Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced a measure that would green-light an Israeli bombing campaign against Iran. The resolution, H.Res. 1553 (in full below), provides explicit support for military strikes against Iran, stating that Congress supports Israel's use of "all means necessary" against Iran "including the use of military force". US military leaders have warned that strikes could be catastrophic to US national security interests and could engulf the Middle East in a "calamitous" regional war.Nearly a third of House Republicans have signed onto the resolution, which has been publicly discussed and circulated by its lead sponsor, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), for months. The National Iranian American Council is leading calls to oppose the measure, urging those concerned to demand that House Republican Leader John Boehner denounce the resolution.The introduction of the measure coincides with a pattern of renewed calls for military strikes that have escalated since President Obama signed "crippling" Congressional Iran sanctions into law. Neoconservatives who were instrumental in orchestrating the Iraq War, such as Bill Kristol, and Reuel Marc Gerecht, have led the stepped up calls for military action.
Hawkish former Bush Administration official John Bolton recently laid out the game plan to prod Israel into attacking Iran, arguing that outsiders can "create broad support" for a strike by framing it as an issue of Israel's right to self defense. Supporters for military strikes, Bolton says, should "defend the specific tactic of pre-emptive attacks" against Iran. He urges that Congress can "make it clear" that it supports such strikes and that "having visible congressional support in place at the outset will reassure the Israeli government, which is legitimately concerned about Mr. Obama's likely negative reaction to such an attack."In spite of enthusiasm from the neocons, top US military leaders have warned of the many dangersof military strikes against Iran. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has argued, "Another war in the Middle East is the last thing we need. In fact, I believe it would be disastrous on a number of levels." Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has expressed his own serious reservationsabout an attack, stating, "Iran getting a nuclear weapon would be incredibly destabilizing. Attacking them would also create the same kind of outcome. In an area that's so unstable right now, we just don't need more of that." General David Petraeus has warned that a strike on Iran would be utilized by the Iranian government to unite it's otherwise divided populace.
Simulations have been conducted over the past year to assess the outcome of a preemptive military strike against Iran. One such simulation, by the Brookings Institution's Saban Center, found that strikes would draw the US into the conflict that would engulf the region into war, and would enable Iran to use the attacks as an opportunity to unite the Iranian people and dismantle its opposition. The simulation also found that the strikes could not destroy Iran's nuclear program but merely set it back a few years.
An Oxford Research Group report released recently reinforced those findings and also warned that an Israeli attack would be disastrous and would be unlikely to stop Iran's nuclear program. Instead, the report concluded attacks could convince Iran to withdraw from the international Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and to aggressively seek to develop nuclear weapons. Iranian activists have urged that even raising the specter of war undercuts the opposition in Iran. "The mere fact that Obama didn't make military threats made the Green Movement possible," noted Akbar Ganji. "A military attack would destroy all of that."
--------------------------------------------------
2D SESSION H. RES. 1553
Expressing support for the State of Israel’s right to defend Israeli sovereignty,
to protect the lives and safety of the Israeli people, and to use all
means necessary to confront and eliminate nuclear threats posed by
the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the use of military force if
no other peaceful solution can be found within reasonable time to protect
against such an immediate and existential threat to the State of Israel.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 22, 2010
Mr. GOHMERT (for himself, Mr. AKIN, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr.
BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BONNER, Mr. BROUN of Georgia,
Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr.
CONAWAY, Mr. CULBERSON, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. FLEMING, Mr. FRANKS of
Arizona, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr.
HENSARLING, Mr. HERGER, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr.
LATTA, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr.
NEUGEBAUER, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PITTS, Mr. POSEY, Mr. PRICE of Georgia,
Mr. OLSON, Mr. ROONEY, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SMITH
of Texas, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. ROSKAM, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr.
BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. MCCLINTOCK,
Mr. JORDAN of Ohio, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. KINGSTON, and Mr.
CARTER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the State of Israel’s right to defend
Israeli sovereignty, to protect the lives and safety of
the Israeli people, and to use all means necessary to
confront and eliminate nuclear threats posed by the Islamic
Republic of Iran, including the use of military
VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:05 Jul 23, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\HR1553.IH HR1553 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
2
•HRES 1553 IH
force if no other peaceful solution can be found within
reasonable time to protect against such an immediate
and existential threat to the State of Israel.
