TIME FOR THE ADULTS TO TAKE CHARGE!" REP. PETER DeFAZIO

Classified info - The congressman
wanted to see government plans for after a terror attack

DeFazio asks, but he's denied access
Classified info - Friday, July 20, 2007JEFF KOSSEFF The Oregonian Staff

WASHINGTON -- Oregonians called Peter DeFazio's office, worried there was a conspiracy buried in the classified portion of a White House plan for operating the government after a terrorist attack.

As a member of the U.S. House on the Homeland Security Committee, DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure "bubbleroom" in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents.

On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bush Directive for a "Catastrophic Emergency" in America: Building a Justification for Waging War on Iran?


Global Research, June 24, 2007

by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky May 16, 2007

"Another [9/11 type terrorist] attack could create both a justification and an opportunity that is lacking today to retaliate against some known targets" (Statement by Pentagon official, leaked to the Washington Post, 23 April 2006)

Concepts are turned upside down. War becomes Peace. "Offense" becomes a legitimate means of "self-defense". In the words of President Bush:

"Against this kind of enemy, there is only one effective response: We must go on the offense, stay on the offense, and take the fight to them." (President George W. Bush, CENTCOM Coalition Conference, May 1, 2007)

The intent is to seek a pretext to wage a preemptive war.

A "terrorist attack on America" could be used to justify, in the eyes of an increasingly credulous public opinion, on "humanitarian grounds", the launching of a major theater war directed against Iran and Syria.

Defense Authorization: DeFazio on Andrews Amendment on Iran



Dems fail to rein in Bush’s war-making powers with Iran

By Roxana Tiron
May 17, 2007

House Democrats failed by a narrow margin to pass legislation that would rein in the president’s war-making powers with Iran, despite showing more unity on the controversial issue.
An amendment to the defense authorization bill, introduced by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), a member of the armed services panel, failed Wednesday night by a vote of 216-202 with six Republicans voting in favor of the amendment together with 196 Democrats.

Andrews’ amendment, which had strong support from House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), would have prevented funds authorized in the bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from being used to plan a contingency operation in Iran.

Among the Republicans voting for the amendment were Roscoe Bartlett (Md.), Ron Paul (Texas) and Walter Jones (N.C.).

An amendment introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) was met with more opposition by Democrats and Republicans alike and failed by a vote of 288-136. DeFazio sought to clarify that no previously enacted law authorizes military action against Iran. It also sought to prohibit funding authorized by the bill or in any other legislation from being used to take military action against Iran without specific authorization from Congress unless there is a “national emergency created by an attack by Iran upon the United States, its territories or possessions or its armed forces.”

Among the 129 Democrats who voted against the amendment were Skelton and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.), who both voted in favor of the Andrews amendment.