.

Warmongers DINOs & RETHUGLICANS alike still want to keep an IRAN BLOCKADE on the table, that would piss off Putin and the Orient BIG TIME if as an OCTOBER surprise something should trigger the shrub to do it. Like a CB HACKER with a toy submarine in the Straits of Hormuz, DEJA VU Gulf of Tonkin. Yep both the Lieberman BlueDogs and the DEMS (per DCCC anti progressive NYC candidate Steve Harrison www.snipr.com/32hyn aka dailygotham.com/blog/roy_moskowitz/blogger_says_dccc_spreads_false_rumors_about_steve_harrison ) want to give the shrub's itchy trigger finger, whom he fondly calls Vader, more latitude. BRILLIANT!!!

Retired Military Leaders Oppose Provocative House Resolution on Iran
Three retired military leaders sent a letter to lawmakers urging them to abandon a resolution currently making its way through Congress that might lead to a blockade or the use of force against Iran. The retired military leaders say H.Con.Res. 362 is “poorly conceived, poorly timed, and potentially dangerous.”

The full text of the letter – signed by Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr., U.S. Army (ret.); former Assistant Secretary of Defense Dr. Lawrence J. Korb; and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan, U.S. Navy (ret.) – is available online here.

All three signatories to the letter are available for interviews. Media inquiries for Lt. General Gard should be directed to Carah Ong at 202.378.3334; inquiries for Admiral Shanahan should be directed to Lauren Coletta at 202.841.2381; inquiries for Dr. Lawrence Korb to 202-741-6388 . ...
www.snipr.com/32hyz aka commondreams.org/cgi-bin/newsprint.cgi?file=/news2008/0711-04.htm

Where Have All The Congressional Consciences Gone?
Congress seems to have learned nothing from the Bush Administration's attack on Iraq. They passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, apparently thinking that they were giving the administration more leverage to negotiate a resolution to the WMD issue. Instead, the Bush administration seized the opportunity to carry out what Bush had wanted to do from day one, according to Paul O'Neill: attack Iraq.

History is about to repeat itself. Congress is set to pass the latest AIPAC-initiated legislation (H. Con. Res. 362 and S. Res. 580 {laying the groundwork for setting up a naval blockade of Iran}) that would constitute a de facto authorization of war on Iran.

The terms of the naval blockade are nothing less than an act of war, exactly what the Bush administration and its Neocon braintrust have been hoping for. The terms would be unacceptable to any sovereign nation, and that's what they want...a "preventive" war to defend Israel by taking out any underground WMD the Iranians may have. ...
www.snipr.com/32hzj aka huffingtonpost.com/coleen-rowley/where-have-all-the-congre_b_109448.html

... while H. Con. Res. 362 as a concurrent resolution does not have the force of law, it clearly risks sending a message to the Iranians, the Bush Administration, and the world that Congress supports a more belligerent policy toward Iran.

According to the military experts, “In our view, H. Con. Res. 362 in no way furthers our diplomatic efforts or those of our European allies and should be abandoned.”
www.snipr.com/32hzt aka campaigniran.org/casmii/index.php?q=node/5614

House Concurrent Resolution 362, describes Iran as a threat to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and US National Security. Introduced on May 22 by New York Democrat Gary Ackerman, the bill calls for an affective blockade against Iran, which, according to international law, is an act of aggression.

As of July 5 the bill has 220 co-sponsors including prominent Democrats such as Barney Frank (MA), Alcee Hastings (FL), Steny Hoyer (MD), Henry Waxman (CA), and the "Fire Breathing Liberal" himself, Rep. Robert Wexler (FL).

H. Con. Res. 362 specifically calls on President Bush to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities." The bill urges the President to block refined petroleum exports to Iran and to impose "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." ...

On June 26, Ron Paul called the content of the bill "war propaganda." In a Congressional speech, he said that the bill was a "virtual war resolution." Paul was incensed about the blockade of goods and the suggestion that Iranian officials be prohibited from international travel. He compared the move to begin stringent sanctions against Iran with little to no evidence the nation was a threat to sanctions against Iraq. "This is what we did for ten years before we went into Iraq," he said. "We starved children—50,000 [sic] individuals it was admitted probably died because of the sanctions on Iraqis—they were incapable at the time of attacking us." A 1999 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report found that the child mortality rate of those under 5 had doubled and that half a million Iraqi children had died under U.S.-led sanctions.

H. Con. Res. 362 asks the President to work against Iran’s efforts to "destabilize" "the legitimate governments in the region…." It also states the United States’ commitment to opposing "Iranian efforts at hegemony" in the Middle East. Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh recently reported in The New Yorker that the Bush administration, with the consent of the Democratic leadership, has begun a secret war on Iran. ...

