[Sosfbay-discuss] Old Iran Resolution

[Gerry Gras]

Apparently essentially nothing has happened with H.R. 770
and S. 759 since they were introduced.  (They were referred
to committees and then nothing.)

Gerry


Gerry Gras wrote:

> As most of you know, some months ago (April) we approved
> a resolution against attacking Iran, based on a resolution
> approved by Berkeley.  And recently I decided to try to
> get approval of a new resolution, because the Iran issue
> is still important and urgent.  So I referred to a sample
> resolution from Code Pink for discussion at the last
> business meeting, (which I did not attend).
> 
> I have heard that at the business meeting, people
> expressed a preference for the old Iran resolution.
> 
> I did not try to work with that because I thought it was
> rather outdated.
> 
> Due to the interest in the old resolution, I am including
> it below for review.
> 
> Here are the out of date aspects:
> 
> - all of the dates are March, 2007 or earlier
> 
> - since April, the IAEA has actually made a more reassuring
>    statement  (I think they concluded that Iran is in
>    compliance)
> 
> - I don't know whether 5 generals / admirals are still ready
>    to resign over this (I would guess that the number is higher
>    now, but it might be less)
> 
> - I don't know whether H.R. 770 or S. 759 are still available
>    options
> 
> What would you like to do next?
> 
> Gerry
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --------------- old resolution -----------------
> 
> 
> RESOLUTION
> 
> WHEREAS,
>    Iran poses no imminent nuclear threat as it could take Iran
>    eight years to manufacture a nuclear device (1), or in
>    extreme worst-case scenario, three years (2), and the
>    International Atomic Energy Agency has found no proof that
>    Iran diverted nuclear material to a weapons program (3),
>    and a senior United Nations (U.N.) diplomat in Iran said
>    regarding Western spy services' tips about secret Iranian
>    weapons, "Pretty much all the intelligence that's come to
>    us has proved to be wrong" (3); and
> 
> WHEREAS,
>    up to five United States (U.S.) generals and admirals are
>    willing to resign rather than approve what they see as a
>    reckless attack on Iran (4), and an attack on Iran could
>    backfire (5), and Senators Boxer and Feinstein have both
>    called for diplomacy in accordance with international law
>    rather than preemptive war (6); and
> 
> WHEREAS,
>    the U.S. has ratified the U.N. Charter which states that no
>    nation shall use force or threat of force against the
>    territorial integrity or political independence of any
>    nation (Article 2.4) and that, only if attacked, a nation
>    may respond only once before informing the UN and bringing
>    the conflict before the U.N. Security Council (Article 51);
>    and
> 
> WHEREAS,
>    Article I Section 8 of the United States Constitution
>    provides that only the Congress has the authority to
>    declare war; and
> 
> WHEREAS,
>    inflammatory rhetoric may discourage diplomacy, it does not
>    necessarily constitute a security threat.
> 
> NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
>    that the Green Party of Santa Clara County recommend to the
>    four Representatives of Santa Clara County (Anna Eshoo,
>    Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, and Jerry McNerney) that they support
>    H.R. 770 (7) "To prohibit the use of funds to carry out any
>    covert action for the purpose of causing regime change in Iran
>    or to carry out any military action against Iran in the absence
>    of an imminent threat, in accordance with international law and
>    constitutional and statutory requirements for congressional
>    authorization," and request that Senators Barbara Boxer and
>    Dianne Feinstein cosponsor Senator Jim Webb's bill (S. 759)
>    prohibiting funds for military operations in Iran without
>    the consent of Congress (8), and that they recommend an
>    appropriations amendment or rider to restrict funds, such as:
>   [1] No funds from any source shall be used for any military
>       action against Iran, Syria, or any new target, and
>   [2] Any executive violation shall be construed as a high
>       crime and misdemeanor.
> 
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
>    that the Green Party of Santa Clara County supports the
>    International Atomic Energy Agency's efforts to verify Iran's
>    nuclear activities, encourages Iran to cooperate fully with
>    those efforts, and applauds the action of the United Nations
>    General Assembly in condemning Holocaust denial.
> 
> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
>    that the Green Party of Santa Clara County send
>    copies of this signed Resolution promptly to U.S. Senators
>    Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Jim Webb, Bernard Sanders,
>    Robert Byrd, Chair Senate Foreign Relations Committee
>    Joseph Biden, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid;
>    U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
>    and Chair House Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Lantos.
> 
> 
> (1) reprinted from NY Times in SF Chronicle on 1/27/07
>      "Iran going ahead with nuclear program, UN official says
>      - ElBaradei urges all sides to ratchet down tensions"
>        by Mark Landler and David Sanger
>      www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/27/MNG9DNQ6KP1.DTL
> (2) Federation of American Scientists,
>      www.fas.org/cgi-bin/ucountdown.pl;
>      11th clause of Senator Bernard Sanders' Concurrent
>      Resolution 13:
>      http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.CON.RES.13:
> (3) "UN Calls US Data on Iran's Nuclear Aims Unreliable"
>        by Bob Drogin and Kim Murphy LA Times 2/25/07
>  
> www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-usiran25feb25,0,4451045.story?coll=la-home-headlines
> (4) "US Generals `Will Quit' If Bush Orders Iran Attack"
>        by Michael Smith and Sarah Baxter Sunday Times Online 2/25/07
>      www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1434540.ece
> (5) "Attack on Iran would backfire, warns report" 3/5/07
>      www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,329734502-111322,00.html
> (6) "Confronting Iran: Will we learn from our mistakes and
>      apply tough diplomacy-or rely once again on the failed
>      doctrine of preemption?"
>        by Dianne Feinstein, LA Times 4/15/06
>      http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/59/19119
>      On 2/26/07 Sen. Boxer wrote to a Berkeleyan that she
>      believes the U.S. and the international community must
>      continue to pursue diplomatic options and that she will
>      continue to push for a diplomatic solution re Iran.
> (7)
>      http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.00770:
> (8) Press release on Senator Webb's website:
>      http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=270138
> 
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