SENATORS: Time for a new vision

Now that elections season is over, Senators Risch and Crapo should be reconsidering their vision for U.S. engagement in the Middle East. Decades of hyper-militarism in the Middle East clearly isn’t working for anyone but some defense contractors profiting off war. The invasion and occupation of Iraq unleashed widespread sectarian violence that led to the creation of the Islamic State, which then began to thrive off the Syrian civil war.

It’s time that both Senator Risch and Senator Crapo be leaders in prioritizing diplomatic solutions. Only a political solution can counter ISIS and deprive it of the weapons, recruits and political support from disinfranchized Iraqi’s and Syrians that it depends on to grow. The war in Syria will only end through a diplomatic settlement and that will require including Iran at the table. That’s one of the many reasons why it is so encouraging that the U.S. and Iran continue to work toward a peaceful resolution of the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. A crisis-ending nuclear deal could be the gateway for addressing regional conflicts, and set a precedent for greater U.S. reliance on diplomatic solutions rather than military non-solutions.

DONNA NORDSTROM

Hayden