November 9, 2007 (LPAC)--Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) delivered a speech on U.S.-Iranian relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies yesterday, where he denounced Cheney/Bush policy as a "self-fulfilling prophecy of the President's warning of World War III," and outlined an approach echoing the LaRouche Doctrine for Southwest Asia and the so-called Baker-Hamilton report.

Stating that the world has "witnessed a disturbing series of events" over the last few weeks, Hagel warned that "events are overtaking governments as they swirl in wild gyrations around us.... The uncontrollable and combustible developments of the past few weeks present the reality of a world at an historic crossroads."

For this reason Hagel stressed that "we must not squander this moment," but rather the U.S. must "employ wise statecraft to redirect deepening tensions with Iran toward a higher ground of resolution. We are at that crossroads. [It] is now time for the United States to actively pursue an offer of direct, unconditional, and comprehensive talks with Iran....By refusing to [do this] we are perpetuating dangerous geo-political unpredictabilities."

"Loose talk of World War III," as Bush has said, or "intimidation, threats, bellicose speeches, only heighten the dangers we face in the world. Without offering solutions and building international alliances, we only strengthen the hand of those who prey upon and play to a confused, frightened and disorganized world."

He emphasized that "the challenge of Iran will not be successfully met without Russia and China and the world community. The answer to dealing with Iran will not be found in a military operation. The U.S. is currently bogged down in two wars. Our military is terribly over-burdened and we are doing great damage to our force structure and readiness capabilities.

"In the Middle East of the 21st Century, Iran will be a key center of gravity... and remain a significant regional power. The United States cannot change that reality. America's strategic thinking and policies for the Middle East must acknowledge the role of Iran today and well into the future," he said.

"Last month, I wrote President Bush expressing my concerns about the path that we are now on regarding Iran. I told him that unless there is a strategic shift in our policies, I believe the United States will find itself in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months," he continued. At the same time, Vice President Cheney threatened Iran once more, even though that strategy "actually has seen the Middle East become more dangerous and Iran more defiant." So, asked Hagel, "Is the U.S. pursuing a policy that could very well produce a self-fulfilling prophecy of the President's warning of World War III?"

Hagel was not only critical of the Administration and the Congress, but also of "our Presidential candidates." "Neither Republican nor Democratic candidates are speaking to the great challenges of our time--in particular Iran--with depth, strategic thinking and wise words. We are captive to the lowest common denominator of `who can talk the toughest' and who is the `meanest cowboy on the block.'"

Finally, he recalled the statement taken from Michael Korda's biography "Ike," where Eisenhower warned: "`the United States has no business transforming itself into an occupying power in a seething Arab world'--and that if we should ever do so, `I'm sure we would regret it.'"