After the report of 16 intelligence services stating, that Iran is NOT in the process of building atomic weapons it should be clear, that the military option of attacking Iran is off the table. But a number of presidential candidates have stated, that they support the military option. The following quotes are alarming.
Who has said it…
Hillary Rodham Clinton "We cannot, we should not, we must not permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons. And in dealing with this threat, as I've also said for a long time, no option can be taken off the table. But America must proceed deliberately and wisely, and we must proceed as a unified nation."
– Senate floor, Feb. 14, 2007
Chris Dodd "I would never eliminate — and I wouldn't want anyone to leave here believing I would ever eliminate — entirely the use of military force if it becomes necessary."
– In New York, February 2007
John Edwards "With a threat so serious, no U.S. president should take any option off the table — diplomacy, sanctions, engagement, or even military force."
– Foreign Affairs, September/October 2007 issue
Barack Obama "I've said repeatedly that military options should remain on the table."
– NPR, Oct. 13, 2007
Rudy Giuliani "Iran is a greater danger than Iraq. Iraq cannot be seen in a vacuum. And we have to be willing to use a military option to stop Iran from becoming nuclear."
– Republican debate, Oct. 9, 2007
Mike Huckabee "But we have to be prepared to take, again, whatever action. And I don't want to go through every possible scenario other than to say that that would mean just what it says. Whatever it takes."
– CNN, Oct. 28, 2007
John McCain "Every option must remain on the table. Military action isn't our preference. It remains, as it always must, the last option."
– Speech for Chrtistians United for Israel, July 17, 2007
Mitt Romney "The military option remains on the table."
– Campaign Web site
Fred Thompson "The U.S. must make it clear that we will not allow Iran to become a nuclear threat. The military option must never be off the table."
– Speech for the Republican Jewish Coalition, Oct. 16, 2007
Howard Dean, Chair of the DNC has made the following statement:
Here we go again.
For the past few months, the Bush Administration exploited the fears of Americans to make their case against Iran. Just a few weeks ago, the President said "I believe they want to have the capacity, the knowledge, in order to make a nuclear weapon."
This week, 16 U.S. intelligence agencies published a report that "in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program." Turns out the White House was aware of this shocking assessment for a few months, but reportedly worked to delay its public release.
Distortions and manipulation to promote a narrow ideological agenda is nothing new to the Bush Administration — it's how they misled us into Iraq. This is the worst kind of leadership: a dishonest appeal our base emotions.
Iran may pose a threat, but misleading the American people is not the way to deal with it. All of the Democratic candidates have said that we need to have all options on the table when dealing with Iran — Republicans seem to only consider war.
After we elect a Democratic president in 2008, the American people will once again have a leader who will be open and honest with them. But until then, it's important that every Republican presidential candidate avoids the fear-mongering that George Bush has used to so profoundly divide this country.
Back when I ran for President, I couldn't walk ten feet without seeing a "Hope not Fear" slogan on a t-shirt or a sign. And now, four years later, it's never meant more to me.
Join me and remind every Republican presidential candidate that all Americans want to be inspired by hope, not governed by fear. Tell them to listen to the intelligence community:
http://www.democrats.org/HopeNotFear
If these quotes are any indication, the Republican frontrunners haven't gotten the message:
Rudy Giuliani: "Iran is nuclear threat, not just because they can deliver a nuclear warhead with missiles; they're a nuclear threat because they are the biggest state sponsor of terrorism and they can hand nuclear materials to terrorists."
Mitt Romney: "If for some reasons they continue down their course of folly toward nuclear ambition, then I would take military action if that's available to us."
Mike Huckabee: "A President has to do whatever is necessary to protect the American people. If we think Iran is building nuclear capacity that could be used against us in any way, including selling some of the nuclear capacity to some other terrorist group, then yes we have a right [to attack]. I would do it in a heartbeat. "
We don't need four more years of Bush-Cheney foreign policy in the White House. No matter your party, it's time to stop scaring Americans with doomsday scenarios — and start talking about the positive steps our country can take to ensure a peaceful world community.
Stand up for policy based on facts, not hysteria fueled by fear:
http://www.democrats.org/HopeNotFear
President Bush used faulty intelligence and fear-mongering to enter Iraq. Now he's been caught using faulty intelligence and fear-mongering to engage Iran.
He's not going to get away with it. Don't let any one of our nation's presidential candidates get away with it either.
Sincerely,
Howard Dean