DEAR EDITOR:

I would remind my fellow Americans of the devastating hurt caused by the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. One can only imagine the thousands of American lives we could have saved if we destroyed the terrorist encampments when first discovered in Afghanistan.

As one who served at the Pentagon and in the Middle East during 9/11, I know all too well the carnage rogue nations like Iran can cause if left unchecked. Iran operates the Middle East’s largest arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles, with capabilities to send its missiles distances of 1,500 miles. Although Iran may not be able to reach our shores now, it does have the capability to reign havoc on the Middle East, Central Asia, parts of South Asia and Eastern Europe, and our nearby military bases, reaching an estimated population in the hundreds of millions.

If we allow Iran to develop even a small or tactical nuclear weapon, it presently has the delivery systems to detonate it over targets that would kill tens to hundreds of thousands instantly. Our allowing Iran to develop a nuclear arsenal and continue its terroristic acts upon us and other nations would haunt us as a missed opportunity to avert such catastrophes.

To quote President George W. Bush, who once launched a preemptive attack on an aggressor, “The war on terror will not be won on the defensive. We must take the battle to the enemy, disrupt his plans, and confront the worst threats before they emerge.”

MATT DROZD

Pittsburgh