War Is Not the Answer
Diplomacy, Not Endless Sanctions, 09.02.2012 07:52
Southern Oregon lobbies Senator Merkley to speak out for diplomacy with Iran. The U.S. has levied sanctions against Iran for over thirty years and the people have suffered. It is time for diplomacy. If not now, when?
Southern Oregon Lobbies Senator Merkley to Prevent War with Iran
On January 26, The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) hand-delivered 115 "Diplomacy--Not War--with Iran!" postcards from southern Oregonians to Senator Merkley, in his Washington, D.C. office. These postcards are part of FCNL's "Diplomacy--Not War--with Iran!" citizen lobbying campaign, encouraging citizen activists to lobby their members of Congress to speak out against attacking Iran, and in support of diplomacy.
Postcards were gathered at Occupy Ashland and various events around the Rogue Valley to gather signatures in only 72 hours before shipping them back to Washington, D.C. Kate Gould, FCNL's lead lobbyist on Middle East issues , delivered the postcards to Senator Merkley at a constituent coffee hour. Kate asked him to speak out on the Senate floor against a military strike on Iran, and in support of diplomacy. Senator Merkley and his lead foreign policy advisor discussed their concerns about Iran and the escalation of conflict between the U.S. and Iran with Kate Gould and Katherine Philipson, FCNL's Campaigns Network Building Associate.
"We had a very engaging conversation," Kate Gould remarked. "He seemed impressed that the signatories of this 'Diplomacy--Not War--with Iran!' message came from a geographically diverse constituency in southern Oregon, ranging from Ashland to Klamath Falls, and Grants Pass. Senator Merkley has championed the cause of ending the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I very much hope that Oregonians will encourage him to champion the cause of preventing a war with Iran."
Senator Merkley serves on the influential Senate Banking Committee, which passed yet another round of Iran sanctions on Thursday, February 2. Although the U.S. has piled more and more sanctions on Iran for the last three decades, the U.S. has yet to try sustained, direct, one-on-one talks with Iran to resolve the outstanding tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Worse, Congress has continued to beat the drums for war, with very few members of Congress speaking out on the dangers of attacking Iran, as so many U.S. and Israeli security officials have done. With Senator Merkley on the Banking Committee and Senator Wyden on the Select Intelligence Committee, the 3 million eligible voters in Oregon have a special responsibility to urge their Senators to speak out on the Senate floor, in speeches, and in op-eds against war with Iran. Everyone can take on-line action here, and find out more about FCNL's work to prevent war with Iran here.
HEAR INTERVIEW WITH FCNL'S KATE GOULD:
http://www.kskq.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1300:282012-brenda-