Conyers, Boxer back attack on Iran

by **NavnDansk** » Mon May 01, 2006 6:29 am

email blitz of Congress and media, been there, done that too many times and Gonzales, Roberts, Alito, Sleezy were all confirmed and the "Patriot" Act confirmed by the Vichy Dems. Link from BenFrank.com under Ron Paul's name" <a href="http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060426-104228-8121r_page2.htm">washingtontimes.com/natio..._page2.htm</a> "It also calls for sanctions against countries that supply Iran with materials for weapons of mass destruction and denies U.S. assistance to countries invested in Iran's energy sector. Bush administration officials previously said the sanctions bill could harm its own negotiations with Iran. Mr. Pence said the president is not opposed to the resolution, sponsored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida Republican. (more Brier Rabbit and the tar pit?) A Senate version is pending in the Foreign Relations Committee.

by **StarmanSkye** » Mon May 01, 2006 6:03 pm

Sepka said: "I'd be interested to see the list of 'options'. The fundamental problem is that Iran has no interest in a peaceful resolution. They're playing for time until they can get their bomb built. It doesn't really matter how much thought and imagination you bring to diplomacy if the other side just isn't interested in making a deal." ***** I beg to differ. How can you, how do you or anyone KNOW Iran has 'no interest' in a peaceful resolution? It's not like Iran hasn't voluntarily participated with the IAEA to an unprecedented degree, and is STILL offering to cooperate, even agreeing to spot-inspections. In this, the US's hostile, antagonistic and duplicious attitude by way of the Bush -fronted band of neocon chickenhawk gangbangers has been consistent, ramping-up a climate of paranoid public unreasoning fear and creating a 'crisis' where none exists -- and after all, it was the Pentagon that concluded Iran was at least 10 years away from actually building a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, Israel, with a storehouse of over 200 nuclear weapons, has NEVER cooperated with the IAEA let alone even admitted having a nuclear armory -- while being the single-most nation in violation of UN resolutions as an occupying military power that has routinely committed gross violations of basic human rights. The Arab nations, despite what they may think about Iran's fundamentalist regime (which perversely was insured electoral-victory precisely BECAUSE of the US's ham-fisted interference in Iranian elections, providing financial gifts and inducements to its preferred Presidential candidate, and which consequently threw the election as Iranians voted AGAINST the US's choice -- it's almost like the US made SURE the radical President Ahmadinejad was elected) are hardly ambivalent about this unselfconscious display of double-standards. The current 'crisis' has only been aggravated by the Bush Inc's posturing and sabre-rattling, claiming on the one hand to be all in favor of diplomacy and negotiation, yet refusing to engage in face-to-face talks, and conspiring behind-the-scenes to sabotage EU/UN negotiations by predicting that talks won't resolve anything. Recall last year, the US refused to even make a public statement affirming that the US would not engage in an unprovoked, pre-emptive military attack on Iran. How could ANY nation interpret this antagonistic posture as anything but an implicitly aggressive threat. Coupled with the US's long and ignominous history of undermining Iran's sovereignty and helping to impose a brutal, autocratic regime, along with the utter catastrophe it has caused in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran and the entire Middle East must certainly hold America's intentions with extreme suspicion and distrust -- which perversely creates the very situation for insecurity and failure of International Institutions that is the driving force for expanded nuclear proliferation which we are seeing. I can hardly believe that any intelligent, regular-reader on this forum could fail to appreciate the opportunistic duplicity and evidence of fraud in the US's attempt to manipulate public opinion and the world community, intimidating or provoking the UN and members of the Security Council to go-along with the US's demonization of Iran, following much the same script it practiced with Iraq in fabricating evidence, cherry-picking information and spying-on and attempting to bribe UN members states, while selectively-interpreting data to 'prove' its case while absolutely ignoring anything that refuted its conclusion or even acknowledging the well-founded qualifications of its own experts. And yet, here's the same headlong rush to condemn a sovereign nation based on unshakeable 'belief' convictions, upheld by nothing but the utter absence of evidence. This 'controversy' is even more absurd since the US had first begun assisting Iran's nuclear energy program since the early-to-mid eighties. And to add even MORE double-standard idiocy to the US's stance -- The US recently attempted to bribe Turkey with the 'gift' of a nuclear reactor for allowing it to use Turkish military air-base for the US to launch a military attack on Iran. Also, the US recently concluded an agreement with India in which the US will assist it in developing nuclear energy. AND Brazil is now building