[Peace-discuss] Tell Congress: Take the "Military Option" of Bombing Iran "Off the Table"

[Robert Naiman]

Dear Advocate for a Just Foreign Policy,

The Bush Administration has talked seriously about the possibility of
military strikes against Iran, which could dramatically escalate the level
of violence in the region, already high. These threats have undermined real
negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. As the Washington Post reported
Friday, "The package presented to the [UN Security Council] Thursday
provides no explicit assurances Tehran has sought to bar U.S. military
strikes on its territory…President Bush…has resisted European appeals to
provide Iran with such security assurances, insisting that the military
option not be taken off the table." These threats also increase the
likelihood of a wider war, a likelihood that seems to increase each day.

Maintaining the threat of a military attack against Iran not only undermines
negotiations but also undermines the international regime of nuclear
nonproliferation and nuclear inspections, which is based on multilateral
cooperation, not unilateral force. Iran is at least 5 to 10 years away from
acquiring a nuclear weapon, were it to attempt to do so. There is no crisis
justifying the threat of military force against Iran.

Congress should pressure the Bush Administration to take the "military
option" of attacking Iran off the table.

Members of Congress can pressure the Bush Administration to take the
"military option" off the table, but they need to hear from their
constituents that threats to bomb Iran are not acceptable. Let's show
Congress that we care - *please sign and send this letter to your
representatives today:*

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/justforeignpolicy.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4275


The link above takes you to a draft letter that you can edit. Here are some
key things you might want to point out to your representatives of Congress,
to friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers, and to your local
newspaper in the form of a letter to the editor:

·        Threatening to attack Iran undermines diplomatic efforts by the
United States , European governments, and the United Nations to negotiate a
peaceful resolution to the conflict over Iran's nuclear program.

·        Threatening to attack Iran undermines the international regime of
nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear inspections, which is based on
multilateral diplomacy, not unilateral military action.

·        Iran is at least 5 to 10 years away from acquiring a nuclear
weapon, even if it were to attempt to do so. There is no crisis justifying a
military attack, nor threats to attack militarily.

·        Creating a "crisis" over Iran's nuclear program during our election
season is bad domestic politics and bad foreign policy. For Americans, since
there is no immediate urgency regarding Iran's nuclear policy, the issue
distracts from much more important problems at home, as well as the Iraq
war. It is bad foreign policy because, as happened in 2002, members of
Congress can be tempted to go along with unnecessary military threats in an
election year simply to avoid being attacked on "security" issues.

·        Bombing Iran would likely cause thousands of Iranian civilian
casualties.

·        Bombing Iran would dramatically increase anger and resentment in
Iran and throughout the Arab and Muslim world, already high.

·        Violent retaliation would be likely, from the Iranian government,
groups under the influence of the Iranian government, or other groups in the
region outraged by such an attack. Likely targets would include U.S. troops
in Iraq and the Gulf countries; American tourists, businesspeople and other
American citizens, as well as U.S. diplomatic missions in Europe and the
Middle East; and oil shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Can you tell your representative that theatening to bomb Iranian civilians –
that's who would be killed by airstrikes on Iran – is wrong and
counterproductive, and should not be U.S. policy? Click this link to do so:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/justforeignpolicy.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4275


Thanks for all you do for justice,

Robert Naiman

P.S. To learn more about the Bush Administration's efforts to create
conflict with the Iranian government, see: www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran .

P.P.S. I just wanted to take a moment to introduce our organization. Just
Foreign Policy is a mass membership organization dedicated to reforming U.S.
foreign policy, so that it serves the interests and reflects the values of
the broad majority of Americans, rather than those of special interests both
inside and outside of government.   You can learn more about us and the
issues we are following at our website: www.justforeignpolicy.org.

I really hope you'll join us.

*Support our organization:* small contributions, combined with others, go a
long way. If you'd like to support our work financially, you can give now
at:

https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/justforeignpolicy.org/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1525



Please forward this message where appropriate.


-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
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