More than 3 dozen organizations to try to head off American attack on Iran

[babylonsister]

Group Forms To Head Off War on Iran
Representatives of Left and Right Seek To Push America Into Talks With Tehran

By JOSH GERSTEIN, Staff Reporter of the Sun
June 10, 2008


An unusual coalition of interest groups from left and right is launching a drive today to head off an American military attack on Iran by pushing America into high-level negotiations with Tehran.

The Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran, which bills itself as "transpartisan," consists of more than three dozen organizations, most of them left-leaning, such as the American Friends Service Committee, the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Open Society Policy Center, which is backed by George Soros.

However, the campaign also has the backing of a smattering of right-of-center groups, including the American Conservative Defense Alliance, the Libertarian Party, and the American Cause, which is headed by Patrick Buchanan.

"The current rumor here in Washington is that Bush will attack after the November elections so it won't hurt the Republican nominee politically. Many around him say he feels he has to do something before he leaves office," a campaign organizer, Carah Ong of the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, said. "Part of this is to raise the fact that a military attack is likely and it needs to be prevented."

The campaign to push for direct talks with Iran's mullahs is kicking off with a press conference this morning on Capitol Hill expected to feature the Libertarian nominee for president, Robert Barr, as well as several members of Congress, including Reps. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Barbara Lee of California, both Democrats, and Rep. Ron Paul, who mounted a bid for this year's Republican presidential nomination. Brandishing red telephones supposed to symbolize a hotline to Tehran, the group will urge supporters to call Congress and press for talks.

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http://www.nysun.com/national/group-forms-to-head-off-war-on-iran/79667/

[ellacott]

1. I wonder how much press this will receive n/t

[LiberalFighter]

2. Considering that this may be planned just before Bush leaves office

can he be arrested when his term ends?

[babylonsister]

3. I don't know; can he pardon himself? Are there any current rules

that protect him from prosecution? Did the Military Commissions Act protect him? Good question.