2007 NIE on Iran stated a "high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program." It also stated "with high confidence" that Iran would not even be "technically capable of producing and reprocessing enough plutonium for a weapon before about 2015." ...

Despite the NIE’s findings, The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) states that "Iran poses a growing threat to the United States and our allies as it continues rapidly advancing toward a nuclear weapons capability." In fact, the organization’s position paper, "U.S. Must Do More to Prevent Nuclear-Armed Iran" reads like a virtual guide to Res. 362. Nearly every point of the Bill, including a ban on petroleum sales to Iran, sanctions on Iran’s Central bank and foreign investors in the oil and energy sectors are found in AIPAC’s paper. AIPAC’s stated aim is to pressure the regime to "change course" by severely impacting the economy with a gas shortage.

On July 2, The Real News Network reported that Res. 362’s broad support "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." In the news feature, historian Gareth Porter argued that Congress "was responding more to the Israel lobby than to any new intelligence on Iran or events on the ground." Porter added that Congress has been 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."

A review of a handful of co-sponsors’ top five contributing industries finds Democrats significantly benefiting from the "Pro-Israel" lobby between 2007 and 2008. For example, Alcee Hastings has received $29,600; Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has received $27,550; and California congresswoman Jane Harman has received $23,600. ...
www.snipr.com/32i07 aka towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/1354/1/

Iran: Scary language
www.snipr.com/32i0e aka seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/368247_iraned.html

NEXT STEP TO WAR ON IRAN: An Embargo on Refined Petroleum Products
www.snipr.com/32i0k aka indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/17/18517253.php

Increased Sanction Resolution, 362, Gives Bush License ...
www.snipr.com/32i0z aka opednews.com/articles/If-an-Increased-Sanction-R-by-Cheryl-Biren-Wrigh-080630-617.html

Obama, Mc Cain, IP, Iran, Zinn and HR 362
www.snipr.com/32i14 aka opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=8235

Yes, It *IS* Possible for Congress to Change Its Mind
www.snipr.com/32i19 aka libertymaven.com/2008/07/19/yes-it-is-possible-for-congress-to-change-its-mind/1298/

Participate in the National Call-in Day on Iran Blockade Resolution
www.snipr.com/32i1h aka payvand.com/news/08/jul/1090.html

No War with Iran: Direct Action at Pelosi's Mansion
Medea Benjamin and Leslie Angeline were among the dozen or so representing Code Pink. They joined over 60 others from Act Against Torture, DASW, World Can't Wait, Western States Legal Foundation and other organizations. FM DJ Soul of 104.1 in Berkeley also spoke out during the die-in. Actions on the weekend of July 19th coincided with UFPJ's national call for action.
www.snipr.com/32i1q aka indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/20/18517955.php

Three activists arrested for breaking through police barricades around Pelosi's Pacific Heights mansion and "dying in" on her walkway.A strong, heartfelt, focussed coalition action with great music, signs with photos of Iranian children, an altar with symbols of Iranian culture, many banners and signs including on H Con Res 362 and $400 million for covert ops in Iran!

At a powerful "No War with Iran" action at Pelosi's Pacific Heights home, code pinkers Toby Blome and Phoebe sorgen (yes, lower case s) and peace organizer David Hartsough were arrested during the Die-In. They broke through the police barricades around Pelosi's home (no, she was not home -- she was in Austin, Texas being protested by Austin CODEPINK!) to lie down as examples of the death that will come to yet another country if the build-up toward war is not halted.

Medea Benjamin and Leslie Angeline were among the dozen or so representing CODEPINK. They joined over 60 others from Action Against Torture, DASW, World Can't Wait, Western States Legal Defense and probably other organizations. FM DJ Soul of 104.1 in Berkeley spoke out powerfully during the Die-In.

A strong, heartfelt, focussed action with great music, signs with photos of Iranian children, an altar, many banners and signs!

When Toby was being walked to the police car in handcuffs, she called out in a strong but anguished voice, "Pelosi, not another war!" The crowd warmly cheered and applauded the courage of Toby, Phoebe and David. ...

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/07/19/18517876.php

Obama has finally drawn a line in the sand about negotiating with foreign leaders. Too bad he’s drawn it in the wrong place.

“Sen. Obama does not agree with President Carter’s decision to go forward with [a meeting with exiled Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal] because he does not support negotiations with Hamas until they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and abide by past agreements,” a spokesman for the Obama campaign said. “As president, Obama will negotiate directly with the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.” (Source: JTA)

What a shame that Obama doesn’t have the guts to support Carter and denounce a policy — the isolation of Hamas — that has brought such misery and achieved so little.

http://themoderatevoice.com/at-tmv/newsweek-blogitics/18909/getting-it-w...

Re: Obama takes on McCain/Bush
http://www.youtube.com/v/zR1THVTNi14
http://www.youtube.com/v/G1EXKLVgEx0