Iran Declares War

I understand from my blog readings that Osama Bin Laden declared war on the US many years before he actually landed a significant blow. We ignored him. We saw him as insane, or criminal, or both. We did not see him as representing any significant force. Some laughed at this stone age caricature of a religious leader.

He is no doubt contemptible, but I think we were mistaken to take him lightly. I believe that our policy should be that a declaration of war against us allows us to take counter-measures commensurate with a state of war. Clinton was right to bomb him. The political atmosphere that tied his hands was in the wrong. The World Trade Center attack in 1993 should have given us a hint of what was to come.

George Bush was right to identify the Axis of Evil. He was wrong to exclude Afghanistan merely on the basis of its supposed weakness.

The Gypsy Scholar has now given a convincing interpretation of Ahmadinejad's letter to President Bush. He believes, based on a reasonable interpretation of religious precedent, that the letter constitutes a declaration of war.

Assuming that he is correct, is it unreasonable to expect another 911, or worse, in the relatively near future? If so what should we do about it?

At the very least, we should demand a clarification from Iran on whether a state of war currently exists. This is necessary as a tool for communicating with the American people as well as the government of Iran.

The proprietor of the Gypsy Scholar is not predisposed toward war. As near as I can tell, he is a Christian man with, by the way, remarkable literary talents, who is currently deliberating on the possibility of Peace.

5/14/2006 10:56 PM