I am writing to express my strong opposition to S.Res.65 and H.R.850--two measures that make war with Iran far more likely.
The New York Times wrote that S.Res.65 and H.R.850 "could harm negotiations" and "make diplomatic efforts even harder."1
S.Res.65 would call for the U.S. to support Israeli military strikes against Iran with the promise of American troops, money, and political support. Should this resolution pass, the Senate would undercut U.S. civilian and military leaders and signal that the decision for the U.S. to go to war should be outsourced.
The Pentagon reported last year that an Israeli strike on Iran would draw in the U.S. and leave hundreds of Americans dead in the immediate aftermath2 and, according to top officials would actually make an Iranian nuclear weapon more likely.3
Such a war would be disastrous for the people of the U.S., Iran, and Israel. Iranian civil society has warned that war would bury the hopes of the Iranian people for democracy and human rights. And a recent study concludes that strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities would kill 85,000 Iranians. Meanwhile, former senior military officials say war with Iran would require "tens of years of occupation."4
At the same time, H.R.850 would impose new broad sanctions on Iran that would punish ordinary Iranians and worsen Iran's current medicine shortage, and threaten to unravel international efforts and derail hopes for preventing war through successful negotiations.
Secretary of State John Kerry recently warned Congress against moving forward with new sanctions on Iran that he said could undermine diplomatic efforts and play out negatively in Iran's upcoming presidential elections in June.5
The recent Iran Project report, issued by thirty-five bipartisan senior former officials, warned that sanctions have "contributed to an increase in repression and corruption within Iran" and may be undermining diplomatic efforts.6
A report issued by the National Iranian American Council found that sanctions are actually reinforcing a "resistance narrative" espoused by Iran's rulers, hardening their position regarding the nuclear program, and silencing those who would argue for compromise on the nuclear issue.7
And an Atlantic Council report has warned that the U.S. is punishing ordinary Iranians and alienating a largely pro-American young population.8
I strongly urge you to oppose S.Res.65 and H.R.850, and instead stand up for a negotiated settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and for serious diplomacy that addresses critical issues like human rights.
1
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/09/opinion/congress-gets-in-the-way-on-iran.html?_r=3&]
2
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/world/middleeast/united-states-war-game-sees-dire-results-of-an-israeli-attack-on-iran.html?pagewanted=all3
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/10/04/959431/gates-diplomacy-iran/4
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/02/06/1548601/cartwright-iran/5
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/18/world/la-fg-iran-sanctions-201304196
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/world/middleeast/report-on-iran-urges-obama-to-rethink-sanctions.html?_r=07
http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=90778
http://www.acus.org/publication/time-move-tactics-strategy-iranwe have very good global solutions that can be shared within our human family, once we organize a platform for those programmed with old thought to be supported by fresh young students as we stop whiplashing our people with bad science.
we have this diplomatic respect for all life that is not being facilitated + must be.
please do what you can to let me help, for their are ways to interpersonally define ones dysfunction, so that these worn torn links can then be fine tuned, rid or restored.
for everywhere including the US people are left behind in every local community.
we have too many good virtual tools to bring us eye to eye. it is this global platform we will continue to build at - i come to talk story.
please let me personally show you how we can intermediate + help John Kerry.
sincerely, thank you NIAC, kara j lincoln