Rumsfeld memos corroborate targeting of Iran, Kucinich charges

November 5, 2007

Washington, DC -

Public disclosure of private memos from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld provides further evidence, from the highest level, that the Bush Administration has been targeting Iran for aggression for longer than previously acknowledged, Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich said today.

Rumsfeld, one of the architects and chief advocates of the war against Iraq, wrote in one memo, "Iraq is only one battleground," according to revelations in Washington Post of November 1, 2007. In other memos, termed "snowflakes" by Administration officials, Rumsfeld wrote of the need to "keep elevating the threat," and "link Iraq to Iran," according to the newspaper account. Further, the Post reported, Rumsfeld argued, "...if we fail in Iraq, it will advantage Iran," in an April 2006 memo.

"From the Oval Office on down, this Administration has been targeting Iran as the next domino it wants to topple," Kucinich said today. "They used lies and deceit to take this nation into war, and they have been fabricating justifications to launch a second war against Iran. The criminality of these actions must be addressed by the Congress of the United States of America."

Congressman Kucinich, (D-OH), introduced Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Richard B. Cheney earlier this year for his role in laying the groundwork for the Iraq war. In recent weeks, Kucinich has argued that not only Cheney, but also President Bush and other top-ranking members of the Administration must be held accountable for possible crimes under the Constitution, the UN Charter, and international treaties.

"The Congress has abrogated its responsibility to hold this President and his Cabinet accountable for the deaths of thousands of brave U.S. military men and women and more than one million innocent Iraqi civilians," Kucinich said. "We have a moral obligation and the Constitutional authority to end this war and stop the President from bombing this nation into another war with Iran."

"The Congress is not doing its duty, and the other Presidential candidates are failing to exhibit leadership in addressing this threat of yet another war," Kucinich said.

It is possible that the impeachment resolution may reach the House floor as soon as next week.

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Media contacts:Washington, D.C.: Sharon Manitta, (202) 506-6683, Sharon.manitta@kucinich.us National HQ: Andy Juniewicz, (216) 409-8992, ajuniewicz@aol.com

Website: www.dennis4president.com

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