Archive for June, 2008

Ackerman, Pence Deny Calling for Iran Blockade

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

The plot thickens. Politico’s John Bresnahan reports that:
Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.) have issued a letter today stating that a non-binding resolution they offered on Iran does not call for a military action against that country…
…While the resolution (I repeat, non-binding) also includes a specific denial that it authorizes use of […]

Parsi: Israel would benefit from U.S. accommodation with Iran

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Here is a bit of sanity and reason from Trita Parsi. It has been excerpted here and there, but the only way to do it justice is to cut and paste the entire piece from Foreign Policy.
As I’ve noted before, there are perhaps 50 people in the world who have a sufficiently detailed […]

Yes, a blockade of Iran is an act of war

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

I take it back. Sorry, MJ. I blew that last one. What has possessed me to search for moderation like a thirsty man in a desert?
First of all, the original title of the previous post referred to a “boycott,” not a “blockade.” The latter, when enforced, is an act of war. The […]

Is a blockade of Iran an “act of war?”

Sunday, June 22nd, 2008

MJ Rosenberg, just alerted me to his latest post in TPM Cafe. The headline:”169 House Members (77 Dems) Push For WAR NOW with Iran.”
Alarming. But is it alarmist?
MJ, an American hero (I mean that!), is concerned about House Resolution 362 and S. Res. 580. I described the House bill in my previous post, as […]

Newsflash: AIPAC (probably) isn’t pushing for an attack on Iran

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

I have read even more drivel than usual about AIPAC in the blogosphere these days, and thought I would explain a few things to those who have never attended an AIPAC Policy Conference.
First of all, AIPAC does not appear to be trying to prod the U.S. to bomb Iran. If it is, I have not […]

Obama, AIPAC and why we need a Middle East peace lobby

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

Barack Obama had 7,000+ American Jews and non-Jewish friends of Israel eating out of his hand at the AIPAC Policy Conference yesterday morning. There was no political reason for him to disappoint Palestinians, the Arab world and the pro-Israel left by stating his commitment to an “undivided” Jerusalem. I have the highest hopes for […]