Posted by
John Wallace on Saturday, August 02, 2008 5:25:15 PM
There is a Congressional Resolution (H. Con. Res 362) currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that if passed, could lead to war with Iran. There is also a similar Resolution being considered by the Senate (S. Res. 580).
The House version begins as follows: "Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the United States by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony, and for other purposes."
A key part of this resolution, in subsection (3) states:
"demands that the President initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by, inter alia, prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program;"
H. Con. Res 362 is nothing short of an "authorization to go to war" resolution without passing a formal Declaration of War. It has been these types of resolutions and authorizations of force that have eventually gotten us into war in the past. Here's how it works: Congress gives the President an authorization to use the power of our military against a country that we are not at war with and in return, individual members of congress get wiggle room to change their minds if things do not go well.
The current resolution demands that the President impose stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains and cargo entering or departing Iran, and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials. This is a proposed blockade of another country that we are not at war with. What right do we have to close down a country and where do we get the legal or moral authority to do so? Such authority or power is definitely not contained in our constitution. This is the type of action that led to the war in Iraq.
I know that the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has threatened violence against us and our allies. He is also aiding terrorist organizations and is suspected of developing nuclear weapons and that's wrong. But why is our making threats of blockades, sanctions and violence against Iran OK?
Congress and the President must take more time to look at this situation very carefully because their decision in this matter will effect not only us, but the rest of the world as well. Why are Members of Congress (both Democrats and Republicans) and their new world order friends so eager to keep us in an endless cycle of war without ever declaring war?
If congress is privy to information about Iran that they are using to justify some sort of military action on our part, then inform the American people of what it is because it is their sons and daughters who will have to pay the price if we go to war. Let the administration and congressional leaders follow the constitution and publically lay out their case to the American people, before we get into another undeclared war that will cost American lives.
The text of the resolution can be found at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.CON.RES.362:
For Freedom, Liberty and Sovereignty,
John Wallace
Candidate for Congress
NY's 20th Congressional District
www.FreedomCandidate.com