Today, George W. Bush is one of the most
dangerous men in the world. With an Iraq
policy in collapse, escalating the mistakes
that led to failure, and catastrophic loss
of public support he is considering another
preemptive war, against Iran.
For Democratic leaders to agree to a sham
bipartisan group sends a radically dangerous
signal to Bush and Cheney. They will conclude
rightly or wrongly, that Congress lacks the will
to resist whatever moves he makes.
Today there is a perception management
campaign underway, similar to the pre-war
campaign about WMD in Iraq, designed to
condition the public and Congress to accept
action against Iran.
Since the election the President has shown
contempt for any semblance of biparisanship;
contempt for what the voters sought in the
election; contempt for the military judgment
of commanders he ignored; contempt for
Democrats and Republicans in Congress;
contempt for the bipartisan good faith of the Baker Hamilton Group; and
contempt for the
very idea of diplomacy.
Meanwhile the gunboats have been sent to
threaten Iran; the selective and deceptive
leaks have begun; and the totality of policy
is escalation in Iraq and war threats against
Iran. This is disastrous policy, and attacking
Iran could set off a great conflagration across
the Middle East that would inflame regional
religious war and even graver threats to our
troops in Iraq.
Today, American troops are not only in the
middle of a civil war, they are under attack
from both Sunni and Shi'ite forces, armed
and funded not only from Shi'ite Iran but
from wealthy Sunnis in nations the President
calls out friends, including wealthy Saudis.
Regarding Iran, there is a clear alternative:
redeploying American troops out of Bagdhad
to the protect the border with Iran, while
opening negotiations as Baker Hamilton
and most Congressional leaders in both
parties support.
1. It is a dangerous mistake for Democrats
to give any pretense of bipartisanship to a
policy rooted in the extremism of escalating
Iraq on one hand, threatening Iran on the
other, while rejecting all diplomacy.
2. Democrats should preferably withdraw
from this "bipartisan" group. If they must
proceed they should name Murtha, Kennedy
and Feingold as part of any group.
3. Democrats should reiterate that any attack
on Iran without prior authorization by Congress
would be a violation of the Constitution and the
war powers law and would therefore be illegal.
Such an attack would be catastrophic disaster
and would open a serious national debate
about high crimes and misdemeanors and
the right and honorable thing is to make this
clear today.