There has been alot of buzz across the Internet the last couple of days about the swelling opposition in Congress to the Iran nuclear deal. Right-wing Republicans and Democrats have joined up for a strong effort to kill any deal with Iran by unilaterally increasing already painful sanctions. Israel wants Iran taken down. Below is an excellent take on the issue by Kevin Zeese who helps run PopularResistance.org
It seems like right now there is not a lot of likelihood [Senate leader] Harry Reid will let any vote come to the floor. It is definitely a destructive bill that pushes the US in the wrong direction and we should keep a list of those who have supported Iran sanctions at this key moment. So, it is good to have the list.
Is it the right time for protest? Depends where and what purposes. It would be good to draw attention to the 58 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) senators and protest them, perhaps in their home states as war mongers when the rest of the US doesn't want war. They should receive some bad politics for their actions. People should know their senator puts Israel before US interests.
As to DC, not sure -- Reid is seeming pretty strongly opposed to moving forward and a bunch of Dem senators who are chairs of key committees have told him do not bring this to a vote. Robert Naiman tells Real News: "Ten Senate Democratic committee chairs, led by Dianne Feinstein, who's head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Carl Levin, who's head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, ten Senate Democrats sent a letter to majority leader Reid saying, do not bring this bill to a vote, we oppose this bill, please let us know of any plans to bring this bill to a vote, 'cause we oppose bringing this bill to a vote."
This may be where it ends. AIPAC gets its symbolic show of strength without pushing to far into what would have become a crisis for them if they actually succeeded.
There is more of an update, just posted here
By the way, the fact that people like Feinstein and Levin, loyal AIPACers, are playing the role of blocking the vote, makes this all look very orchestrated to me. A show of force by AIPAC but if they blocked Obama on Iran AIPAC/Israel would lose major support in the US. They can't carry out their threat without a lot of political cost.
Kevin Zeese
Baltimore, MD
Then, just to make this a bit more interesting, I'd like to add some words on this by Tarak Kauff from Woodstock, NY. Tarak is a leader of Veterans for Peace and often in the street.
Kevin's analysis is always astute. Thanks Kevin. However, I am still thinking that a demonstration (banner drops, office occupation, outside demo) in DC at the Hart, where the 3 Senators who proposed the bill offices are would be appropriate.
Even if this is a symbolic show of strength for AIPAC and the bill would not come to the floor, orchestrated, as Kevin suspects, or not, it presents an opportunity to publicly denounce and expose AIPAC, Shumer, Menendez, and the rest who play AIPACs deadly game. And their intentions are always deadly. Since they brought this up, my feeling, if we can get enough support for the action, is to proceed as if this is a real move towards war - which in any respect, long term or short term, it is.
AIPAC and their congressional lackeys should be slammed every time they open their mouth - and this time they have put their foot in it but good. What with some key Dems opposing this, it is, I think, perhaps a great opportunity for us to further weaken and divide the pillars.
Tarak Kauff
Board of Directors
Veterans for Peace
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