by Hooshang Amirahamdi

This is a question that is on many minds these days. In Tehran, Washington and London, where I have spent time in the last three months, this question tops any other issues of concern in the US-Iran spiral conflict. After talking to many senators, representatives, Lords, MPs, and Iranian deputies, as well as officials in the three capitals, I have concluded that while it is almost impossible to provide a definitive answer, complacency is also unacceptable.

In an interview with Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), on May 19, he told me in many words that the Bush Administration has a "plan to attack Iran" and that the President "does not need months but days" to implement the plan if he wanted or found the right opportunity to do such. When the Congressman was asked about the source of his information, he referred to the "public reports" published in various media and discussions he has held with colleagues and others (Read the Interview in the next Update).

By Faramarz Farbod
May 18, 2008
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Let's pause and take a quiz question on the Iraq War:

 What lessons should we learn from the current war in Iraq?
(a) The occupation is brutal, illegitimate, and must end immediately.
(b) We must pull out in accord with the wishes of large majorities of Iraqis and North Americans.
(c) We must never again go to war without seriously examining the official reasons given for going to war.
(d) We must stay the course to fix what we've broken.
(e) We must stay the course because withdrawal now means victory for Iran.
(f) If the war is not going well we ought to spread it.

Dennis Kuicinich (DK)
Hooshang Amirahmadi (HA)

Office of the Congressman Dennis Kucinich (Democrat-Ohio), Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC, Wednesday May 14, 2008.

HA: Congressman Kucinich thank you for this interview on US-Iran relations. Please feel free to answer or not answer any question or speak as short or as long as you want.

DK: My pleasure!

HA: My first question is a personal one; you are a democratic super delegate in this election; who are you supporting?

DK- I have not made up my mind yet.

HA: My next question is a broader one. The US and Iran have been in hostile terms for almost thirty years. Has the time come for the relations to be normalized?

DK: Yes, relations should be normalized between the US and Iran. It's quite unfortunate that the United States has not made diplomatic initiatives or has ignored diplomatic initiatives that were made by Iran in the last four years. The people of Iran have had a longstanding respect for and love for the American people. And the people of Iran have been forgiving of America's illegal interventions in the internal affairs of Iran going back to the days of Mossadegh when the CIA helped overthrow his government. So people have a capacity for forgiveness even though they don't forget it. We have to understand that we have much in common with Iran. Our people have aspirations of freedom. Our people have a desire for economic progress. Our people have aspirations for security and peaceful relations with neighbors. Iran can be a very important partner with the United States in creating a new peace in the Middle East.