nuclear energy facilities. As well, Saudi Arabia is either in the process of developing its own nuclear weapons OR may have already acquired some from the black market -- and other nations in the Middle East are in the process of acquiring nuclear weapons, but the US and the MSM remains mute on these consequences of nuclear proliferation extending from the deteriorating security situation aggravated by the US's ruinous Foreign Policy catastrophes. re: === IAEA Finds no Proof of Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program By Juan Cole Here is its conclusion, which others will not quote for you at such length: <a href="http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12877.htm">informationclearinghouse....e12877.htm</a> ******** <a href="http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12879.htm">informationclearinghouse....e12879.htm</a> The Security Council deadline myth By Gordon Prather Under a Safeguards Agreement concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency as required by the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Iran agreed to allow IAEA inspectors to "verify" that no "source or special nuclear materials" are being used in furtherance of a nuclear weapons program. During the past three years, every report Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei has made to the IAEA Board concluded that as best he can determine no proscribed materials have been so used. And: War pimp alert: War Clouds: LET ME TELL YOU about the next war. It will start sooner than you think sometime between now and September. And it will be precipitated by the $700-million Russian deal this week to sell Tor air defense missile systems to Iran. <a href="http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12882.htm">informationclearinghouse....e12882.htm</a> Security Council Poised for Iran Replay : The council's three veto-wielding Western nations immediately announced plans to introduce a new Security Council resolution next week that would make Iran's compliance with their demands mandatory. To intensify pressure, they want the resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which means it can be enforced through sanctions or military action. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060429/ap_on_re_mi_ea/un_iran_nuclear">news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060...an_nuclear</a> Chinese envoy opposes resorting to Chapter 7 resolution on Iran: China's UN envoy Wang Guangya restated Beijing's opposition to Western plans to invoke Chapter 7 of the UN charter to legally bind Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities. <a href="http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=121019">www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=121019</a> India: Avoid confronting Iran : India on Saturday said the report presented by the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Irans nuclear programme should form the basis for sustained diplomacy to avoid confrontation and to promote an amicable solution. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/kjqxh">tinyurl.com/kjqxh</a> ******* It almost seems like the US is deliberately provoking a global conflict centered on its 'disagreement' and long-standing antipathy with Iran -- acting like the reckless, irresponsibly-led rogue state it seems to have become (as Chomsky and others have detailed). But OK, my objection to and contrarian position w/r/t the US's apparant incitement to war has been stated and backed-up; My suggested non-military options for 'dealing' with Iran (off the top-of-my head, in no particular weighted order): 1. US stands-down from trying to intimidate the IAEC into mistating Iran's nuclear energy program as 'destabilizing' and a 'threat to regional peace'. Acknowledge the US has funded Iran's nuclear program since the 80s, Iran's Nuclear program appears to comply with IAEC oversight, and that Iran appears to have been negotiating in good faith. 2. US spokespersons are selected who are well-regarded in the International Relations and Foreign Policy fields, who have not compromised their integrity by unquestionably supporting the Bush Regime and the invasions/attacks of Afghanistan and Iran, who hold a World Press public conference, at which it is declared that the Nation will make a dedicated, determined and sincere effort to radically reform its foreign policy and military agenda, to be more in-line with Constitutional Law and the principles of social justice, human and civil rights, International Law and US signatory obligations re: legitimate government and collective security agreements. 3. US declares it will initiate a committed National Effort at Truth and Reconciliation, to involves all sectors of Federal, State, City and local government, Law Enforcement and the Military/DoD, the public, industry, trade and civic associations, unions, co-ops, Special Interest Groups, etc. -- to the end of a frank and honest disclosure of all information and previously-disclosed details of America's Foreign Policy and decisionmaking that has led to the present Constitutional Crisis of legitimacy and extremely dysfunctional military, neocolonial dependency on force-projection and intimidation to achieve narrow policy goals -- which have destroyed America's reputation as the 'leader' of the Free World and compromised America's and the world's security through aggravating nuclear and WMD proliferation and legitimizing state-sponsored terrorism, as well as a whole host of abuses and war-crimes and incitements to violence. 