DC Anti-War Network Presents:
IS THE ISRAEL LOBBY PROMOTING WAR ON IRAN?
Can the "Harvard Paper" Stop a War?
Monday April 24th
6:30-6:45 Meet and Greet
6:45-8:30 Forum (will start on time)
West End Neighborhood Library, 1101 24th Street, at L Street near Foggy Bottom Metro, in the large second floor meeting room (steps at left back corner)

A new academic working paper, THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND US FOREIGN POLICY, has caused quite a stir not only in academia, but in United States politics. This is because it asserts that America's "Israel Lobby" actually pressures the U.S. congress, president and media to pursue policies that benefit Israel at the expense of America's best diplomatic, economic and military interests. It makes controversial statements like: “Saying that Israel and the U.S. are united by a shared terrorist threat has the causal relationship backwards: the U.S. has a terrorism problem in good part because it is so closely allied with Israel, not the other way around.” The authors further assert the Israel Lobby stifles debate about Israel and U.S. foreign policy by constant charges of anti-Semitism, a tactic they charge undermines American democracy.
The paper, published on the Harvard University web site, was written by John J. Mearsheimer, a professor of political science and a co-director of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago, and Stephen M. Walt, academic dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Both are members of the Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy, the organized voice of the “realist” school of foreign policy.
The so-called "Harvard paper" asserts that the Israel Lobby, of which neoconservatives are one branch, promoted the war against Iraq, and now war against Iran, to benefit Israel. Our speakers will explore the paper’s controversial theses, including as they concern a possible U.S. military attack on Iran. As revealed recently by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, such an attack might utilize Hiroshima-sized nuclear weapons as “bunker busters.” Speakers will discuss whether actively protesting the Israel Lobby’s various neoconservative, Jewish and Christian Zionist organizations can help peace activists stop war against Iran. Speakers include:
ALEX PATICO is U.S. coordinator of the multi-country Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, a group bringing together a broad coalition devoted to opposing current U.S. policy regarding Iran, while supporting respect for human rights (including women and ethnic and religious minorities), freedom of the press, and democratic values in Iran. Mr. Patico served in the Peace Corps in Iran, has been an advisor to Iranians for International Cooperation and co-founded the National Iranian American Council. He will be part of a Fellowship of Reconciliation delegation to Iran in early May . See campaigniran.org/casmii
SIMIN ROYANIAN is an economist and a thirty-seven year veteran of the anti-imperialist and peace and justice movements in Iran and in the US. She co-founded Women for Peace and Justice in Iran and has been a frequently speaker at forums and in the media for peace, justice and women’ rights. women4peace.org/
KEVIN ZEESE is Director of DemocracyRising.US, an organization working to responsibly end the Iraq War and Occupation. He served as Ralph Nader's Press Secretary in 2004 and currently is running for U.S. Senator from Maryland bringing together the Green, Populist and Libertarian Parties. He often has spoken out on the undue influence the neoconservatives and the Israel Lobby have had in promoting wars against Iraq and Iran. See www.ZeeseForSenate.org
Please come to this important forum, the first of several events planned by activists to organize against the terrible Iran war President Bush is planning, with the acquiescence of the U.S. congress. Endorsements welcome.
For more information call 202-635-3739 or see DC Antiwar Network site DAWNDC.NET. See also a member’s site linking to the paper, articles and a chart exploring differing positions at STOPTHEWARNOW.NET/WARLOBBIES/HARVARDPAPER.HTML
DC area peace and antiwar activists, please feel free to join the DAWN Iran Working Group to help stop this war.
groups.yahoo.com/group/dawn-iran-workinggroup