REVOLT AGAINST BUILDUP

FOR WAR ON IRAN!

1. “Liberal” Democrats Throw Gasoline on Bush’s Burning Desire to Bomb Iran
2. Take Action to STOP WAR ON IRAN – SAVE LIVES!
3. Key Highlights from Hersh’s Article about U.S. Covert Operations in Iran

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“Liberal” Democrats Throw Gasoline on Bush’s Burning Desire to Bomb Iran

More than 70 House Democrats have joined more than 90 House Republicans in co-sponsoring House Resolution 362, which would amount to a blockade against Iran. As pointed out by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board, the United Nations holds that a unilateral blockade constitutes an act of war. (“Iran: Scary language.”)

Among the co-sponsors are NINE Florida Democrats including
1) Rep. Robert Wexler (Dist 19),
2) Rep. Kendrick Meek (Dist 17),
3) Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Dist 20),
4) Rep. Rob Klein (Dist 22),
5) Rep. Corine Brown (Dist 3),
6) Rep. F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (Dist 2),
7) Rep. Kathy Castor (Dist 11),
8) Tim Mahoney (Dist 16),
9) Rep. Alcee Hastings (Dist 23) – my own representative

Sadly, a parallel bill, sponsored by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), is being pushed through in the Senate (S. RES 580). Florida Senators Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson are among the bill’s current 32 co-sponsors.

SO WHY ARE DEMS SUPPORTING THIS FAULTY, PRO-WAR BILL?
A: The Pro-Israel lobby.

Reporter Matthew Palevsky said: “The rapid endorsement of this resolution has been credited to the pro-Israel lobby, specifically the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which sent thousands of its members to Capitol Hill to lobby for the resolution in early June. Porter believes that Congress was responding more to the Israel lobby than to any new intelligence on Iran or events on the ground.” Gareth Porter went on to say that Congress has so in-bed with AIPAC that most politicians “simply accept whatever AIPAC gives them, without any question, without any discussion, and to turn that into legislation.”
Source: “Gareth Porter says that US House Res. 362 suggests the use of force with new bill,”

CO-SPONSOR DEMS & PRO-ISRAEL LOBBY
Interestingly, the “Pro-Israel” lobby is among the top 5 campaign contributors to both my congressman Alcee Hastings ($29,600) and Schultz ($37,550).

A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE A WAR-MONGER PROUD
The resolution’s title sounds like something straight out of President Bush’s mouth: “Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the United States by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony, and for other purposes.”

It also continues with the double-speak of describing “Hamas” as having seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority, with no mention of the fact Hamas was indeed democratically elected:
“Whereas Iran's support for Hamas has enabled it to illegally seize control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority, and to continuously bombard Israeli civilians with rockets and mortars….” The bill says nothing of Israeli’s role in the Middle East crisis.

The frightening portion of the resolution:
“demands that the President initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program."

Consider this in the context of Hersh’s discovery that Congress:
“agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership.”

As Presidential Findings must be disclosed to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate, Hersh writes that:
“some members of the Democratic leadership—Congress has been under Democratic control since the 2006 elections—were willing, in secret, to go along with the Administration in expanding covert activities directed at Iran, while the Party’s presumptive candidate for President, Barack Obama, has said that he favors direct talks and diplomacy.”

This is a speeding train heading for war.
And the Democrats are on board once again.

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Take Action
STOP WAR ON IRAN
WE CAN’T LET OUR COUNTRY MURDER ANOTHER 500,000 PEOPLE

I know many of us are in “election” mode, putting our bets on “Hope” and a new president. For those of us willing to face the facts, the problem is that we must recognize that electing Democrats alone will not bring about peace. According to StopWarOnIran.org: Congressional leadership has assumed that there will be little opposition to the resolution - a staffer in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office said that it is expected to "pass like a hot knife through butter." They need to hear from you today to let them know that we will not be silent as they initiate another illegal war in the Middle East using discredited lies about "weapons of mass destruction."

