Say no to a war of choice with Iran: retired U.S. generals to Obama

TEHRAN, March7 (MNA) – Several former high-ranking U.S. military and intelligence officials took out a full page ad in Monday’s Washington Post urging U.S. President Barack Obama to resist pressure to attack Iran over its nuclear program, Antiwar.com reported. The page was headlined “Mr. President: Say No to a War of Choice with Iran,” and was sponsored by the National Iranian American Council, a non-partisan and non-profit organization headquartered in Washington. The letter states that “not every challenge has a military solution” and “unless we or an ally is attacked, war should be the option of last resort.” The ad also features quotations by current and former senior U.S. military and intelligence officials explaining why attacking Iran is a wrong move. Those include Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, former CENTCOM Commander Gen. Anthony Zinni, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen. Following is the text of the letter: Dear Mr. President, The U.S. military is the most formidable military force on earth. But not every challenge has a military solution. Unless we or an ally is attacked, war should be the option of last resort. Our brave servicemen and women expect you to exhaust all diplomatic and peaceful options before you send them into harm’s way. Preventing a nuclear armed Iran is rightfully your priority and your red line. Fortunately, diplomacy has not been exhausted and peaceful solutions are still possible. Military action at this stage is not only unnecessary, it is dangerous -- for the United States and for Israel. We urge you to resist the pressure for a war of choice with Iran. Sincerely, The letter was signed by Major General Paul Eaton (USA. Ret.), Tome Fingar, Fmr. Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis, Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.), General Joseph Hoar (USMC, Ret.), Brigadier General John H. Johns, PhD (USA, Ret.), Major General Rudolph Ostovich III (USA, Ret.), Paul Pillar, Fmr. National Intelligence Officer for the Near East and South Asia, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson (USA, Ret.).