Strimling: Bush Continues War Rhetoric Despite Latest Findings on Iran

PORTLAND ­ Congressional candidate Ethan Strimling said today that President Bush is continuing his dangerous war rhetoric against Iran despite new evidence that shows Iran gave up its nuclear weapons program four years ago.

"Once again, we see a president ignoring his own intelligence experts in favor of his saber-rattling advisors who seem bent on making another military blunder, this time in Iran," Strimling said. "He's trying to twist the intelligence on Iran, just like he did with Iraq."

In October, Bush warned that Iran's development of nuclear weapons could lead to "World War III." Now, despite a new national intelligence estimate that says Iran gave up its nuclear weapons program in 2003, Bush said today, "Nothing's changed," and portrayed the report as a "warning signal" the Iran remains a nuclear threat.

"What he should have said is that this latest intelligence reports means we can step away from the brink of another disastrous military conflict and focus on economic and diplomatic pressure to ensure that Iran does not become a threat to the region," Strimling said. "We can protect our interests, and the interests of other nations, without resorting to military force.²

Strimling is the sponsor of a bill to require the state to divest its holdings in companies that do business in Iran. He estimates that the state¹s retirement system has more than $50 million invested in such companies.

³Putting economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran to become a member of the international community is a better policy to pursue than raising world tensions about another military conflict in the Middle East," Strimling said."

CONTACT: Corey Hascall, 207-874-0808