Check for web archive captures
Keep the Door to Dialogue Open With Iran. [Our Iran
Project leaflet about US Iran Policy]
By mickielynn on 2009-08-02 08:35:38
To compliment Maud's previous blog post about why she planned to vigil on Friday, July 31st~~ I thought that I'd post the
leaflet that we planned to distribute that day. The good news was that we had a "baker's dozen" of demonstrators and some
large, rain hardy cloth banners that we were able to display for passersby near the State Capitol, during lunch hour. More
good news was the positive response to our message from drivers, vendors and a few hardy pedestrians. The bad news was
that it was much too wet and rainy to leaflet. So we'll be handing out our leaflets in a couple of weeks as part of another
regular weekly demonstration at the Capitol. Here's the leaflet for your information and comments: The Iran Project of
Women Against War is here today inviting you to join us in asking for an end to current US covert actions within Iran, an end
to the demonization of Iran, and an end to sanctions and threats of military attacks against Iran. This is where our power as
US citizens can bring about positive change. We fully support the /ranian people in their continuing, courageous struggle to
bring about more freedoms and rights to public expression without fear of arrest or violent reprisals. It's a hopeful sign that
post-election protests have expanded to include public opposition to repressive policies of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei's regime. Ongoing developments include the release of opposition prisoners and calls for change by some leading
religious rulers within the Iranian government. US interference in this process of change within Iran can only lead to greater
repression. For many years leading Iranian human rights activists, feminists, and trade unionists [people like Nobel prize
winning human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi and union leader Akbar Ganji] have consistently opposed US bullying, sanctions
and threats of war.
Keep the Door to Dialogue Open With Iran.
Mid July statements by President Barack Obama and Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki indicate that talks with
Iran over its nuclear program, with the goal of obtaining a serious agreement with the Iranians, will continue. Because of the
post-election protests and repression in Iran, the talks will probably take place in a multilateral forum including permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council, and Germany (P5+Germany), rather than in a new U.S.-Iran forum.
What We Are Calling For:
1. Encourage President Obama to continue a restrained response to the Iran protests, to avoid giving the Iranian
government an excuse to rally nationalist support by blaming "foreign influences" for the homegrown and courageous
actions of the Iranian democracy movement. 2. Stand fast against pressure from Israel, AIPAC, and some hawks in the
US Congress to end US diplomatic overtures to Iran and increase sanctions. [Sanctions are actually an act of war and
usually cause the people with the least power and the fewest resources--women, children, the poor and the elderly--to suffer
the most.] 3. Strongly oppose US funded and supported Israeli airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, or any
other targets within Iran. A US funded Israeli attack would immediately unleash a wider war. It would have catastrophic
results for the whole Middle East and the Iranian people. It would add to the damage already done to the people of Iraq,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Palestine. 4. Support an Incidents At Sea Protocol with Iran as a step to ease tensions and
prevent war. Such an agreement could prevent an accidental war and would be a good first step toward bilateral
engagement. Urge your representative (Paul Tonko, 21*' district, or Scott Murphy, 20th district) to sponsor the Incidents at
Sea resolution H.Con.Res. 94. You can reach them at their home offices during the August 2009 recess. More Information:
Myths and Truths about Iran
