Kucinich on US vs. Iran

[goodhue]

Urgent Letter from Dennis Kucinich
about Bush Administration Plans for a US War vs. Iran

Dear Friends,

The Bush Administration is preparing for war against Iran, using an almost
identical drumbeat of weapons of mass destruction, imminent threat, alleged
links to Al Queda, and even linking Iran with a future 911.

In the past few months reports have been published in Newsweek, ABC News
and GQ Magazine that indicate the US is recruiting members of paramilitary
groups to destabilize Iran through violence. The New Yorker magazine and
the Guardian have written that US has already deployed military inside
Iran. The latest issue of Time writes of plans for a naval blockade of
Iran at the Port of Hormuz, through which 40% of the world?s oil supply
passes. Other news reports have claimed that an air strike, using a
variety of bombs including bunker busters to be dropped on over 1,000
targets, including nuclear facilities. This could obviously result in a
great long term humanitarian and environmental disaster.

Earlier this year, I demanded congressional hearings on Iran and was able
to secure the promise of a classified briefing from the Department of
Defense, the State Department and the CIA. When the briefing was held, the
Department of Defense and the State Department refused to show and are
continuing to block any congressional inquiry into plans to attack Iran.

Just this past week, the International Atomic Energy Agency called
"erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated" statements relating to Iran's
nuclear program which came from a staff report of the House Intelligence
committee. Other intelligence officials have claimed over a dozen
distortions in the report which, among other things, said Iran is
producing weapons grade uranium. The Washington Post wrote: "The IAEA
called that 'incorrect' noting that weapons grade uranium is enriched to a
level of 90 percent or more. Iran has enriched uranium to 3.5% under IAEA
monitoring."

I have demanded that the Government Oversight subcommittee on National
Security and International Relations, of which I am the ranking Democrat,
hold hearings to determine how in the world the Director of National
Intelligence, John Negroponte, viewed the report without correcting the
obvious inaccuracies before it was published. Once again a case for war is
being built on lies.

You will recall that four and a half years ago I warned this nation about
the deception behind the build up to war against Iraq. Everything I said
then turned out to be 100% right. I led 125 Democrats in opposing the Iraq
war resolution in March of 2003. The very same people who brought us Iraq
in 2003 are getting ready to bring us a war against Iran.

With your help, I will lead the way to challenge the Bush Administration?s
march to war against Iran. Please support my campaign for re-election with
a generous donation to help continue my work in the Congress. The plan to
attack Iran, on its face, threatens the safety of every US soldier serving
in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the countless Iranian lives at risk
and the threat to world peace and environmental catastrophes.

With your support, I intend to continue to insist upon:

(1) Direct negotiations with Iran.
(2) The US must guarantee Iran and the world community that it will not
attack Iran.
(3) Iran must open once again to international inspections of its nuclear
program.
(4) Iran must agree not to build nuclear weapons.

Many of you joined me three years ago as I ran for President to challenge
the deliberate lies about WMDs, Iraq and 911, Iraq and Al Queda and the
Niger "yellowcake" claims which put us onto the path of an unnecessary,
illegal, costly war in Iraq. The Iraq war has caused greater instability
and violence in the world community. In the meantime, our government has
used the oxymoronic war on terror to trample our Constitution, rip up the
Bill of Rights and rule by fear.

Please join with me as we continue our efforts for the end of fear and the
beginning of hope, for international dialogue, for cooperation and for
peace.

Thank you,
Dennis

Please visit our website at www.kucinich.us for details on Elizabeth and
my recent peace building mission to the Middle East, the Message from
Qana, the message of compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Please support Dennis's work by making a contribution at
http://www.kucinich.us/contribute, and by forwarding this message widely.

Join the conversations on our forum.

[katinmn]

1. Dennis is one of a handful of sane and honest reps

[Annces]

2. Thanks Dennis

You are wonderful.

[OhioChick]

3. Dennis is a good man. n/t

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Hmm.

(1) Direct negotiations with Iran.
(2) The US must guarantee Iran and the world community that it will not
attack Iran.
(3) Iran must open once again to international inspections of its nuclear
program.
(4) Iran must agree not to build nuclear weapons.

His plan does seem rather to rely on "3" and "4", and I don't see any prospect of them happening (or rather, I think "4" is very likely to happen, but not to be honoured).

That said, "1" and "2" would be a good first step. But I wish he had a more believable second one.

[texpatriot2004]

5. I agree with the gentleman from VT, military arrest now!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2524911

[Rainbowreflect]

6. Dennis is my hero!