Iran dealFormer senior U.S. military officers: Iran deal bolsters U.S. national security
Three dozen retired senior U.S. military officers from all services on Tuesday released an open letter in support of the nuclear deal between the P5+1 power and Iran. The former military leaders describe the agreement as “the most effective means currently available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” and say that the agreement would secure international support for military action against Iran, should one be deemed necessary. Such military action “would only be possible if we have first given the diplomatic path a chance,” the former senior officers say.
Three dozen retired senior U.S. military commanders from all services on Tuesday released an open letter in support of the nuclear deal between the P5+1 power and Iran.
The former military leaders describe the agreement as “the most effective means currently available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” and say that the agreement would secure international support for military action against Iran, should one be deemed necessary. Such military action “would only be possible if we have first given the diplomatic path a chance,” the former senior officers say.
The retired military officers’ letter follows the release over the weekend of letter by twenty-nine leading American scientists, who described the Iran deal as “technically sound, stringent and innovative” and said it would “provide the necessary assurance in the coming decade and more that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons” (“Leading U.S. scientists support Iran deal,” HSNW, 10 August 2015).
The retired military officers’ letter in full:
On July 14, 2015, after two years of intenseinternationalnegotiations, an agreement was announced by the UnitedStates,the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia tocontainIran’s nuclear program. We, the undersigned retiredmilitary officers, support the agreement as the most effective meanscurrentlyavailable to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclearweapons.
The international deal blocks the potential pathways to anuclearbomb, provides for intrusive verification, and strengthensAmericannational security. America and our allies, in the Middle Eastandaround the world, will be safer when this agreement isfullyimplemented. It is not based on trust; the deal requiresverificationand tough sanctions for failure tocomply.
There is no better option to prevent an Iranian nuclearweapon.Military action would be less effective than the deal, assuming itisfully implemented. If the Iranians cheat, our advancedtechnology,intelligence and the inspections will reveal it, and U.S.militaryoptions remain on the table. And if the deal is rejected byAmerica,the Iranians could have a nuclear weapon within a year. The choiceisthatstark.
We agree with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,GeneralMartin Dempsey, who said on July 29, 2015, “[r]elieving the risk ofanuclear conflict with Iran diplomatically is superior than trying todothatmilitarily.”
If at some point it becomes necessary to consider militaryactionagainst Iran, gathering sufficient international support for suchaneffort would only be possible if we have first given thediplomaticpath a chance. We must exhaust diplomatic options before movingtomilitaryones.
For these reasons, for the security of our Nation, we calluponCongress and the American people to support thisagreement.
GEN James “Hoss” Cartwright, U.S. MarineCorps
GEN Joseph P. Hoar, U.S. MarineCorps
GEN Merrill “Tony” McPeak, U.S. AirForce
GEN Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton, U.S. AirForce
LGEN Robert G. Gard, Jr., U.S. Army
LGEN Arlen D. Jameson, U.S. AirForce
LGEN Frank Kearney, U.S.Army
LGEN Claudia J. Kennedy, U.S.Army
LGEN Donald L. Kerrick, U.S.Army
LGEN Charles P. Otstott, U.S.Army
LGEN Norman R. Seip, U.S. AirForce
LGEN James M. Thompson, U.S.Army
VADM Kevin P. Green, U.S.Navy
VADM Lee F. Gunn, U.S.Navy
MGEN George Buskirk, U.S.Army
MGEN Paul D. Eaton, U.S.Army
MGEN Marcelite J. Harris, U.S. AirForce
MGEN Frederick H. Lawson, U.S.Army
MGEN William L. Nash, U.S.Army
MGEN Tony Taguba, U.S.Army
RADM John Hutson, U.S.Navy
RADM Malcolm MacKinnon III, U.S.Navy
RADM Edward “Sonny” Masso, U.S.Navy
RADM Joseph Sestak, U.S.Navy
RADM Garland “Gar” P. Wright, U.S.Navy
BGEN John Adams, U.S. AirForce
BGEN Stephen A. Cheney, U.S. MarineCorps
BGEN Patricia “Pat” Foote, U.S.Army
BGEN Lawrence E. Gillespie, U.S.Army
BGEN John Johns, U.S.Army
BGEN David McGinnis, U.S.Army
BGEN Stephen Xenakis, U.S.Army
RDML James Arden “Jamie” Barnett, Jr., U.S.Navy
RDML Jay A. DeLoach, U.S.Navy
RDML Harold L. Robinson, U.S.Navy
RDML Alan Steinman, U.S. CoastGuard
