Are Progressive Caucus Leaders Pushing Toward War?

The entire 11-member leadership of the U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus1 has voted in favor of a House resolution2 that calls for isolation of Russia, urges the shipment of military weapons to the Ukrainian government, and encourages the United States and NATO to step up preparations for military confrontation with Russia.3
 
Missing from the Congressional resolution is the background of NATO expansion eastward to Russia's border in violation of the promise the United States made to Russia in 1989,4 as well as the U.S. support for a coup government in Ukraine and the attacks of that government's militias on ethnic Russians.
 
H. Res 758 denounces Russia for purchasing weapons, arming dictatorships, and allegedly invading sovereign nations -- all actions in which the United States routinely engages.
 
The resolution calls on President Obama "to provide the Government of Ukraine with lethal and non-lethal defense articles, services, and training," and demands that NATO prepare for war in defense of Ukraine as a NATO member. Ukraine is not a NATO member, but NATO is pushing hard for its inclusion.

We reject House Resolution 758's step toward war, and encourage Congress members to base their policy toward Russia on facts and diplomacy.


1-25 of 11224 signatures
Number Date Name Location Please add your comment if ...
11224 3.2 years ago Anonymous Arlington , TX
11223 3.3 years ago Elizabeth Zimmer-Lloyd Port Huron, MI Please let's use diplomacy to find solutions, instead of war. The pen is still mightier than the sword. Enough of our young have died, money been wasted, and whole regions of the earth have been des...
11222 3.3 years ago Kay Cumbow Brown City, MI War is not an answer. We need to learn to live together. War is only about might makes right and destroys our young people, destroys our shared environment, and destroys any morals and ethics that p...
11221 4.7 years ago Lester Kober Quinton, NJ Warmongering sociopaths, that's what you are! You scum are more evil than the PNAC mob. Obama is the most hypocritical president ever! And HRC will make him look like a choir boy. I hope some forc...
11220 5.1 years ago jeff hopkins Lindenhurst, IL
11219 5.1 years ago Leslie Dee Savage, MN
11218 5.3 years ago Jeanne Mackay Marysville, MI
11217 5.4 years ago debbie leightpm West bath, ME It is late and dangerous why not try diplomacy if it worked with Iran. how about Russia and Ukrain and US think outside the Nato Box
11216 5.7 years ago Anonymous Los Angeles, CA
11215 5.8 years ago Bruce Cook Sarasota, FL
11214 5.8 years ago peter leeftink zwolle, ot
11213 6 years ago Martin Kornbluh Port Washington, NY
11212 6 years ago Leland Wilson LaVerne, CA
11211 6 years ago Leland Wilson LaVerne, CA
11210 6.1 years ago Paul Grohman Yonkers, NY
11209 6.1 years ago Evalyn Segal Walnut Creek, CA Don't promote war!
11208 6.1 years ago Michael Monroe Brookline, MA
11207 6.2 years ago Elizabeth Cunningham Phileadelphia, PA
11206 6.2 years ago Joey Stevenson Leitchfield, KY
11205 6.2 years ago Susan Osada Buffalo Grove, IL
11204 6.2 years ago Margaret S. Maurin Bryn Mawr, PA
11203 6.2 years ago Joyce Dos Santos Prospect, CT
11202 6.2 years ago Haj Ross Denton, Texas, TX
11201 6.3 years ago Eileen Tisdale Palm Coast, FL
11200 6.3 years ago Dave Wiig Morris, CT As a constituent I want to make sure you are aware of my position: the last thing the United States or the world needs is yet another war. You're in the middle of debating whether to "authorize" som
In the case of Iran, a war or even escalating conflict is a grave mistake. We made a similar mistake with Syria. Rather than support the opposition to Assad, we should have stay neutral or went along with Russia’s support of Assad. Opening the gates to disorder in Syria gave a new more radical splinter group footing, which appears to be ever expanding today. This is of course ISIS, ISIL, IS.

Unfortunately, we have learned from the uprisings and wars in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Near East is that it spawns radicalism. The Russian occupation of Afghanistan spawned the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden’s radicalism. The war in Iraq spawned a radical Sunni uprising that was smothered by a constructive engagement of the tribes in the region. Though, the seeds of this radicalism were not destroyed and with the Syrian civil war and the disaffected Sunni’s in Iraq joined forces, we now have ISIS/ISIL/IS, whatever your politics spurs you to call this group.

If we have resolved that ISIS/ISIL/IS is our enemy, why continue our obstinate opposition to Iran? Iran is opposed to ISIS/ISIL/IS as they are Shiite Muslim and ISIS/ISIL/IS are Sunni Muslim. Therefore, we are allies in this fight and to prevent putting US boots on the ground we should support Iranian efforts against ISIS/ISIL/IS.

Additionally, if we think that we should further disrupting Iran to spawn an uprising, we should think again. Not only did the Syrian civil war help spawn ISIS/ISIL/IS, in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood took power for a while and in Libya we have forces similar to ISIS/ISIL/IS that are taking foot in a country in disarray. Therefore, we need to have constructive engagement with Iran if we are to prevent their dabbling with nuclear power to morph into building a nuclear bomb.

Iran is a reasonably stable government where the powers that be are leaning towards a less radical approach. This is a natural progression as a country starts maturing and has to balance the needs to the people with the desire to maintain power. This is a good and natural progression.

We need to support this or at least a minimum, not disrupt it. As we have found consistently over the past 25 years, foreign intervention in a country or supporting an overthrow of the existing government has only resulted in increased radicalization and “terrorism”. It is time we stop this vicious cycle and either stay out or become constructively engaged with these countries. War is not the answer.

P. S. In the long run, it is actually in Israel’s interest to see constructive engagement with Iran. ISIS/ISIL/IS is an entity that needs to be contained and left to wither and die on the vine. If ISIS/ISIL/IS were to take root any more than it has already, one of its eventual targets would be Israel. Alternatively, its success might awaken a more radical approach to the Palestinian opposition in Israel making Hamas and Hezbollah look like the good guys. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seriously mistaken if he sees Iran in its current form as the number one threat to Israel.'); return false;">...
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Footnotes:
1. Progressive Congressional Caucus Co-Chairs: Keith Ellison, Raúl Grijalva. First Vice Chair: Mark Pocan. Vice Chairs: Matt Cartwright, Judy Chu, David Cicilline, Michael Honda, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Jan Schakowsky, Mark Takano. Whip: Barbara Lee.
2. Roll call of the vote.
3. Text of the House resolution.
4. Foreign Affairs: How the West Broke Its Promise to Moscow