Kucinich Sends Letter Demands Answers From Admin About US Troops in Iran

[ElsewheresDaughter]

Washington, Apr 14 -



Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), Ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, sent the following letter to President George W. Bush today about the presence of US troops in Iran:



Dear President Bush:

Recently, it has been reported that U.S. troops are conducting military operations in Iran. If true, it appears that you have already made the decision to commit U.S. military forces to a unilateral conflict with Iran, even before direct or indirect negotiations with the government of Iran had been attempted, without UN support and without authorization from the U.S. Congress.

The presence of U.S. troops in Iran constitutes a hostile act against that country. At a time when diplomacy is urgently needed, it escalates an international crisis. It undermines any attempt to negotiate with the government of Iran. And it will undermine U.S. diplomatic efforts at the U.N.

Furthermore, it places U.S. troops occupying neighboring Iraq in greater danger. The achievement of stability and a transition to Iraqi security control will be compromised, reversing any progress that has been cited by the Administration.

It would be hard to believe that such an imprudent decision had been taken, but for the number and variety of sources confirming it. In the last week, the national media have reported that you have in fact commenced a military operation in Iran. Today, retired Air Force Col. Sam Gardiner related on CNN that the Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA, Aliasghar Soltaniyeh, reported to him that the Iranians have captured dissident forces who have confessed to working with U.S. troops in Iran. Earlier in the week, Seymour Hersh reported that a U.S. source had told him that U.S. marines were operating in the Baluchi, Azeri and Kurdish regions of Iran.

Any military deployment to Iran would constitute an urgent matter of national significance. I urge you to report immediately to Congress on all activities involving American forces in Iran. I look forward to a prompt response.


Sincerely,
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress

[rodeodance]

1. OPEN the letter Mr. President.

[goodhue]

2. Go, Dennis, Go!

[The Traveler]

3. I **really** like this guy

Dennis is a damn fine man.

[magellan]

4. The crickets will continue chirping

But Kucinich is right to demand answers. It's a sin that all of Congress isn't asking the same question of Bush**.

[IndianaGreen]

5. K&R

The reason the crickets are chirping is because many people are still afraid of confronting Bush head on, much as many Germans were fearful of confronting Hitler until it was too late.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Nice try . ain't gonna happen

Way to go, Dennis. Of course they (we) are over there. Of course there is a ruckus and inpending doom. What else? We are talking about George. He knows no other stance. Get a grip, Dennis. This guy is insanity on the march and has a whole field behind him. Nice try, though. Not enough.

[rpannier]

7. Silly Silly Dennis

When will you ever learn. You are but a lowly member of Congress. While the omnipotent, lordly, god-like Emperor George Bush is akin to a God. Why his Lordship helped the non-George God create the world, that's why he's so well versed in Biblical scripture. It was George-God that created Man, the stars and the planets. The non-George God just got George-God coffee and a bagel when George-God needed something to munch on while creating the animals and man.
To question the Almighty George-God, or worse to demand something of HIM is blasphemy. Dennis, you should feel fortunate that Dick C, Jerry F, Pat R and James D are not preparing to heave stones at you in the village square for such a transgression. (Come to think of it...After watching Cheney throw out the first pitch, I'd want him throwing the rocks at me. I'd have a better chance of NOT getting hit)

[0007]

10. Very good!

[msgadget]

8. Thanks, Daughter

First I've read of this letter.

[OzarkDem]

9. He wouldn't be saying this

if he didn't think there was a good reason to make it an issue. Thanks, Den.

[welshTerrier2]

11. the cheese stands alone?????

somehow, some in the party, have come to see the raising of issues like this as "left wing" ... they say "well, yeah, Kucinich" as if it's fine for whacky old Dennis to do things like this but it's somehow unseemingly or politically unwise for mature, responsible Democrats to be in the President's face to this degree ...

there's an unstated, sometimes actually stated, undertone that it's fine for the "radical left" to be questioning bush and demanding accountability but if we want to WIN, we can't appear too partisan and we certainly can't seem like the old McGovernites who are afraid to mix it up a little with those good old boys in Iran ... I mean, if we're going to be responsible and mature and, ya know, pragmatic, we shouldn't be going around shooting off our mouths like a bunch of anti-war left-wing radicals ...

doesn't Kucinich even read our memos??? i mean, is this the kind of IMAGE he thinks the Party should be portraying? sheeeeeeesh ...

where are the rest of the Democrats on this? Kerry issues a reasonable withdrawal plan to get the country out of the quagmire in Iraq and nobody says nothin ... two or three big name Dems out of the entire Party stand up to support him ... and to you Kerry supporters out there, what exactly has or will Senator Kerry have to say about Kucinich's excellent letter?? this is exactly what Congressional oversight should be all about ...

I hope you'll stand with Kucinich on this and decry the absence of support from other Democrats ... we need to be doing everything we possibly can to pre-empt bush's claim that he has the Constitutional authorization and the approval from the Congress to wage war in Iran ... he absolutely does NOT !!!

Kudos to Kucinich for telling it like is ...