4. The US leadership publicly acclaims it's primary responsibility and role in having undermined Iran's fledgling democracy and helped create the situation for Iran's tilt to a theocratic state under the influence of extremist fundamentalism imposing Sharai Law, as well as seriously eroding vital democratic institutions throughout the Middle East as the result of institutional abuses of authority of the US's Intelligence Services and a military complex that is intimately involved in setting Foreign Policy contrary to law and against the best interests of American citizens. The US publicly acknowledges its guilt and sincerely asks forgiveness by the World Community and the World's peoples for having set-back progress and real peace by several generations, having failed to be faithful to the post-war's stated goals of working constructively with the world's nations in order to make war an archaic, obsolete institution of failed statecraft -- and having abused the mantle of respect and authority it assumed as the leader of the Free World to strive for diplomacy, understanding, solving common as well as unique problems such as chronic poverty, injustice and strife, safe water, adequate food production, instituting laws and good governance, etc., helping to unite a war-torn world and achieve International consensus on vital issues. 5. US immediately ceases aggressive military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, preparatory to making immanent plans to de-mobilize and hand-over security to Iraqi and Afghan regular forces and/or UN Forces as agreed-upon and appropriate, such as may be. Return American troops to the US ASAP, with best disposition of supplies and equipment as International bodies ie. UN recommends. 6. US announces immediate plans to abandon its over 700 military bases in over 140 nations. 7. US announces its committment to longstanding all nuclear-weapon and CMB weapon agreements, drawing-down banned weapons and dismantling its nuclear-weapon stockpiles, agreeing to abide by all International conventions. 8. US announces it has rescinded its intention to use nuclear weapons in a first-strike and pre-emptive manner. 9. US declares it will never again launch a military attack in the absence of an actual, immanent threat in full compliance with UN and NATO agreements. 10. US declares it will either charge or release all foreign nationals held under its active control or management, and work to the repatriation of all uncharged individuals it holds or has released to ally counter-terrorist partners thru the program of renditions. 11. US Congress indicts all members of Bush Administration who have been key to the illegal actions and war crimes re: wars in Iraq and Afghanstan and detention/torture of 'armed combatants' and other prisoners. 12. US agrees to fully participate with International Criminal Court and cooperate with Human Rights organizations in addressing institutional abuses. 13. US makes expedited transition to an interim Constitutional government governed by rule of law and not executive abuse of power and claims of extra-constitutional authority, in preparation for special National elections. 14. Republican Party is disbanded, chief officers are prohibited from participating in politics in any way for not less than 10 years. 15. US undergoes radical Election reform to remove the influence of corporations to influence elections or contribute to campaigns. 16. US agrees to participate in a global energy-allocation and development body to most efficiently manage limited energy sources and help develop alternative energy systems, to prevent disruptions and shortages provoking national security concerns -- working to strengthen global peace and prosperity as the best means to insure everyone's security. 17. US declares committment to principles of freedom, peace, justice, cooperation, wise development, stewarding resources, guarding environmental health and preserving the world's vibrant ecology. 18. US dramatically downsizes its military and weans itself off the military-economic dependency, encouraging citizen Diplomacy of its citizens, students, teachers, scientists, doctors, engineers, inventors, performing and visual artists, writers, Judges, farmers, and volunteers to work on addressing long-term problems and meeting critical needs around the world for food, shelter, education, democratic government, just laws and others as identified and needed. 19. US disbands the Federal Reserve, encouraging cooperation and investments among the major nationally-owned, directed and adminstered currencies. 20. US disbands the IMF, World Bank, Pentagon and CIA; World Bank debt is cancelled. Pentagon is converted into an International Hostel, a Teaching Hospital and Global Free Clinic Hospital especially for treating victims of wars and mines and chemical weapons ie/ Agent Orange, Drug War herbicides and Depleted Uranium. 21. US cancels bogus, exploitive Drug War and War on Terrorism. 22. US abandons Gitmo and all other foreign detention facilities, as it declares giving-up its self-assumed role as global policeman and heavy-weight enforcer -- in favor of cooperative security-agreements and enhanced trade and communication, striving to respect other's unique cultural and ethnic differences. 