2008::A Referendum on Iran

Whether you realize it yet or not, the 2008 Presidential election will be a referendum on Iran.  It is now perfectly clear that President Bush is planning to attack Iran before he leaves office.  Their plans have been in the works for several years – the US public got wind of it back in 2005.  There was a piece in the New Yorker in the spring of 2006, and anyone who watches Fox knows that they are drumming the beat for war with Iran loudly.  A recent Esquire article interviewing former state department officials about our impending war with Iran backs up all these reports and how it could have been averted.

Unless the generals refuse orders to attack Iran (which is a good possibility if you believe a Feb 2007 Times of London story), Bush will most likely attack Iran before the presidential elections in the fall of 2008.  This will directly impact the 2008 elections.

The Republican candidates are already aware that this is the issue that will decide the 2008 election and they are all talking tough and lining up behind it.  It is only the Democrats who seem oblivious to the impending doom.  

A war with Iran would be devastating to the US and to the world.  Not only do we no longer have the military capacity to handle 3 major fronts simultaneously (Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran), but also Iran could and should be one of our allies on the war on terror.  Attacking Iran would most likely set back potential reforms in the Arab and Persian lands for decades.  In short, an attack on Iran would be disastrous.

Since it is clear now that Bush is planning to attack Iran regardless of what anyone else thinks and in advance of the 2008 elections, and since this would override any hope of progress for years, we the people need to start making sure our elected officials and those running for office understand that this is the most important public policy issue of our time.  Additionally, we should not allow them to skirt this issue by believing Bush’s rhetoric that they are pursuing diplomatic measures, because they aren’t, that is just another lie.

At the moment, with a few notable exceptions, the Democrats appear to be asleep at the wheel.  But if we speak loudly enough to them and with enough frequency, we can hopefully get their attention before it is too late. 

As for the aspiring democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton is the only one that doesn’t yet seem to understand what is at stake here.  As proof of her complicity with the Bush administration, she recently voted to give Bush approval to take one more step closer to war with Iran.  That alone is reason enough to disqualify her as a serious candidate.

Now is the time to mobilize to stop this new war from even starting.  For more information go to: visit this site.