Whereas with the dawn of modern Zionism, the national liberation
movement of the Jewish people, some 150 years
ago, the Jewish people determined to return to their
homeland in the Land of Israel from the lands of their
dispersion;
Whereas in 1922, the League of Nations mandated that the
Jewish people were the legal sovereigns over the Land of
Israel and that legal mandate has never been superseded;
Whereas in the aftermath of the Nazi-led Holocaust from
1933 to 1945, in which the Germans and their collaborators
murdered 6,000,000 Jewish people in a premeditated
act of genocide, the international community recognized
that the Jewish state, built by Jewish pioneers
must gain its independence from Great Britain;
Whereas the United States was the first nation to recognize
Israel’s independence in 1948, and the State of Israel has
since proven herself to be a faithful ally of the United
States in the Middle East;
Whereas the United States and Israel have a special friendship
based on shared values, and together share the common
goal of peace and security in the Middle East;
Whereas, on October 20, 2009, President Barack Obama
rightly noted that the United States–Israel relationship is
a ‘‘bond that is much more than a strategic alliance.’’;
Whereas the national security of the United States, Israel,
and allies in the Middle East face a clear and present
danger from the Government of the Islamic Republic of
VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:05 Jul 23, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1553.IH HR1553 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
3
•HRES 1553 IH
Iran seeking nuclear weapons and the ballistic missile capability
to deliver them;
Whereas Israel would face an existential threat from a nuclear
weapons-armed Iran;
Whereas President Barack Obama has been firm and clear
in declaring United States opposition to a nuclear-armed
Iran, stating on November 7, 2008, ‘‘Let me state—repeat
what I stated during the course of the campaign.
Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon I believe is unacceptable.’’;
Whereas, on October 26, 2005, at a conference in Tehran
called ‘‘World Without Zionism’’, Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated, ‘‘God willing, with the
force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world
without the United States and Zionism’’;
Whereas the New York Times reported that during his October
26, 2005, speech, President Ahmadinejad called for
‘‘this occupying regime [Israel] to be wiped off the map’’;
Whereas, on April 14, 2006, Iranian President Ahmadinejad
said, ‘‘Like it or not, the Zionist regime [Israel] is heading
toward annihilation’’;
Whereas, on June 2, 2008, Iranian President Ahmadinejad
said, ‘‘I must announce that the Zionist regime [Israel],
with a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion, and
betrayal is about to die and will soon be erased from the
geographical scene’’;
Whereas, on June 2, 2008, Iranian President Ahmadinejad
said, ‘‘Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power
of the United States has come, and the countdown to the
annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has
started’’;
VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:05 Jul 23, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1553.IH HR1553 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
4
•HRES 1553 IH
Whereas, on May 20, 2009, Iran successfully tested a surface-
to-surface long range missile with an approximate
range of 1,200 miles;
Whereas Iran continues its pursuit of nuclear weapons;
Whereas Iran has been caught building three secret nuclear
facilities since 2002;
Whereas Iran continues its support of international terrorism,
has ordered its proxy Hizbullah to carry out catastrophic
acts of international terrorism such as the bombing
of the Jewish AMIA Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
in 1994, and could give a nuclear weapon to a terrorist
organization in the future;
Whereas Iran has refused to provide the International Atomic
Energy Agency with full transparency and access to its
nuclear program;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1803
states that according to the International Atomic Energy
Agency, ‘‘Iran has not established full and sustained suspension
of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities
and heavy-water-related projects as set out in resolution
1696 (2006), 1737 (2006) and 1747 (2007) nor resumed
its cooperation with the IAEA under the Additional
Protocol, nor taken the other steps required by the
IAEA Board of Governors, nor complied with the provisions
of Security Council resolution 1696 (2006), 1737
(2006) and 1747 (2007) . . .’’;
Whereas at July 2009’s G-8 Summit in Italy, Iran was given
a September 2009 deadline to start negotiations over its
nuclear programs and Iran offered a five-page document
lamenting the ‘‘ungodly ways of thinking prevailing in
global relations’’ and included various subjects, but left
VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:05 Jul 23, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1553.IH HR1553 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
5
•HRES 1553 IH
out any mention of Iran’s own nuclear program which
was the true issue in question;
Whereas the United States has been fully committed to finding
a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear threat,
and has made boundless efforts seeking such a resolution
and to determine if such a resolution is even possible;
and
Whereas the United States does not want or seek war with
Iran, but it will continue to keep all options open to prevent
Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons: Now, therefore,
be it
1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
2 (1) condemns the Government of the Islamic
3 Republic of Iran for its threats of ‘‘annihilating’’ the
4 United States and the State of Israel, for its contin5
ued support of international terrorism, and for its
6 incitement of genocide of the Israeli people;
7 (2) supports using all means of persuading the
8 Government of Iran to stop building and acquiring
9 nuclear weapons;
10
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου