August 15, 2008 For Immediate Release
Contact: Danny Muller, 207 772 0680 info [at] peaceactionme [dot] org
August 15, 2008 For Immediate Release
Contact: Danny Muller, 207 772 0680 info [at] peaceactionme [dot] org
Peace Action Maine, Pax Christi Maine, Military Families Speak Out/Maine, the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, and many others are circulating a statewide petition that opposes preemptive military action, acts of war, a naval blockade or economic sanctions harmful to the Iranian civilian population, and calls for “comprehensive and consistent diplomatic efforts to promote peace and nuclear nonproliferation.”
Early signers include Maine Senate President Beth Edmonds, former Maine Senate Majority Leader Michael Brennan, Green Party founder John Rensenbrink, 2006 independent U.S. Senate candidate Bill Slavick, 2006 independent House candidate Dexter Kamilewicz, and 2006 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Miller.
Petitions will be sent to the Maine Congressional delegation, taken to the national Democratic convention by delegates Rachel Talbot Ross and Jon Hinck, and distributed throughout Maine. “This moment calls for the use of statesmanship and leverage, not cluster bombs,” stated Hinck, a Maine state representative. “As a delegate to the DNC, I call on Congress to intervene to prevent more armed conflict.”
Eric Hooglund, an Iran scholar at Bates College and PAM Board chair, emphasized that there is no reliable evidence that Iran is attempting to build a nuclear weapon. Its present enrichment of uranium for peaceful use is altogether within its rights as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Hooglund says. According to Hooglund, for all of Ahmadinejad’s blustering, Iran is not threatening anyone with war. He sees a dismissal by the Administration of the November National Intelligence Estimate, and reports International Atomic Energy Agency in favor of claims by an outlawed Iranian terrorist organization as repetitious of the irresponsible war-justifying process that led to the attack on Iraq.
Concern is heightened by Administration voices insisting that Congress has delegated its declaration of war powers to the White House in its blanket approval of combating terrorism, and House Majority Leader Pelosi has blocked legislation that would require Congressional approval for an attack on Iran. Congress appears acquiescent, though Rep. Tom Allen and two colleagues withdrew their names from a sanctions resolution in late July. Organizers note the badly-compromised U.S. position: we have more nuclear weapons than anyone and are developing “usable” depleted uranium bunker buster bombs; Israel and Pakistan have nuclear weapons, and we are on the verge of approving India’s acquisition of nuclear weapons in contravention of the NPT.
Participants and delegates are available for interviews, including ‘on the ground’ interviews from the Democratic National Convention in Denver, August 25-28th.
