foreign policy strategy and on-the-ground operations.
