Congressman Mike Quigley. Chicago doesn't need a war hawk for mayor.

His call for a no-fly zone escalates the danger of nuclear confrontation.

It was reported yesterday that Gold Coast Congressman Mike Quigley is once again mulling a run for Chicago’s mayor.

He’s becoming a regular at mulling this. He also threatened to run last time but then changed his mind, choosing to remain in Washington representing Rahm Emanuel’s old 5th Congressional District.

The story is that Quigley is polling on his chances of beating the current Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

I suppose taking a poll is part of the process for deciding to run.

However I recall Mayor Lightfoot announced before Rahm Emanuel decided not to run and she was polling at 3%.

A month ago it was Arne Duncan who was polling.

Then Duncan announced he was out.

Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara still seems to be running, but as a pro-insurrectionist Trumper he is not in a strong position in this town.

It is still early for next year’s election and I’m sure others will announce they are taking a poll.

One of the questions that Quigley is asking in his poll of potential voters is how we feel about his support for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Some might see this is an odd question to ask when you’re running for mayor.

Not me.

The general consensus among those who know about these things is that a no-fly zone would be a dangerous escalation of the situation and move us away from the only thing that will stop the killing: Negotiations and peace talks.

Quigley’s idea of a no-fly zone would be such a dangerous escalation that is makes very likely a nuclear confrontation between NATO, and the U.S. on the one side and Russia on the other.

Quigley is a Democratic war hawk.

Quigley sits on the House Intelligence Committee and is co-chair of the House Ukraine Caucus.

Other Illinois Democrats don’t agree with Quigley’s hawkishness.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi on the Intelligence panel, opposes a no-fly zone.

Rep. Brad Schneider on the foreign affairs panel, said he is concerned that enforcement of a no-fly zone would be seen as dangerous “direct engagement” with Russian forces.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth on the Senate Armed Service Committee and an Iraq war vet, sees it that way too.

Said Duckworth, Biden “said he will not send our troops to confront the Russian military, and I agree with that—and it’s a lot easier to talk about a no-fly zone than enforce one. A no-fly zone would have to be enforced with our military aircraft and would increase the risk of direct combat between our troops and Russian troops.”

Krishnamoorthi, Schneider and Duckworth are not exactly peaceniks.

I think war and peace is a mayoral issue.

Either Quigley is pandering to Chicago’s large Ukrainian community or he is reckless.

Either way, it disqualifies him from being Chicago mayor.