• 1) CALL:
  Call as many Florida Democrats (and Rep. Feeny) who have co-sponsored this bill and tell them you are outraged to see Democrats laying the ground for war on Iran; that they should be working to Impeach the president so that he doesn’t launch another criminal “Pre-emptive” attack on an unoffending nation [phone numbers are below].
• Code Pink has begun targeting Congressman Gary Ackerman, who is the main sponsor. Code Pink urges everyone to call (202-225-2601) and urge him to withdraw H. Con. Res. 362 and promote diplomacy, not war. “Your calls will strengthen the impact of our direct action, and will help Ackerman and the rest of Congress understand that the American people want to avoid another tragic and unnecessary war.”
• 2) SIGN:
  Code Pink’s petition urging Barack Obama to pursue diplomacy with Iran: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=XCP%2BOhFYfvpfHBw7%2FgIlNYKQkuVefEpY
  StopWarOnIran.org’s “Tell Bush and Congress:No War against Iran” petition: http://stopwaroniran.org/petition.shtml
  StopWarOnIran.org’s statement, “Stop the war on Iran before it starts!,” http://stopwaroniran.org/statement.shtml
• 3) MARCH:
  Contact Jeff Nall to get info on or get involved in the planning of a mass march against war with Iran, planned for Saturday August 30th: sabletide@yahoo.com You can also get updates on this issue at his blog: www.JeffNall.com/blog
  This event is being held in solidarity with StopWarOnIran.org, which has organized events for the month of August in over 50 cities including New York City in Times Square, Washington DC, Los Angeles, several cities in Texas, throughout New England, towns in Utah, as well as United For Peace and Justice and Code Pink.

I am terrified of the prospects of our nation murdering another half-million or more innocent humans again. The time has come for us to produce forceful, outraged, (of course nonviolent), street marches as we had in the lead up to the Iraq war. We must bring this information to the people because, with so many Democrats on board, only those of us who are committed to truth and justice above politics and parties will be bold enough to do so.

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Call Democratic Co-Sponsors of HR 362 and S. Res 580 -- Demand they Renounce them & Set Out to Ensure Bush Doesn’t Strike Again

CONTACT INFO
S. RES 580
Sen. Bill Nelson - regarding
Washington, D.C.United States Senate716 Senate Hart Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510Phone: 202-224-5274Fax: 202-228-2183
Orlando Landmark Two 225 East Robinson Street, Ste 410Orlando, Florida 32801Phone: 407-872-7161Toll Free in Florida: 1-888-671-4091Fax: 407-872-7165

Regarding HR 362
Alcee Hastings, Florida, District 23
West Palm BeachOffice5725 Corporate WaySuite 208West Palm Beach, FL 33407 Tel: (561) 684-0565Fax: (561) 684-3613
Fort Lauderdale Office2701 W. Oakland Park BlvdSuite 200Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Tel: (954) 733-2800Fax: (954) 735-9444
Washington Office2353 Rayburn Office BuildingWashington D.C. 20515Tel: (202) 225-1313Fax: (202) 225-1171

Robert Wexler, Florida, District 19
Palm Beach County Office 2500 North Military TrailSuite 490 Boca Raton, FL 33431 phone: (561) 988-6302fax: (561) 988-6423
Washington, D.C. Office 2241 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515phone: (202) 225-3001fax: (202) 225-5974
Broward County OfficeMargate City Hall5790 Margate BlvdMargate, FL 33063 phone: (954) 972-6454 fax: (954) 974-3191

Corrine Brown, Florida, District 3
Washington Office2336 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515 (202) 225-0123Fax: (202) 225-2256
Jacksonville Office101 E. Union Street, Suite 202Jacksonville, FL 32202 (904) 354-1652Fax: (904) 354-2721
Orlando Office219 Lime AvenueOrlando, FL 32805 (407) 872-0656Fax: (407) 872-5763
Gainesville (352) 376-6476

Kendrick Meek, Florida, District 17
Broward County10100 Pines BoulevardThird Floor, Building BPembroke Pines, FL 33026Phone: 954-450-6767Fax: 954-450-6768

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida, District 20
Pembroke Pines
10100 Pines Blvd.Pembroke Pines, FL 33026Phone: 954-437-3936Fax: 954-437-4776
Aventura
19200 West Country Club Drive, 3rd FloorAventura, FL 33180Phone: 305-936-5724Fax: 305-932-9664
Washington Office
118 Cannon H.O.BWashington, DC 20515Phone: 202-225-7931 Fax: 202-226-2052

