All the WarHawks Need to Just Shut Up!
![Thom Hartmann Administrator's picture Thom Hartmann Administrator's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bc14cb659b53942eb94e0a9de2b34d1e.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
Apparently Senator Tom Cotton has been living under a rock for the past 12 years.
During an interview on the conservative Family Research Council’s Washington Watch radio show, Cotton again suggested that not only should we take military action against Iran, but that any military action would only last a few days.
Cotton said in part that, “Even if military action were required…the president is trying to make you think it would be 150,000 heavy mechanized troops on the ground in the Middle East again as we saw in Iraq and that’s simply not the case.”
He went on to say that, “It would be something more along the lines of what President Clinton did in December 1998 during Operation Desert Fox. Several days air and naval bombing against Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction facilities for exactly the same kind of behavior. For interfering with weapons inspectors and for disobeying Security Council resolutions.”
Hmm. Those comments sound awfully familiar don’t they?
Well they should because they’re exactly like comments made by neocons and war hawks in the buildup to the Iraq War.
Before we invaded Iraq, all of the Bush administration cronies and war hawks in Congress were saying that the Iraq war would be easy, quick, and relatively painless.
In March of 2003, Dick Cheney told Bob Scheiffer on Face The Nation that, “I’m confident that our troops will be successful, and I think it’ll go relatively quickly…Weeks rather than months.”
Just a few months later, Condoleezza Rice proclaimed that, “I do not mean that we will need to maintain a military presence in Iraq as was the case in Europe.”
And, then-Chairman of the Defense Policy Board and current Senior Fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute Richard Perle said that, “And a year from now, I’ll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President Bush. There is no doubt that, with the exception of a very small number of people close to a vicious regime, the people of Iraq have been liberated and they understand that they’ve been liberated. And it is getting easier every day for Iraqis to express that sense of liberation.”
Well, first of all, there is no “grand square” in Baghdad right now named after George Bush. But more importantly, every single comment made back then about the Iraq War was wrong.
As we all know, the war that was supposed to last a few months AT MOST has been dragged out for 12 years. Since the Iraq War began on March 19th, 2003, there have been 4,493 American military deaths in Iraq, and at least 32,021 soldiers have been wounded. And those numbers don’t include the tens of thousands of Iraqis – civilian and otherwise – who lost their lives during the war.
Simply put, the Iraq War wasn’t easy, it wasn’t quick, and it certainly wasn’t painless. Instead, it’s been one of the longest and deadliest wars in American history.
So, before Senator Cotton says that any military action against Iran would only take a few days, he should review the history of our nation’s last unnecessary war. But more importantly, Cotton is overlooking a variety of ramifications and trickle-down effects that military action against Iran would have.
First, Iran is a far more populated and sophisticated country than Iraq. And, unlike Iraq, Iran has a high-functioning military. Going after Tehran and going after Baghdad are two very different things.
Cotton is also forgetting that as we speak, Iranian troops are in Iraq. Some estimates suggest that as many as 30,000 Iranian troops are in that country. There are also thousands of American troops still in Iraq serving as advisers to the Iraqi military.
To this day, Iranian troops in Iraq have been ordered to stay away from American troops, largely because Iran doesn't want to risk a violent encounter hurting chances of a nuclear deal.
But, if we were to attack Iran, chances are pretty good that the Iranian troops in Iraq would immediately go after our troops. It could easily turn into a bloodbath. It could even turn into World War III, which would make a sweet little fortune for Cotton's military contractor patrons.
Finally, Senator Cotton is also ignoring the fact that, like most military actions and wars, military action against Iran would likely hurt both America’s economy and the global economy. That’s because Iran would likely cut off access to the Straits of Hormuz, sending global oil prices skyrocketing.
Back in 2011, speaking about the possibility of American military action against Iran, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said that, “[If Iran were to be attacked] the United States would obviously be blamed and we could possibly be the target of retaliation from Iran, striking our ships, striking our military bases, and there are economic consequences to that attack….which could impact a very fragile economy in Europe and a fragile economy here in the United States.”
Those predictions hold true today. Despite what Senator Cotton may think, war is never easy and it’s never quick. Military action against Iran would be totally different from dropping a few bombs on a de-fanged Saddam Hussein regime back in the '90s.
The leader of the 47 Traitors is trying to spin his way out of these stupid statements, but, thankfully, most Americans realize how stupid and dangerous Cotton's arguments are.
Comments
![mathboy's picture mathboy's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-1716.png)
![mathboy's picture mathboy's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-1716.png)
OC is oleoresin capsaicin, the main or only ingredient in pepper spray, which is also called "OC spray".
![mathboy's picture mathboy's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-1716.png)
FDR actually fought against Tammany Hall in the choice of Senator from NY in 1911 and in the Democratic Party's choice of Presidential candidate in 1912, Woodrow Wilson.
![stecoop01's picture stecoop01's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-84297.jpg)
Let's send Tom Cotton to Iran; we'll give him ONE rifle with ONE bullet, ONE hand grenade, and ONE shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. He should have no trouble defeating the Iranians within a few minutes; and if he doesn't succeed, at least there won't be a big mess for the US to clean up.