23. US agrees to pay War Crime reparations to Iraq and Afghanistan for the great loss of life, infliction of grevious bodily harm, terrific long-term environmental and public health damage through widespread dissemination of toxic Depleted Uranium poison, destruction of tens of thousands of homes, failure to defend and protect Iraq's priceless cultural heritage, ruination of Iraq and Afghanistan's economies, and systematic targetted decimation of vital civil infrastructure and social institutions. 24. US declares it will immediately suspend all military and economic aid to Israel and enforce an embargo, with further economic assistance and lifting of embargo conditioned on Israel's demonstrated willingness and sincerity in addressing the interests and concerns of all inhabitants of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian territories -- either implementing a two-state solution or accepting Palestinians as full and equal partners in a single integrated nation based on the principles of justice and peace, with full protection given to everyone's civil and human rights. 25. US declares it intends to recognize Cuba's sovereignty, will abandon Gitmo and return the property to Cuban control, and will immediately lift its trade embargo on Cuba and offer to restore full diplomatic relations with Castro's government. 26. US publicly apologizes to the World Community for having violated numerous tenets of treaty agreements and according to its obligations as a UN signatory, having undermined and subverted the sovereignty of many dozens of independent nations during the last 60 years through illegal interventions, meddling, military force and covert operations intended to manipulate public opinion and government decisions for alterior motives especially economic advantage, territorial influence and control of resources, and to derailing legitimate citizen-empowered foreign governance for the betterment of their respective citizens, including the violent overthrow of governments, targetted assassinations, coups and propping-up autocratic dictators and brutal regimes -- thereby directly inciting resistance and deep-seated opposition to arrogant American actions that are directly contrary to the rule of law and principles of peace and justice. ...and so forth. These are off the top of my head, in no particular order, they're not especially dependant on other options nor should they be considered contradictory. These options are all based on the US making the first, crucial steps in acknowledging its primary role in helping to create and perpetuate the conditions for injustice, violence and insecurity in the region -- and demonstrating its committment to constructive change and engagement. America's show of self-reflection and sincere contrition for having helped cause, directly or indirectly, the death of more than 20 million people around the world since the end of WW II would go a LONG way in setting the stage for de-escalating political and military incitements and to defusing global insecurity, mistrust and suspicion -- and especially to ease Iran's bitter antipathy towards the US for its history of intransigence, duplicity, betrayal and murder. It's a measure of the extent to which our 'leaders' are and have been intimidated and compromised by the enormous influence of financial, corporate and military-industry interests in formulating reckless and exploitive foreign policies that the US's malicious historic role as a bully and spoiler in the Middle East remains (apparently) a taboo topic -- helping to cover-up the deliberate opportunism in perpetrating the foil of terrorism as pretext to enable and disguise America's ongoing hegemonic and Imperialist adventures. Facing this truth squarely, with courage and conviction, may possibly be the most positive thing the US could do as a nation to make a break with the cycle of violence and destruction that has characterized so much of last half-century of failed leadership and crisis -- in which 'American Interests' have been so decietfully interpreted according to the calculus of an elite agenda and arguably NOT serving the broad public's longterm best interests. I think this is the core issue that I disagree with you on. Starman "Therefore, U.S. officials, from President Bush on down, have it all wrong. The solution is not to continue unleashing U.S. government power overseas, even while increasingly isolating the American people from the rest of the world with trade barriers, immigration and visa controls, and walls along our borders. The solution is instead to (1) rein in the federal government by dismantling its overseas diplomatic and military empire, ending all foreign aid and bringing all U.S. overseas troops home, discharging them into the private sector, and (2) unleash our nation’s greatest diplomats – businessmen, tourists, cultural groups, and everyone else in the private sector – to freely interact once again with the people of the world. There is no other solution to the foreign-policy/terrorism woes that continue to bedevil our country." -- Jacob G. Hornberger ***** BTW: I sure am disappointed that Conyers and Boxer both folded, acting just like reliable 'lil Vichi-Dems enablers. Anyone who voted for this resolution deserves to be shitcanned. -S

