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IRAN STRIKE ‘WOULD BE DISASTROUS’
BBC News
February 5, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6330353.stm
A coalition of organizations has warned Tony Blair any military action against Iran would be disastrous.
Leading charities, faith groups, and unions are urging the prime minister to put pressure on the U.S. to enter talks with Tehran.
In a report, they say Britain should be doing all it can to avoid the "unthinkable" consequences of war.
Washington has so far refused to rule out military action if Iran does not halt its nuclear activities.
The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of using its nuclear program as a cover to produce nuclear weapons, a claim denied by Tehran.
Recent criticism by President George Bush of alleged Iranian support for insurgency in Iraq has increased concerns that his administration is contemplating an attack.
In the report Time to Talk: The Case for Diplomatic Solutions on Iran, the coalition accuses Mr. Blair of using the prospect of military action as a negotiating tool.
Launching the report, former Labor minister Stephen Twigg, director of the Foreign Policy Centre, said: "The consequences of military action against Iran are not only unpalatable, they are unthinkable.
"Even according to the worst estimates, Iran is still years away from having a nuclear weapon.
"There is still time to talk and the Prime Minister must make sure our allies use it."
COALITION
The charity Oxfam, unions Unison, GMB, and Amicus, have been joined by the Muslim Parliament and Christian Solidarity Worldwide in signing the report.
They warn that a strike against Iran would continue to destabilize the region and provoke further attacks against British forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Military action is not likely to be a short, sharp engagement but could have a profound effect on the region, with shock waves felt far beyond," the report says.
It goes on to say that the British government is "well positioned to articulate objections to military action" and that it should "not lose this opportunity to advocate for direct U.S. engagement".
Sir Richard Dalton, the British ambassador to Iran until last year, backed the calls for increased diplomacy.
"Recourse to military action -- other than in legitimate self-defense -- is not only unlikely to work but would be a disaster for Iran, the region, and quite possibly the world," he said.
MILITARY WARNINGS
Three former high-ranking American military officers made similar warnings in an open letter to the Sunday Times newspaper.
They said such action would have "disastrous consequences" for security in the Middle East and also for coalition forces in Iraq.
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Michael Moore said: "This is a timely and significant report.
"It highlights the need for the international community to be more aware of the potentially disastrous consequences of military action against Iran."
But the Conservatives said it was important to "keep all options on the table."
Shadow defense secretary Liam Fox said: "We cannot give them the comfort of believing that there is any weakness in the Western alliance or that there is a chance that they might be able to divide and rule."
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