History tells us that sitting on the sidelines was not an option with Iran

March 4, 2026 6 AM PT 3 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here . Readers debate whether stronger U.S. action against Iran is warranted, citing historical lessons from appeasement failures and military threats left unchecked. Others caution against military strikes, warning that claims of “imminent danger” echo false rationales used to justify the Iraq war. p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix mb-10 md:max-w-170 md:mx-auto" data-subscriber-content> To the editor : As an American without a political agenda, I must challenge the opinions of Tucker Carlson and Jane Fonda ( “Jane Fonda and Tucker Carlson agree on this: Trump’s Iran war is bad — and a betrayal,” March 1). They must have either forgotten or been asleep during history class. First of all, be reminded of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signing the Munich Agreement in 1938 acquiescing to Adolf Hitler‘s designs on Czechoslovakia with the promise that Hitler would not annex other countries. That proved to be a costly mistake, as Hitler had no intention of honoring that agreement. It eventually helped lead to World War II. The United States remained on the sidelines through an isolationist policy driven by pacifists in the late 1930s. With our guard down, Japan took advantage and attacked Pearl Harbor, taking the lives of 2,403 U.S. service personnel . The United States was then forced to enter the war. Advertisement In 1962, the Soviet Union began placing missiles in Cuba. Thanks to President Kennedy’s blockade and strong deterrence, the missiles were removed and we avoided the possibility of a nuclear war. And finally, there were signs and warnings about Osama bin Laden that were ignored . This, in part, led to the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, resulting in the deaths o...