US to hit Iran next

The sun is shining outside, I just got back from a wonderful blessing ceremony for two good friends (congratulations Brenda and Mary!), and I thought I’d sit down to blog a bit about the joy and peace of powerful liturgy. But of course, I had to glance at my news reader. And ARGH! I really don’t want to read this, but Seymour Hersh, an author whose work I have great respect for, has a new piece in the upcoming issue of the New Yorker which is already available on their website. In it he reports on plans currently underway to hit Iran. There apparently has even been serious discussion of the use of tactical nuclear weapons —

"The attention given to the nuclear option has created serious misgivings inside the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he added, and some officers have talked about resigning. Late this winter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff sought to remove the nuclear option from the evolving war plans for Iran—without success, the former intelligence official said. “The White House said, ‘Why are you challenging this? The option came from you.’ ”

The Pentagon adviser on the war on terror confirmed that some in the Administration were looking seriously at this option, which he linked to a resurgence of interest in tactical nuclear weapons among Pentagon civilians and in policy circles. He called it “a juggernaut that has to be stopped.” He also confirmed that some senior officers and officials were considering resigning over the issue. “There are very strong sentiments within the military against brandishing nuclear weapons against other countries,” the adviser told me. “This goes to high levels.” The matter may soon reach a decisive point, he said, because the Joint Chiefs had agreed to give President Bush a formal recommendation stating that they are strongly opposed to considering the nuclear option for Iran. “The internal debate on this has hardened in recent weeks,” the adviser said. “And, if senior Pentagon officers express their opposition to the use of offensive nuclear weapons, then it will never happen.”"

God... help us, please. Strengthen the resolve and courage of these military leaders. And help Congress and the President hear them. Nuclear weapons are a scourge upon all humanity, we ought to be destroying them, not planning to use them tactically. Help the rest of us to stand up tall and refuse to have our government pursue such madness.