George (Orwell) Bush was at his double-speak worst at the White House yesterday following the revelation that his accusations about an Iranian nuclear weapons program turn out to be as accurate as his accusations about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction.
What was the lesson the president drew from the new National Intelligence Estimate that Iran does not and has not had a weapons program since 2003? It is a "warning signal" according to the president. It means that Iran is "dangerous" and a "threat to peace."
In other words, before the release of the new NIE, Bush -- and his neocon allies -- wanted to attack Iran. After the release of the new NIE Bush -- and his neocon allies -- want to attack Iran. But hey, when have facts ever gotten in the way of this administration?
The White House needs to shut up with its threats and saber rattling and start talking with Iran. Threats empower the hawks in Tehran with Bush's favorite weapon -- fear -- while marginalizing those who argue for negotiations and compromise. Negotiations get results. Just ask the Europeans. According to the new NIE, Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in the fall of 2003. This is precisely when Iran and European negotiators began to talk.
The White House is not alone in it's shameful record on Iran. Congress, apparently not learning the lesson of the Iraq war, continues to enable a dangerous and out of touch Bush administration. It needs to stop now.
Congress should be ashamed of itself. It needs to reverse its dreadful record on Iran and demand that the Bush administration immediately enter into talks with Iran, minus the Bush pre-conditions, and cease and desist its dangerous saber rattling.
Congressional Democrats who voted against the DeFazio amendment to the House Defense Authorization bill -- prohibiting a military strike against Iran without Congressional authorization -- should be held accountable and urged to support an even stronger measure immediately. (The roll call on the defeat of the DeFazio amendment is available on this web site.) Those in the Senate who voted for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, adding fuel to the Bush provocations in what Senator Jim Webb described as "tantamount to a declaration of war," should also be held accountable.
Congress needs to hear from us now. A quick way to begin is to punch the "Take Action" button on the home page of the www.standupcongress.org web site. It will link you with your representatives in the House and Senate. And, it will start to link them up with a new direction for U.S. policy with Iran.
It's time.