U.S. citizens deserve fact-based discussion of cost of war with Iran: former U.S. officials

TEHRAN,Oct.14(MNA) – Two former U.S. officials said that U.S. citizens deserve to be aware of the benefits and cost of military action against Iran before any decision is made. “We believed the American people deserve a fact-based discussion of the objectives, costs, benefits, timing, capabilities and exit strategy that should govern any decision to use military force,” Thomas Pickering and Gen. Anthony Zinni wrote in an article published on the website of the Chicago Tribune on Friday. They also wrote that they had joined a group of more than 30 prominent former defense and foreign policy experts in supporting a recently released report, “Weighing the Benefits and Cost of Military Action Against Iran.” Thomas Pickering was a former undersecretary of state for political affairs from 1997 to 2000 and served as U.S. ambassador to Russia, Israel, Jordan, and the United Nations. Gen. Anthony Zinni is a retired four-star Marine general and commander of U.S. Central Command from 1997 to 2000.