With Harry Mitchell signing on as a co-sponsor of HR 1400, the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007, attention is starting to turn toward the Administration's next target for a preemptive war - Iran.
From a press release -
"Iran 's defiant pursuit of nuclear arms is a threat to the peace and stability of the United States and the world," said Mitchell. "This is a defining moment for the United States, and for Congress. It must be a national priority to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon."
The Iran Counter-Proliferation Act calls for enhanced U.N. Security Council efforts in response to Iran's continued defiance of the international community and expands bilateral sanctions against Iran by severely limited the export of U.S. items to Iran. Furthermore, the legislation prevents U.S. subsidiaries of foreign oil companies that invest in Iran 's oil sector from receiving U.S. tax benefits for oil and gas exploration.
In a stroke of good timing, this subject is coming to the fore just two weeks before former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter will be here to discuss his latest book, Target: Iran.
In the past, Mr. Ritter has criticized, correctly as it turns out, the President's rationale for a preemptive war in Iraq, weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Ritter said that they didn't have any; Bush said they did.
Bush went ahead with the war, and after thousands of American servicemen and women, and tens of thousands of Iraqis, were killed or wounded, we came to find out that there weren't any WMDs in Iraq, much less WMDs that endangered the U.S.
In the past, he has described, also correctly as it turns out, the vast internecine tribal and sectarian ties and rivalries that Saddam Hussein navigated and used on his way to power and that currently stymie any efforts to bring stability to occupied Iraq. [Endgame]
His knowledge of both Iraq and Iran and of U.S. government plans for them add to his credibility, as in his current book, Target Iran, he chronicles the Bush Administration's drive for regime change, not disarmament, in Iran.
In the book, he calls for a public scrutiny of the Bush Administration plans in regard to Iran. From the book -
"It is essential, therefore, that Iran not be removed from the public debate here in the United States. War with Iran must be discussed, because the ultimate policy objective of the Bush administration regarding Iran is war." [p. 201]
His visit to the Civic Center Branch of the Scottsdale Public Library on March 29 is a perfect opportunity to be a part of that public discussion.
Details -
He will be appearing in the auditorium of the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. There will be a reception at 6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 7.
Sponsors: LD8 Democrats, Ronn Lavit, Esprit Decor
Tickets: $25.00 (Minimum suggested donation)/Students: $15.00
Contact: 480-991-7548 or 602-266-5823.
If you are interested in buying a book to read beforehand, I know that Changing Hands still has some copies. It where I bought mine. :)
Addendum:
A transcript of an October interview from Democracy Now! with Ritter is here.
A November article from The Nation titled "The Case for Engagement" that was authored by Ritter is here.
Good night!
1 comment:
What makes you believe the democrats are going to "save" the country from the mess that the republicans have left us in? Cindy Sheehan said is best, "the democrats and the republicans are two sides of the same coin." The democrats ran their last campaign on an anti-war slogan and was able to deafeat the republicans and take back congress. Now the end of the war is no where in site with legislation heading to a pullout in Nov. '08. Convenientley before the next presidential election. George Soros who heads Moveon.org donated millions of his own money to various campaigns last year to assist Democrats in taking back the congress and we know that George Soros is not interested in seeing this war end because late last year he purchased $63 million worth of stock in HALLIBURTON. No one in Washington wants this war to end. Not the Democrats, not the republicans. Why? Because they all know a good business deal when they see one. Wake up! It's not a red state vs. blue state thing anymore. Politicians don't care about you or me, they never have. They care about POWER and will do or say anything to get it.
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