by **dbeach** » Tue May 02, 2006 4:25 pm

Montra :"ALL DC POLS have sold the US middle class into slavery..as the US goes so goes the remaining so called free nations" Iran whom NEVER attacked the US is set up as was Iraq Afghanistan... Who will be next???Its all about control and ruling by fear..the very symptoms of a totalitarian state.. to bomb or not to bomb still makes the FEAR..we react to the fear in negative and traumatic behaviors unless you gain the insights to recognize the same ole enemy tactics

by **Sepka** » Wed May 03, 2006 3:43 am

Starman Skye said: <blockquote>Quote:<hr>How can you, how do you or anyone KNOW Iran has 'no interest' in a peaceful resolution?{/quote] How can you know that George Bush isn't sincere when he says that he wants to solve the problem diplomatically? After all, he says that repeatedly. How can you know that the "powers that be" are manipulating public opinion deliberately toward war, rather than reporting what they beleive to be the facts? I'm sure if you asked them they'd tell you how sincere they are. Do you perhaps feel that when someone's actions don't match their words, the actions carry more weight? Thus it is with Iran. They're building an atom bomb for which they have no earthly use, apart from unprovoked aggression. They're ruled by religious lunatics with an established history of utter disregard for all civilized norms. For the past 25 years or so, they've finished their daily prayers with calls for the destruction of the United States. They need to be stopped before it's too late. The longer we wait, the harder the job will be. -Sepka the Space Weasel <hr></blockquote>

by **albion** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:57 am

Sheesh, this thread is like a time warp to 3 years ago. Despite the sometimes overheated rhetoric, I doubt that the Iranian regime has any interest in actually nuking the USA. The mullahs may be hardliners, but they're not insane. They're above all self-interested pragmatists. If they are pursuing nuclear weapons technology "secretly" (i.e. outside the scope of the IAEA and nonproliferation treaty), the reason for that would likely be to avoid the economic sanctions that an open program would entail. The reason any state attempts to acquire such weapons is because having them serves as a deterrent against attack and/or invasion. This would allow the Iranian regime to pursue a more aggressive and self-interested foreign policy in the Middle East and Central Asia. That, imho, is why they can't be allowed to have their own nukes, not because they would "destroy America" with them. The fact that even "progressives" like Boxer and Conyers dress up such naked tooth-and-claw power struggles as "exporting democracy" is really a part of the problem.

