Peace,
Letters from and about Rep. Nita Lowey
who represents Hudson Valley, New Yorkshire
from Rep. Nita Lowey to an Ossining residentApril 27, 2006 Dear ____: Thank you for contacting me to express your views about U.S. policy toward Iran. I appreciate the benefit of your view on this issue of importance to our country, and welcome the opportunity to respond. I believe the U.S. must continue to pursue all possible diplomatic avenues to pressure Iran to cease its nuclear program. Under its current leadership, Iran is a threat - to the U.S., to the Middle East region, and to global stability. Working with the community of nations, the U.S. must ensure that the current negotiations do not leave the door open for Iran to acquire nuclear capability. One negotiator described the effort to delineate between nuclear energy and weapons capability as "drawing a line in water." The U.N. Security Council has referred the issue of Iran's nuclear program to the International Atomic Energy Association, or the IAEA. The IAEA is expected to report later this month on whether Iran is complying with UN demands that it halt uranium enrichment. I think it is clear that this report will confirm what we already strongly suspect. In the wake of this expected report, the U.S. must lead the charge in the Security Council to ensure Iran does not achieve the nuclear capability it seeks. As we saw at the recent Security Council deputy foreign ministers meeting in Moscow, as well as during the President's meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao, it will not be easy to marshal the support of the Security Council behind meaningful diplomatic action against Iran. Russia and China may enjoy a robust trade with Iran, but they must understand that their security will be directly threatened if Iran gains membership in the club of nuclear powers. Pursuing a military option against Iran would not be prudent. President Bush's refusal to specifically rule out the use of nuclear weapons undermines global nonproliferation efforts and runs counter to the leadership position the U.S. should take in these efforts. The U.S. should pursue sustained, multilateral diplomatic pressure under the auspices of the U.N. in order to persuade Iran to disband its nuclear program. We should also engage moderate elements among the Iranian people, three-quarters of whom are under the age of 30. We have a unique opportunity to combat extremist Iranian propaganda, especially among this youthful population, many of whom have been pro-American. I am pleased that the emergency spending bill currently under consideration in Congress includes funds to increase U.S. public diplomacy in Iran, facilitate student exchanges between Iranians and Americans, enhance independent radio broadcasts to Iran, and support pro-democracy elements within that country. I will continue to work to encourage a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis as well as more robust non-proliferation efforts around the world - key elements of U.S. national security and global stability. Thank you again for sharing your views with me. If you would like to receive my regular e-newsletter, please call my office or go to www.house.gov./lowey, and please feel free to contact me again if I can be of any assistance in the future. Sincerely, |
from a reader to the Ossining residentApril 29, 2006 Dear ____: Thank you for contacting us to relay Rep. Nita Lowey's views about Iranian policy toward the U.S. I appreciate the benefit of her view on this issue of importance to other countries, and welcome the opportunity to respond. I believe Iran must pursue all possible diplomatic avenues to pressure the U.S. to cease its nuclear program. Under its current dearth of leadership, the U.S. is a threat - to Iran, to the Middle East region, and to global stability. Working with the community of nations, Iran must ensure that negotiations do not leave the door open for the U.S. to maintain nuclear capability. The U.N. Security Council has yet to refer the issue of the U.S.'s nuclear program to the International Atomic Energy Association, or the IAEA. The IAEA is never expected to report on whether the U.S. is complying with demands that it halt nuclear development. If it ever saw the light of day, I think it is clear that a report would confirm, if not exceed, our worst fears. In the absence of such a report, Iran must lead the charge in the Islamic realm to ensure the U.S. does not achieve the nuclear monopoly it seeks. As we saw in the Gulf War, as well as during the Iranian President's meetings with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, it will not be easy to marshal the support of the Islamic realm behind behind meaningful diplomatic action against the U.S. Nor will it be easy to marshal the support of the Security Council behind meaningful diplomatic action against the U.S., one of only five members with veto power. Japan and Germany may enjoy a robust trade with the U.S., but they must understand by now that their security will be directly threatened if the U.S. flaunts its membership in the arrogant club of nuclear powers. Pretender George WMD Bush's refusal to specifically rule out the use of nuclear weapons undermines global nonproliferation efforts and runs counter to the nurturing position the U.S. should take in these efforts. Iran should pursue sustained, multilateral diplomatic pressure in order to persuade the U.S. to disband its nuclear program. Iranians should also engage moderate elements among the American people, three-quarters of whom are under the age of 50. We have a unique opportunity to combat extremist American propaganda, especially among this youthful population, many of whom have been unwilling to face death in a country they cannot locate on a map. I am dismayed that the emergency spending bill currently under consideration in Congress borrows more funds, increasing Chinese totalitarian influence in the U.S. Instead, let's facilitate student exchanges between Americans and Iranians (following the example set by flight schools), enhance independent radio broadcasts to and within the U.S., and support pro-democracy elements within this country (instead of the monarchist element that forced its views on Iran, precipitating the Islamic revolution). I have nearly given up trying to find a solution to the American nuclear crisis - a key element of Iranian national security, global stability, and the continuance of life on earth. Thank you again for sharing Rep. Lowey's views with me. If you would like to peruse my website, please go to <http://www.rev.net/~aloe/peace>, and please feel free to contact me again if I can parody the hypocrisy that angers societies whose material and cultural progress has been tragically and repeatedly delayed by U.S. imperialism. Peace, Ward Cleaver
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