Do we have the courage to stop a war with Iran?

I’ve started blogging in mid-January. Starting on January 23rd, I’ve been posting about the issue of whether or not Bush is going to attack Iran here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

I’m convinced that we’ve gone from the possibility to a probability to the likelihood that Bush will launch at attack on Iran. If it’s now more likely than not, what do we citizens do?

This past Labor Day weekend, Ray McGovern, who served 27 years as an analyst for the CIA, wrote Do We Have the Courage to Stop War with Iran?: “I fear our country is likely to be at war with Iran-and with the thousands of real terrorists Iran can field around the globe.

“It is going to happen, folks, unless we put our lawn chairs away on Tuesday, take part in some serious grass-roots organizing, and take action to prevent a wider war-while we still can.”

Ray McGovern has been actively working for impeachment of Bush and Cheney for months. He, Elizabeth de la Vega, author of United States v. George W. Bush, et al., and David Lindorff, co-author of The Case of Impeachment - The Legal Argument for Removing George W. Bush from Office, appeared on an impeachment panel last February in Olympia, Washington.

All three of these proponents for impeachment see the risk of an attack on Iran if Bush and Cheney aren’t impeached.

Here’s Elizabeth, speaking last January in Santa Rosa. California:

And here’s David Lindorff’s latest post at Smirking Chimp, Beware the Wounded Beast: Bush Has Lost the Iraq War: “Numerous reports, including most credibly one in The Times in London (owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.), suggest that a plan has already been laid out for a three-day massive bombardment on over 1200 targets in Iran, which would attempt to destroy not just that country’s nascent nuclear processing capability, but also its government, communications, and military facilities, essentially leaving the country of 70 million a smoking ruin.

“Such an attack, with no international support, no UN sanction, no threat, imminent or otherwise, and no provocation, would be, pure and simple, a war crime of the first order. It would also put the US at war, not just with Iran, but also with virtually the entire Islamic world.”

So what do we citizens do? We support impeachment. I’ve been urging readers whose Congressional representatives haven’t signed on to House Resolution 333 to call them and ask them why they aren’t supporting the impeachment of Vice President Richard Cheney, who appears to be the driving force behind the plan to attack Iran. Go to Congress.org to find out who represents you.

Also, you can go to StopWaronIran and sign a petition which will be sent directly to the White House, selected members of Congress, and the media. It may take a little courage to send your contact information to the White House, but we all need to draw on all the courage we possess during these perilous times.

(cartoon: Tom Toles for the Washington Post, published on July 26, 2007)

Impeachment Resolution Passed by California Democrats - Why Aren't We Hearing About It?

California Democrats led this way this past weekend at its annual convention by passing a resolution calling on Congress to use its subpoena power to investigate the misdeeds of President Bush and Vice President Cheney and to hold the Administration accountable “with appropriate remedies and punishment, including impeachment.”

By Monday, the news was out via e-mail alerts from friends who had attended the convention. By Tuesday, the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) spread the word via its listserv. By Wednesday, I expected to see news about this in the mainstream media (MSM) but I haven’t seen a thing all this week.

My friend and political ally, Janie Sheppard* mentioned that if the California Democratic Party doesn’t treat it like a big deal with press releases, etc., the MSM won’t cover it.

According to the PDA, the resolution was “sparked by an insurgency among delegates” coordinated by PDA and its allies.. The “insurgents” were supported by protests outside the convention, which can be viewed here. Maybe the establishment Democrats who attended the convention aren’t all that happy with insurgents, protests and the impeachment resolution.

I checked the California Democratic Party’s website and didn’t see anything about the resolution. Thursday morning I called one of the contact numbers (916.442.5707 or 213.239.8730) to ask why it wasn’t on the website and talked with a pleasant man who appeared to know why I called even before I asked the question. Yes, the resolutions will be posted. Yes, he’s pretty sure the impeachment resolution will be posted. I asked him how he knew what I was going to ask, and he told me he had received several calls already that morning.

I hope the impeachment resolution is prominently posted. Maybe then the MSM will consider it newsworthy. Perhaps if we all prod the California Democratic Party by phone call or e-mail (916.442.5707 or 213.239.8730 or use the e-mail contact form) to stand behind the resolution, this historic step forward on the issue of impeachment will get the attention it deserves.

For previous posts about or referencing impeachment, check here, here, here, here
and here.

*Janie has contributed posts here, here, and I wrote about her here and here.

(photo from the California Democratic Party website)