by **Byrne** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:53 am

Let's see what IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei concluded in his report Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Islamic Republic of Iran, released on 28th April 2006.......... Oh!, we can't see the report (which was prepared at the request of the United Nation´s Security Council) because its circulation is restricted, and the IAEA can't authorise its release to the public, without Security Council approval. See <a href="http://www.iaea.or.at/NewsCenter/News/2006/iranreport_sg.html" target="top">www.iaea.or.at/NewsCenter/News/2006/iranreport_sg.html</a>. Remember that the US has been trying to get Iran referred to the UN Security Council for years now (see <a href="http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=285" target="top">this</a> report from 18th September 2004 where US machinations to have Iran reported by November 2004 were vetoed in favour of more inspections:<blockquote>Quote:<hr>The U.S. negotiating team presented a draft resolution at the opening of talks on Monday that would have declared Iran in violation of the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The U.S. proposal also would have imposed a deadline of Oct. 31 for Iran to halt all nuclear activities. Failure to meet the deadline would have forced the issue to the Security Council by November. The U.S. proposals were opposed by a group of influential members -- Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Russia and China. Those governments opted instead to give U.N. inspectors more time to investigate, and then make a final diplomatic effort to persuade Tehran to give up its nuclear ambitions. <hr></blockquote> However, some selective excerpts from the 28th April 2006 IAEA DG report HAVE been released onto the BBC (from a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4956882.stm" target="top">link</a> at the IAEA site (referenced above) & (selectively) reported <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-060428iran-report-excerpts,0,4247597.story" target="top">elsewhere</a>. These excerpts contain this morsel....:<blockquote>Quote:<hr>As noted in previous reports, the Agency was shown by Iran in January 2005 a copy of a handwritten one-page document reflecting an offer said to have been made to Iran in 1987 by a foreign intermediary. In order to be able to ascertain its nature and origin, a copy of the document is needed by the Agency. However, Iran continues to decline the agency's request for a copy of the document. <hr></blockquote>& from the Chicago Tribune article:<blockquote>Quote:<hr>"Statements made by Iran and key members of the (black market) network about the events leading to the mid-1990s (black market) offer are still at variance with each other."<hr></blockquote> It would seem that variuos nefarious deals were being attempted &/or enacted......... Upon further searching, I found this:<blockquote>Quote:<hr>in the aftermath of the Gulf War, the IAEA had discovered a one-page memo, dated Oct. 6, 1990, summarizing a meeting between members of the Mukhabarat – the Iraqi intelligence service – and an intermediary who said he represented the Khan network. Metallurgist Khan had worked for a subsidiary of Urenco, the European uranium-enrichment consortium. Khan had stolen Urenco designs for a first-generation gas-centrifuge and Urenco supplier lists, returned to Pakistan and got to work. By the early 1980s, indigenously produced second-generation gas-centrifuge uranium-enrichment facilities were up and running. What to do with the first-generation stuff? Offer – for a price – to help "establish a project to enrich uranium and manufacture a nuclear weapon." The Iraqis didn’t buy any of it. But, the Bush-Cheney administration charged that the offer made to Iran back in 1987 to provide Iran uranium metal "casting capabilities" also amounted to an offer by the Khan network to help Iran manufacture a nuclear weapon. Associated Press ‘reporter’ George Jahn claims to have gotten access to a ‘confidential’ IAEA report that will be presented to the Board next week. Apparently, the Iranians have found and turned over to the IAEA a "document" they were given showing how to cast "enriched, natural and depleted uranium metal into hemispherical forms." The chief U.S. delegate to the IAEA, Gregory L. Schulte, said Washington was "very concerned" about the "find", along with the "large cache of documents uncovered by the agency" showing detailed instructions on how to set up uranium enrichment facilities. "This opens new concerns about weaponization that Iran has failed to address," Schulte told reporters. Well, first of all, the IAEA didn’t ‘uncover’ anything. The Iranians – although not obligated to do so – ransacked their files and voluntarily turned over to the IAEA everything relevant the<hr></blockquote> <a href="http://www.antiwar.com/prather/?articleid=8087" target="top">Source</a> & aslo see <a href="http://www.antiwar.com/prather/?articleid=5087" target="top">here</a>[/quote] The insistence of the UN Security Council in wishing to see a 1 page handwritten note seems bizarre. I betcha the US/CIA were behind such mischievous dealings/hand written notes etc. etc. Anyone know any of A.Q. Khan connections with the US/CIA/V.Plame etc.?

Conyers, Boxer back attack on Iran

Senate version vote coming up, guess there is no point to

Non-military options to the US 'dealing' with Iran

Re: Iranian fantasies

Re: Non-military options to the US 'dealing' with Iran

Re: Non-military options to the US 'dealing' with Iran

Re: Non-military options to the US 'dealing' with Iran

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