Sanctions have worked

Joseph Harari’s March 8 letter calling for an American attack on Iran is both historically false and currently provocative. He asks, “How come we didn’t use sanctions against Cuba and the Soviet Union?”

We did, and not one shot was fired during the Cuban missile crisis. In fact, we used sanctions, in the form of an embargo, to force the USSR to stand down. He adds, “show us the sanctions when Iranian missiles can hit New York.” Again, we’ve lived with enemies who could use weapons of mass destruction against our homeland for 50 years.

Israel has asked for Muslim nuclear weapons by not agreeing to a Middle Eastern nuclear-free zone for more than 40 years. The fact is, they have presented the profile of a nuclear power, and now other nations want similar arms. In an honors history scenario I attended, we agreed that the Israeli stance would inevitably lead to nuclear proliferation, and now it has come crashing down on the Israeli state.

We don’t need to sacrifice American lives for Israel. We certainly should talk before using force. Harari should learn from the nuclear standoff between the United States and the USSR We survived; so can Israel.

Jeff Bourget

Coeur d’Alene