U.S. Dissent in Persian Gulf Confrontation

Until recently, I have thought that the political posturing, breast-beating, and histrionics by certain members of Congress and by some committee witnesses over the possibility of war in the Middle East were entirely detrimental to the President’s efforts to force Hussein out of Kuwait.

It has occurred to me, however, that Machiavelli could not have devised a better scenario to convince Iraq that the United States is serious about the use of force, if necessary, to protect its own and other nations’ interests in the gulf area. Second only to the dispatch of additional forces to Arabia, what better way to convince Hussein that he is risking attack than to have a large number of presumably well-informed American academics, politicians and former government officials openly voice their concerns about the possibility of imminent war.

Were I Hussein, the openly voiced concerns of these kinds of Americans would certainly help convince me that they are persuaded that the U.S. is serious and that Iraq’s position is dangerous.

R.R. SHIVELY

Laguna Hills