F. Allen Boyd, Jr., Florida, District 2
Washington Office1227 Longworth HOBWashington, DC 20515(202) 225-5235(202) 225-5615 Fax
Tallahassee Office1650 Summit Lake DriveSuite 103Tallahassee, FL 32317(850) 561-3979(850) 681-2902 Fax
Panama City Office30 W. Government St.Suite 203Panama City, FL 32401(850) 785-0812(850) 763-3764 Fax

Kathy Castor, Florida, District 11
Washington Office317 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515Phone: (202)225-3376Fax: (202)225-5652Tampa Office4144 N Armenia AveSuite 300Tampa, FL 33607Phone: (813)871-2817Fax: (813)871-2864

Ron Klein, Florida, District 22
Washington Office313 Cannon House Office Bldg.Washington, D.C. 20515p: (202) 225.3026f: (202) 225.8398
Broward Office800 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 300Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301p: (954) 522.4579f: (954) 522.4965
Palm Beach Office625 North Flagler Drive, Suite 402West Palm Beach, FL 33401p: (561) 651.7594f: (561) 651.7954

Tim Mahoney, Florida, District 16
Washington DC Office1541 Longworth BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515Phone: (202) 225-5792Fax: (202) 225-3132
Martin Office9 SE Osceola StreetStuart, FL 34994-2125Phone: (772) 878-3181Fax: (772) 871-0651
Port Charlotte Office18500 Murdock Circle, Ste 536Port Charlotte, FL 33948Phone: (941) 627-9100Fax: (941) 627-9101

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Key Highlights from Hersh’s Article about
U.S. Covert Operations in Iran

• “The request for funding came in the same period in which the Administration was coming to terms with a National Intelligence Estimate, released in December, that concluded that Iran had halted its work on nuclear weapons in 2003. The Administration downplayed the significance of the N.I.E., and, while saying that it was committed to diplomacy, continued to emphasize that urgent action was essential to counter the Iranian nuclear threat.”
  Unnamed Democatic senator said Secretary of Defense Gates has warned senior Senate Democrats that, “as the senator recalled, ‘We’ll create generations of jihadists, and our grandchildren will be battling our enemies here in America.’”
• Former head of U.S. Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, thinks attacking Iran is ill-advised. He has called some of the top-secret proposals regarding Iran “very stupid.” As to the notion that we’re either for or against Iran he told Hersh: “Too many people believe you have to be either for or against the Iranians. Let’s get serious. Eighty million people live there, and everyone’s an individual. The idea that they’re only one way or another is nonsense.”
• “The Democratic leadership’s agreement to commit hundreds of millions of dollars for more secret operations in Iran was remarkable, given the general concerns of officials like Gates, Fallon, and many others. ‘The oversight process has not kept pace—it’s been coöpted’ by the Administration, the person familiar with the contents of the Finding said. ‘The process is broken, and this is dangerous stuff we’re authorizing.’
• “…Congress does have the means to challenge the White House once it has been sent a Finding. It has the power to withhold funding for any government operation. The members of the House and Senate Democratic leadership who have access to the Finding can also, if they choose to do so, and if they have shared concerns, come up with ways to exert their influence on Administration policy.”
• “Earlier this year, a militant Ahwazi group claimed to have assassinated a Revolutionary Guard colonel, and the Iranian government acknowledged that an explosion in a cultural center in Shiraz, in the southern part of the country, which killed at least twelve people and injured more than two hundred, had been a terrorist act and not, as it earlier insisted, an accident. It could not be learned whether there has been American involvement in any specific incident in Iran, but, according to Gardiner, the Iranians have begun publicly blaming the U.S., Great Britain, and, more recently, the C.I.A. for some incidents…. ‘This is new, and it’s an escalation—a ratcheting up of tensions. It rallies support for the regime and shows the people that there is a continuing threat from the ‘Great Satan.’ ” In Gardiner’s view, the violence, rather than weakening Iran’s religious government, may generate support for it.”
• U.S. is supporting extremist groups including the Jundallah, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq or M.E.K. (on State Department’s terrorist list for decades), and a Kurdish separatist group, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, or PJAK.
• November 2007 Gallup poll found 73% support economic and diplomatic means to stop Iran’s nuclear program; only 18% support military action. “Republicans were twice as likely as Democrats to endorse a military strike.”
• “It is not known whether McCain, who is the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been formally briefed on the operations in Iran. At the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, in June, Obama repeated his plea for “tough and principled diplomacy.” But he also said, along with McCain, that he would keep the threat of military action against Iran on the table.”