[haw-info] HAW Notes 10/27/14: 38 Organizations Support Diplomacy with Iran

Historians Against the War was among 38 organizations signing-on to the following letter to Congress on October 23, opposing efforts by some members of Congress to effectively sabotage peaceful negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.

 

Dear United States Senators and Members of the House of Representatives: 

 

We are organizations representing millions of Americans advocating in support of diplomacy to secure an agreement which ensures that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. We write to express deep concern with inaccurate and counterproductive rhetoric from a handful of Members of Congress regarding possible outcomes of the current negotiations.

 

Particularly irresponsible are threats to oppose any comprehensive agreement limiting Iran's nuclear program that initially suspends US sanctions on Iran through lawful executive action. Congress' authorization of the President's power to suspend and re-impose US sanctions on Iran is clear and unmistakable in each piece of legislation it has passed on the subject. Use of these provisions by the President to implement the initial phase of an agreement that ensures Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon would reflect an affirmation, not a subversion, of Congress' will.

 

Suspending select sanctions on Iran – in the manner authorized by Congress – in the early stages of implementing such an agreement would allow the administration to immediately snap these measures back into place in the event of non-compliance by Iran. We agree with the administration's view that, beyond the essential consultation role played by Congress throughout the present negotiations, it will ultimately fall to Congress to authorize any permanent sanctions relief under an agreement. This is the best arrangement for the United States to uphold its terms under an agreement while ensuring that permanent sanctions relief is conditioned on Iran's compliance with its own obligations.

 

Separately, we are disappointed to hear some Members of Congress also threaten to oppose any agreement that does not completely "eliminate" or "dismantle" Iran's uranium enrichment infrastructure. It is troubling that these members would fail to support a workable agreement which verifiably ensures that Iran would not be able to quickly amass material for nuclear weapons and would ensure that any such effort would be promptly detected and disrupted by the United States and the international community. A naïve insistence on complete Iranian capitulation on enrichment will likely lead to the fracturing of the international sanctions regime, an unrestricted and unmonitored Iranian nuclear program, and yet another war in the Middle East.

 

We look forward to remaining in touch on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Americans for Peace Now

Arms Control Association

Brave New Films

Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Center for International Policy

Church of the Brethren, Office of Public Witness

CODEPINK

Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Council for a Livable World

CREDO

Daily Kos

Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Global Exchange

Historians Against the War

Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project

International Civil Society Action Network

J Street

Just Foreign Policy

MoveOn.org

National Council of Churches

National Iranian American Council

National Security Network

Peace Action

Peace Action West

Physicians for Social Responsibility

Progressive Democrats of America

Roots Action

Tikkun Magazine's Interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives

United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

United for Peace and Justice

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

USAction

U.S. Labor Against the War

Vet Voice Foundation

VoteVets

Win Without War

Women's Action for New Directions