Congressman John Olver: News

Sponsored
Legislation

Co-Sponsored Legislation

Press Release: December 05, 2007

Congressman John W. Olver
1111 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-2101

Tel: 202-225-5335
Fax: 202-226-1224

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NIE REPORT CONFIRMS JOHN OLVER’S POSITION ON IRAN
Report a Repudiation of President’s Saber Rattling Approach

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In light of the findings of the newly released National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), Congressman John Olver today urged the President to re-evaluate the administration’s Iran policy.

The new assessment by 16 American intelligence agencies released Monday concludes that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003. The NIE attributed Iran’s decision to end its program to international efforts to pressure the regime - rather than the Bush administration’s hard line policy of threatening military action and unilateral sanctions.

"The entire intelligence community is on the same page. This assessment directly challenges the administration’s alarming rhetoric about the threat posed by Iran," Congressman John Olver said. "The Estimate’s findings are clear - diplomacy coupled with international pressure will be far more effective than saber rattling and threatening unilateral actions."

On September 25, 2007 Congressman John Olver was one of only 16 Members of Congress to stand up to the Bush administration’s march to war by opposing H.R. 1400, the Iran Counter Proliferation Act. H.R. 1400 unilaterally increases sanctions on Iran and directs the President to determine whether or not the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps is a foreign terrorist organization. If the President made such a declaration, it would be the first time that the United States designated the armed forces of a sovereign nation a terrorist organization.

Congressman John Olver said, "The saber rattling towards Iran needs to stop. Naming the Islamic Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization is an unnecessary provocation and could be used as pretext for war. This Congress should not play any role in the building of another case for another unnecessary war."

In light of the NIE’s findings, Congressman Olver assessed, "Iran is a major sponsor of terrorism and presents one of our most complex foreign policy and national security challenges. This new judgment does not mean that Iran is no longer a threat, but it does validate a policy approach that heavily utilizes diplomacy, negotiations without preconditions, and international pressure rather than the reckless use of military force."

###