If you’re concerned that Iran’s leaders seek martyrdom through nuclear war, then you’ll want to read what follows.
The hardwired letter for that campaign reads: “I oppose conflict with Iran.”
Here’s what I added to that (you can copy from it if you want):
I want you to treat Iran the same way we treated the Soviet Union — with deterrence, NOT aggression.
Many in Congress object that this cannot be done because Iran’s leaders are suicidal, religious nuts who seek mass martyrdom through nuclear war. But this idea is the functional equivalent of Iraq’s mythical weapons of mass destruction. Those weapons didn’t exist, and neither does this supposed Iranian lust for martyrdom.
Iran’s leaders are evil, but they are NOT suicidal.
Please heed what Meir Dagan said on “60 Minutes.” He was the head of Israel’s intelligence agency. He says Iran’s leaders are rational. They believe bad things, but they are NOT crazy or suicidal. If you missed the interview please watch it: http://bit.ly/zMJ3LE
The evidence for the “suicidal Iran” idea is simply non-existent. But this hasn’t stopped war-mongers from trying to invent evidence, just like they did with Iraq. “The Economist” looked at this supposed evidence and found it to be fabricated. You can read about that here: http://econ.st/vuK6ZM
Iran’s leaders have long claimed that they don’t want nuclear weapons. Perhaps they’re actually telling the truth. Remember, Saddam Hussein said he had dismantled his weapons of mass destruction, and that turned out to be true. Sometimes evil people do tell the truth. Think about the incentives involved . . .
Iran’s leaders know that if they build a bomb so will their Sunni neighbors, and they don’t want that. So why would they want a bomb?
Iran’s main incentive for MAYBE wanting a bomb is to prevent regime change by the United States. After all, we overthrew the democratic government in Iran in 1953 and installed a dictator there. We also changed governments in the two nations that border Iran — Afghanistan and Iraq. We also have soldiers posted on both of Iran’s borders. No wonder they’re paranoid! So let’s do the following . . .
Bring home our troops from the Middle East. All of them! Then, renounce the policy of regime change in Iran. Leave that to the Iranian people. Remember, the Iranian people made it very clear during the recent revolts there that they DO NOT WANT OUR HELP. Pay attention to this. I mean REALLY pay attention to it by doing the following . . .
Lift all trade sanctions with Iran. Do this unilaterally without any concessions from the Iranian government. Do this in order to support the Iranian people, to lessen the paranoia of Iran’s leaders, and even to lower gasoline prices here at home. Sanctions don’t work. Their history is that they usually entrench dictators in power while only harming the people they are supposed to help. Pay attention to this record of failure.
Most of all, quit making enemies for the American people. I know that the Military-Industrial Complex wants to justify the money it loots from my wallet, but I no longer trust the hysterical claims of danger. There have been too many lies and disasters. I do NOT trust my leaders to be honest. You must work to regain my trust. In the meantime . . .
I withdraw my consent to be governed under the current policies. Change the policies. I want no conflict of ANY KIND with Iran.
END LETTER
You can send your own letter on this subject using DownsizeDC.org’s Educate the Powerful System: https://secure.downsizedc.org/etp/iran-non-intervention/
Perry Willis
Vice President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.