It would be very interesting and appropiate that every time one of these people are on camera spouting their bought and paid for opinions. There should be a chart showing how much money each one gets from the fast and numerous military suppliers. Just so the people can see who is paying for what is being pushed.
![Joe Phillips LCSW's picture Joe Phillips LCSW's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-65872.jpg)
![Joe Phillips LCSW's picture Joe Phillips LCSW's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-65872.jpg)
![RLTOWNSLEY's picture RLTOWNSLEY's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0f905008d222353ad6978b987f9530ad.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
Israel should take this on since they are the ones who are most vocal about Iran's non-existent Nukes ! Another paper tiger who does quite well when they are attacking virtually unarmed dessert Bedouins with home made rockets but they always depend on the U.S. to take on their perceived enemies that can more than match their conventional military might while totally ignoring their unlimited hubris ! Time for Israel, and their minions in the U.S. Government to put up or shutup ! A high level staffer in the George W. Bush administration, who had formerly served in Iran for the state department, told Bush that he didn't want to underestimate Iran's conventional defensive potential !
![johnbest's picture johnbest's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7925446d26a654b1e88db28540bd9670.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
Cotton reminds me of a high school bully, all talk and no bravery. If he was faced with a combat situation, he would most likely shit his pants and throw himself to the ground begging for mercy. He reminds me of nugent who shit his pants to beat the draft for Vietnam.
Cotton is too damn young to know what went on when Saint Raygun promised arms to Iran if they screwed President Carter. Saint Raygun and his gaggle of draft dodgers committed treason in my opinion. Didn't he or Chimp the First supply additional arms to Iran in their fight with Saddam? Who knows what they sent them. I have heard that they have a powerful navy and an army with heavy weapons like tanks and will most likely defend Iran to the death.
Cotton thinks it would be so easy to go in and bomb the nuclear facilities which are deep underground. Guess again.
If this asshole is so brave, why doesn't he round up the 47 assholes who signed his letter to Iran and make McLoser and his butt buddy Graham generals and invade Iran on their own. I would approve dropping them off on the Iraqi side of the border then give them weapons to invade Iran. They wouldn't last ten minutes.
This Arkie prick needs to be removed from congress and sent back to that shithole where he came from in Okiesas.
![johnbest's picture johnbest's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7925446d26a654b1e88db28540bd9670.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
I think I read that the Civil War was the deadliest as far as casualties are concerned. It is also the last war in which more died of disease than combat.
![Bob Hearns's picture Bob Hearns's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c0d8ef11b5b24dc7cb8c53539d052a7f.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
I don't think his name is Cotton. That's just a description of what he has between his ears.
![stecoop01's picture stecoop01's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-84297.jpg)
Quote Bob Hearns:I don't think his name is Cotton. That's just a description of what he has between his ears.
ROTFLMAO!!!
![w1ders's picture w1ders's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1294855e6e66ef99f9a5f29a7dabad72.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
Why not a truth meter that shows at the bottom of the screen every time a politician is speaking on the air? That alone would end many careers. Not to mention being very good for America.
![Johnnie Dorman's picture Johnnie Dorman's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-72030.jpg)
Cotton, just like the rest of these Neo-con trainees, like Marco Rubio, etc., are only aware of American history from the late seventies till now. They don't even know how many changes there have been since the Neo-cons infiltrated the Republican party. As far as how well the economy worked during the fifties and sixties is concerned, they are completely and undeniably CLUELESS.
![Kend's picture Kend's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bee084c1b98cbef1b57806756b7c5e6f.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
John best not that it matters but for the record Cotton served as a platoon leader in Iraq. I don't think he would be filling his pants in combat. I don't agree with too many people on this blog but I do here we should all stay the hell out of this. N. America should become energy self sufficient and let this become a European problem. But I am struggling with the the human rights violations going on over there. Do we just sit here and do nothing. Can anyone tell me what the UN is for and what they do? Shouldn't this be what they do? All countries in this together
![oneworldatpeace's picture oneworldatpeace's picture](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d634ff71cbf5857d6b6eed5a2d458ba1.jpg?d=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thomhartmann.com%2Fsites%2Fall%2Fmodules%2Fcontrib%2Fgravatar%2Favatar-clear.png&s=100&r=G)
Iran will KICK OUR ASS! and then we will "win" but only when they run out of warm bodies and equipment and they might get lucky and bag a Carrier or two but the only winner will be ISRAEL! After WE NULLIFY IRAN they will EXPULSE all the Arabs and Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank and GAZA!
Why do you think they keep spreading settlements and provoking Palestinians? Do you think that's to support a two state solution?
So who would stop them from doing what is the ONLY outcome their actions are heading towards ? The United States of AIPAC?
![mathboy's picture mathboy's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-1716.png)
D'oh! My typo's been fossilized. I meant "was one", not "was was". I was very sick on Friday.
![mathboy's picture mathboy's picture](https://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/pictures/picture-1716.png)
The only question about a possible Republican President is whether he'd ruin the country through malice or incompetence. It's like the "game" Randi Rhodes used to play on her show: Lying or Stupid.
I wouldn't say the (Second) Iraq War was was of our deadliest. WW2 and Vietnam had far more casualties, whether you count everyone or just Americans.