Today’s Downsizer Dispatch . . .
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Quote of the Day:
We’ve featured this quote a lot. We need to do so again . . .
“The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”
~ George Orwell
Subject: Your questions answered
Our readers have been asking questions. Here are some answers . . .
Question: When is Downsize DC going to offer the promised solutions for health care?
Answer: Sorry, urgent votes in Congress, plus a rising tide of concern about Iran has forced us to delay further Dispatches about health care until next week. Meanwhile, we hope some of you watched John Stossel’s excellent 20/20 special on health care last Friday. It highlighted some of the correct solutions. Stossel’s latest column on this subject also has good information.
Question: Where is the “increasing evidence” the Bush administration is planning to attack Iran?
Answer: The evidence comes from a wide variety of news reports available all over the web. For starters, consider this article from the London Telegraph and this article from Time magazine. Even FoxNews agrees. Do a search and you’ll find a lot more.
Question: Can we justify our contention that Iranian public opinion has become less favorable to the Islamic regime and more favorable to the U.S?
Answer: Here is a good summary of Iranian attitudes to the Islamic government. And this article from USA Today highlights the pro-American sentiment immediately after the 9-11 attack, as well as the Iranian government’s opposition to the Taliban.
Question: Where is the evidence that Iran has sought a broad peace settlement with the U.S., including the defunding of Hezbollah, peace with Israel, and help against the Taliban?
Answer: Take a look at this article from the Washington Post and this article from IPS. Also see this column for a good analysis of the potential benefits to be gained by negotiating with Iran in the same way we have North Korea.
Question: What evidence is there that the true power in Iran is the Supreme Leader Mullah Ali Khamenei, and that Iran’s President, Mahmoud Akmadinejad, is just a figurehead?
Answer: This Wikipedia entry (despite some obvious Iranian propaganda insertions) contains a good overview of Iran’s government, and contains the following: “The Supreme Leader of Iran is responsible for delineation and supervision of ‘the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran’. The Supreme Leader is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, controls the military intelligence and security operations; and has sole power to declare war. The heads of the judiciary, state radio and television networks, the commanders of the police and military forces and six of the twelve members of the Council of Guardians are appointed by the Supreme Leader.”
Question: What evidence is there that the U.S. overthrew a democratically elected Iranian government in 1953?
Answer: See this Wikipedia entry, or consult any history book that covers Iran. If you want to understand the cause of the Islamic revolution, the Hostage Crisis, and Iranian anti-Americanism, this coup is the source.
Question: What evidence is there that the U.S. government supported Iraq in its war against Iran?
Answer: This Wikipedia entry provides the details, including U.S. government complicity in the shipment of biological and chemical weapons to Iraq.
Now, we have a couple of questions . . .
Question #1: Given the above evidence, do you think we should bomb Iran? If not, please send a message to Congress asking them to prevent an attack on Iran.
Question #2: Do you like our work? If so, can you help us pay our bills? We’re about $3,500 shy of what we need for the month, and we have no other way to cover our expenses than your financial support. You can contribute here.
Thank you for being a DC Downsizer.
Perry Willis
Communications Director
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.