Bombing Iran: DeFazio and others speak out against more war

[central scrutinizer]

Source: Eugene Weekly

<snip>
Rather than mere sanctions, it appears that Vice President Dick Cheney has other plans for dealing with Iran. According to Germany's Der Spiegel newspaper, an official close to Cheney said the vice president has already figured out how to give the U.S. an excuse to attack Iran: First, the Bush administration would persuade Israel to fire missiles at Iran's uranium enrichment plant, thus inducing a reprisal from Tehran. This would give the U.S. a pretext for bombing military targets and nuclear plants in Iran.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate passed the Lieberman-Kyl amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill last month by a 76-22 vote. The amendment, which calls for the use of "military instruments" to "combat, contain, and roll back the violent activities" of the "Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran," is viewed by many as a call to arms against Iran. Democratic presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton voted for the amendment, while fellow senators and presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain chose not to vote at all. Oregon's Sen. Ron Wyden voted against the amendment.

Peter DeFazio has done more than just release a statement on military action in Iran. In January 2007 he introduced House Concurrent Resolution 33, "Expressing the sense of Congress that the president should not initiate military action against Iran without first obtaining authorization from Congress."

The resolution at this time has only 54 cosponsors — nowhere near a majority in the 435 member House of Representatives, but it is fairing better than its sister bill in the Senate, Concurrent Resolution 13, which has no cosponsors at all.
<snip>

Read more: http://eugeneweekly.com/2007/11/01/coverstory.html

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Not exactly breaking news, but the article just appeared today (Thursday, November 1) There is also a quote from DeFazio on the front cover of the print edition that didn't make it into the online version:

"I am gravely concerned about the shifting justification for military action in Iran and reports that the plan to attack is in advanced stages. This is familiar territory for the Bush administration. They used the same strategies to drive us into war in Iraq ... I do not intend to let Congress fail the American people a second time."

I love my Congressional Rep!!!

[calimary]

1. Make sure you call him with encouragement.

They can ALL use some calcium supplement for their backbones. Maybe more of them will grow one.

[LakeSamish706]

2. Somehow I doubt that the backbone thing is going to happen...

They are under a false impression that they can wait out the clock until 2008 elections when they assume that we will have a Democratic President and vast majority in Congress. This may or may not be true, depending on whether the Repugs and White House can figure out a way to steal another election.

[calimary]

8. Yeah, I know what you mean. There's backbone and then there's backbone.

And I don't see a whole lot of it in Congress on our side of the aisle.

The problem with their hoping to just wait it out til bush supposedly leaves is - what on earth will he do as he and cheney grow more belligerent and more desperate as they see even the puny little "resistance" in front of them as is. They still have plenty of time A) to do a great deal more damage; and B) to finagle some way to cancel the next election altogether and declare martial law. And then won't Congress be glad they sat back and tried to be patient.

My KINGDOM for a Congressional spine. Not even Pete Stark maintained his.

[bdamomma]

6. oh yes, you have to call these guys to tell them we are supporting them.

tell them grow a spine.

[Blue Belle]

3. I love him too...

But he's not my rep anymore. I had to move to Salem to be closer to school, and now I'm stuck with Hooley. x(

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. I used to be one of those Portlanders who attended DeFazio's

$30 beer and pizza fundraisers at local brewpubs.

I wish more Congressional types held affordable fundraisers instead of giving "access" only to the big donors.

[bdamomma]

5. hmmm......the Cheney dog, wants Israel to go after Iran????

Did Israel learn anything from Lebanon how they bombed the hell out of them???? Cheney is a very dangerous man, and he is behind everything with the help of his puppet.

[Pastiche423]

7. Kudos, Pete!

He's my rep too.