Green Party to Congress: Assert constitutional war powers, stop Bush from attacking Iran
Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org
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Greens urge Congress, media, and public to be skeptical about 'Yellow Cake Propaganda' -- a
Bush Administration disinformation campaign to justify going to war, similar to deception behind
Iraq invasion in 2002-2003
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Impeachment is necessary to halt Bush's war agenda, restore the rule of law to the executive
branch
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders appealed to Congress members today to prevent the Bush
Administration from launching military attacks and a possible war on Iran.
"We urge Congress to take immediate steps against President Bush's obvious plans for a war on
Iran," said Jim Coplen, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "Congress alone has
the constitutional power to block the White House from launching a military strike against Iran's
nuclear facilities, and Congress can also cut off military aid to Israel if Israel
initiates the military confrontation."
Greens warned that the White House has stepped up a propaganda campaign to build public support for
war against Iran, claiming that Iran is behind much of the civil strife now taking place in Iraq
and that Iran intends to use its nuclear capability for military purposes, including
production of nuclear weapons for use against Israel and the West.
"The Bush Administration has claimed that intelligence proves Iran is aiding attacks on
Americans in Iraq, but has had to concede that such intelligence is either weak or nonexistent,"
said Sarah 'Echo' Steiner, co-chair of the Green Party. "President Bush and Vice President Cheney
are playing the same games they played in 2002 and 2003. We urge Congress
to pay close attention to intelligence experts and Pentagon officials who are disputing White House claims
about Iran."
Greens challenged the media to question and investigate Bush Administration accusations that
Iran has engaged in acts of provocation against the U.S., citing the administration's history of
misinformation, including the 2003 State of the Union speech and other public communications that
led up to the beginning of the Iraq War.
Green Party leaders also noted that, while demanding that Iran halt its development of
nuclear power, the Bush Administration has promoted nuclear power in other nations in the
region, including India and Pakistan, and has tolerated Israel's nuclear arsenal, and that
continued construction of nuclear weapons in the U.S. has encouraged nuclear
proliferation around the world. Greens have called for diplomacy and international cooperation instead of
saber-rattling and military confrontation.
"We ask Congress not to sign away its constitutional war powers," said Nan Garrett,
co-chair of the Green Party's National Women's Caucus and co-chair of the Georgia Green Party.
"The last time Congress did so, in October, 2002, it handed President Bush a blank check to wage
war on Iraq. The result was a war based on fraudulent justifications, leading to a
civil war in Iraq, over 3,000 dead U.S. service members and hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians,
and no end in sight. War with Iran will be an even greater disaster, leading to a likely
regional or global conflict. The President's plans have nothing to do with a 'war on terror'
and everything to do with a reckless strategy to assert U.S. control over the region,
access to oil resources, and collusion with a belligerent Israeli government."
The Green Party of the United States has already called for immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces
from Iraq and a cutoff of military funding for the war, and has endorsed impeachment of
President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
"Congress could quickly frustrate President Bush's plans for war on Iran by beginning
impeachment proceedings," said Justine McCabe, co-chair of the Green Party's International
Committee. "It's likely that Republicans in Congress would block impeachment. But a public
presentation of evidence that the Bush Administration has committed high crimes and
misdemeanors, especially in its numerous deceptions about the reasons for invading Iraq,
will call into question the President's assertions about Iran. We're telling Democrats,
now is not the time for bipartisan compromise and retreat."
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
"U.S. can't prove Iran link to Iraq strife: Despite pledges to show evidence, officials have
repeatedly put off presenting their case."
By Maura Reynolds
The Los Angeles Times, February 3, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-iran3feb03,0,1950135.story
"Ghost of Judith Miller: NYT Drinks the Kool-Aid
on Claims Iran is Behind Attacks on U.S. Soldiers in Iraq"
By Mark Weisbrot and Robert Naiman, January 31, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20070201/cm_huffpost/040120
"US ex-generals reject Iran strike: Three former high-ranking American military officers have
warned against any military attack on Iran"
BBC News, February 6, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm