US Mayors Step Into Iran Fray Calling for Diplomacy, Not War

US Mayors Step Into Iran Fray Calling for Diplomacy, Not War
by Medea Benjamin


Tensions around Iran have been heating up with President Bush’s recent trip to Europe urging stronger sanctions and reports of major Israeli military exercises in June designed to prepare for a potential strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. UN atomic watchdog chief Mohamed El Baradei, concerned about the belligerent direction, warned on June 21 that an attack on Iran would “transform the Middle East region into a ball of fire.”

U. S. mayors, feeling the disastrous effects of the war in Iraq on their city budgets and local military families, are speaking out to try to stop another disastrous war. Thanks to a grassroots campaign initiated by CODEPINK, Global Exchange and Cities for Peace, a group of mayors have signed on to a National Mayors Resolution for Diplomacy with Iran. So far, 32 mayors from Alexandria, VA to Wilmington, DE have signed on. The resolution urges the Bush Administration to pursue diplomatic engagement with Iran and calls on Congress to prohibit the use of funds to carry out any military action against Iran without Congressional authorization.

The resolution’s initial sponsor was Mayor Bob Kiss of Burlington, Vermont. “Cities across the US are already paying a high price for war with thousands of servicemen and women killed and wounded and other resources diverted away from important national priorities like infrastructure, education, housing and human needs,” said Mayor Kiss. “Our experience in Iraq makes it even more critical to pursue diplomacy with Iran — talks anytime, anywhere.”

Mayor Scott Brook of Coral Springs, FL agrees. “In Iraq we’re spending $10 billion a month while people here are losing their homes and can’t get jobs. Where are our priorities? We can’t afford more interventions.”

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http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/06/26/9895/

Everyone should be stepping up against this insane Administration before its to late.