KUCINICH, DENNIS: Once again, I am grateful to the gentleman from California for the opportunity to offer a slightly different perspective. While I continue to associate myself with my good friend Mr. Lantos in the celebration of the imperative of human rights globally,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: I have specific concerns about the tenor of this resolution and its relationship to the administration's policy of ramping up for a war against Iran.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: Again, I want to state that this is the third resolution that's been brought before this House this evening. You have to read it in the context of administration actions, which have been documented in published reports,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: that relate to an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran by sending elements of the Department of Defense inside of Iranian territory; number two, by planning a bombing, targets inside Iran; number three,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: by planning a naval blockade of the, in the Strait of Hormuz where 40 percent of the world's oil flows through.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: We have to look at this in a broader context of an administrative foreign policy, which is really aimed at creating not stability, but instability in the region. You can look at the July 2006 Vanity Fair article,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: which goes into detail about the unfortunate administration escapade of tricking up a case for uranium from Niger with respect to Iraq. And one of the administration's key advisers in that article basically made the case for chaos,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: which is an administration, I believe, policy. And now we are looking at Iran.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: Now, this resolution, 976, in the third article, expresses its unity with all the Iranian people, shares their desire to see Iran become a free country with transparent democratic institutions and equal rights for all.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: I pointed out earlier in debates that Iran had a democratic government under Mossadegh; that in October of 1951, under Mossadegh, Iran sought to nationalize its oil industry. And that then resulted in a draft resolution submitted to the United Nations by the United Kingdom,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: and supported by the United States and France, as depicting Iran then as a threat to international peace and security.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: And then we saw a coup d'etat that was organized by the U.S. and the U.K. Yes, we ought to stand for democracy. We ought to also stand for truth with respect to the historical unfolding of what we say we stand for.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: Where does this resolution lead? Does it lead to a continued insistence that the Government of Iran restore human rights to everyone in Iran? If it does, wonderful. We all ought to go along with that. But if this resolution is just another brick on a path towards war,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: look out. This looks like Iraq all over again, and that's what my concern is.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: If this resolution sets us on a path to war, how many of us in the Congress are prepared to see this administration borrow money from China and Japan to go to war against Iran, as they have borrowed money from China and Japan to go to war against Iraq?
KUCINICH, DENNIS: We have to look at what we are doing here.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: And while this resolution, I am sure, will pass overwhelmingly, we have to see that the steps, circumstances, are being set in order which could lead us towards a path of war against Iran. We have to ask ourselves,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: is that what we really want?
KUCINICH, DENNIS: You know, I can stand here with my colleagues and say, absolutely, I support the religious freedom of the Baha'i. And I do. Absolutely. I support human rights for all people in Iran, and I do. Absolutely. I support democratic principles in Iran and every other country in the world,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: and I do.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: But I am not for war against Iran. And I don't believe the American people want war against Iran. And I don't think they wanted war against Iraq, but they were dragged into it. I am just offering these remarks as a cautionary note to make sure that we have our eyes open as we walk in the days ahead with respect to policy and Iran.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: Yes, we need to make sure that Iran has peaceful uses of its atomic energy. We have an obligation to do that.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: But, in conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I maintain that we should begin first with direct negotiations with Iran. And second, we should assure Iran that we are not going to attack it. And third, we should demand that Iran open itself up to inspections once again by the IAEA.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: And fourth, we need assurances, and they are fair, that Iran is not going to be developing nuclear weapons.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: There is a way out of this, and I am hopeful that in our stand for human rights, we are not paradoxically beginning a process that would deprive millions of Iranians of their human right to life.
KUCINICH, DENNIS: And I thank the gentleman from California for his friendship and also for his willingness to see debate in this House of the people. You have always done that, Mr. Lantos. And whether we've agreed or not,
KUCINICH, DENNIS: you have always been willing to see the debate continue.
LANTOS, TOM: I thank my friend for his generous words. We have no additional requests for time, Mr. Speaker.