[Sosfbay-discuss] Iran War "Summit"

[Gerry Gras]

Fred, Dana, and I attended most of the "Emergency Summit
to Prevent War with Iran".

If I were to report in a lot of detail, that would be a
long email.  So I'll be brief, just hit the highlights,
and answer questions as needed.

For more info, see their website:

     http://handsoffiran.org

There were 36 organizations that said they would
participate (they are listed at the above URL).

The speakers included (I am missing one or two)
Larry Everest, Dr. Dariush Zahedi, Daniel Ellsberg,
Susan Strong, Jim Haber, Judy Pope, Stephen McNeil,
and Ross Mirkarimi.

NOTE: Organizing for this event began only about
3 weeks ago.

Here are what I think are the main points.

- Daniel Ellsberg said that he estimates the chance
   of an attack on Iran to be at least 60%.

- The risks for the United States are quite
   significant (no surprise there).

- There is a significant chance of an attack in
   April.

- It is possible that Israel might attack instead
   of the U.S..  (But of course if it happens most
   people will assume that the U.S. supported it.)

- There are several bills currently in Congress
   trying to promote withdrawal from Iraq and prevent
   war with Iran.  (Many references were made to one
   particular approach, namely making an amendment to
   the supplemental appropriation bill for Iraq, and
   the amendment would oppose an attack on Iran.)

- We should prepare for the possibility of a
   Gulf of Tonkin type resolution.  (For those who
   do not remember, the Gulf of Tonkin resolution
   was a resolution by Congress to give authority to
   Johnson to proceed with major escalation against
   Vietnam, based on an alleged incident in the Gulf
   of Tonkin, which later turned out to not be true.)

- Ross Mirkarimi and at least one other person said
   that in discussing the Iran situation, the Iran
   government should not be supported.  Both
   governments (Iran and U.S.) are behaving poorly.

The bills of interest are

- House Resolution?  ???
   A resolution to provide supplemental funds for the Iraq
   War, which someone, (Barbara Lee?) is trying to amend to
   disallow action against Iran.  I will get try to get more
   info.

- House Resolution 508
   "Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2007"

- House Resolution 770
   "Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation Act"
   (an act designed to prevent a covert or military action
   against Iran)

- House Concurrent Resolution 23
   "Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should
   not order an escalation in the total number of members of
   the United States Armed Forces serving in Iraq"
   (This appears to be the non binding resolution we have
   already heard about.)


Official information available at

     http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c110bills.html


Finally, I AM very concerned about the possibility
of an Iran Attack / War.  I think it would be a bigger
disaster for the U.S. than the Iraq War.  I am willing
to spend some time on this issue, what that may be is
to be determined.  In fact I sent a snail mail letter
to my 3 Congressional Reps on March 2.

Gerry