Snare and delusion
(Washington, D.C.): Iran’s much-ballyhooed proposal yesterday to enter into “serious negotiations” with the United States and Europe on an array of issues – including its so-called “nuclear program” – is being seized upon by some as a evidence that the Islamic Republic of Iran is actually prepared to abandon the ambitions and behavior that endanger American and international security interests.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. As a brilliantly timed, bipartisan report released today by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) makes plain: “Iran poses a serious threat to U.S. national security and to the security of our friends and allies.”
In 29-pages of hard-hitting, unclassified findings and analysis, the Intelligence Committee’s report makes clear not only the true character of the Iranian regime – notably, its determination to spread the Shiite version of Islamofascism by various deadly means. It also documents ways in which that purpose is being systematically and steadily advanced. These include:
- The Iranian regime is fixated on developing nuclear weapons and maintains a highly developed infrastructure of laboratories and industrial facilities to support this objective.
- The Iranian regime is acting to retain and modernize key elements of its offensive chemical weapons research and development capability and dispersed mobilization facilities, and probably has an offensive biological weapons program.
- The Iranian regime has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, and is developing missiles with a range of up to 4,000 km that will be capable of striking Germany, Italy and Moscow.
- The Iranian regime provides funding, training, weapons, rockets and other material to numerous terrorist groups.
- The Iranian regime is actively supporting the insurgency in Iraq that daily takes the lives of U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians.
Taken together, the factual information and conclusions of the HPSCI report make one point abundantly clear: The Iranian mullahocracy will be happy to pursue a delaying strategy to prevent the West from interfering with its nuclear weapons program and other threatening activities. But it will neither be deterred nor appeased into foreswearing such ominous policies and activities.
HPSCI Chairman Pete Hoekstra and his colleagues are to be commended for producing this objective and highly informative report at a time when many policy-makers are attempting to ignore, excuse or even obfuscate the Iranian government’s conduct and intentions. Of course, exposing that regime’s lethal hostility is only the first step. Unless we begin working immediately and effectively with our natural allies – the people of Iran – to effect regime change there, we will be faced with a terrorist state armed with weapons of mass destruction and a demonstrated willingness to attack American citizens and American interests throughout the world.
Mr. Gaffney is the host of Secure Freedom Radio, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard weeknights throughout the country. He is an associate author of highly acclaimed Shariah: The Threat to America and the publisher of over a dozen other books and monographs from the Center for Security Policy Press.
In April 1987, Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving U.S.-USSR relations, nuclear forces, arms control, missile defense policy and U.S.-European defense ties. He acted in that capacity for seven months during which time, he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle.
From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by the late Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970’s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington) in the areas of defense and foreign policy.
Mr. Gaffney holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Mr. Gaffney’s leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations including: the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987), the U.S. Business and Industry Council’s Defender of the National Interest Award (1994), the Navy League of the United States’ Alfred Thayer Mahan Literary Achievement Award (1999), and the Zionist Organization of America’s “Louis Brandeis Award” (2003), the Western Conservative Summit’s Stephen H. Long Award (2015), the Council for National Policy’s George Washington Military Leadership Award (2016) and the IMPACT Award from Ginni Thomas and United in Purpose (2017).
Mr. Gaffney was born in 1953 and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
- The UN transforms itself into a world government - September 22, 2024
- Hezbollah is engaged in terrorism, not Israel - September 22, 2024
- Israel must seize the day - September 20, 2024