City Council Holds Off on Resolution Opposing Invasion of Iran

By Kevin Robinson in News on May 15, 2008 3:10PM

The city council backed away from a resolution opposing a US invasion of Iran yesterday at the behest of Mayor Daley. The resolution, sponsored by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore, encouraged diplomacy in place of military action. "Sen. Obama has been pursuing diplomacy with Iran. Nobody from his campaign has called me expressing his concern," Moore said. Five years ago Chicago passed a resolution, 48-1, opposing the war in Iraq.

“It’s not fair. Let Obama answer all of those questions. He is gonna be the nominee of the Democratic party, and he will be the president. That will be up to him to make the judgments.... If Iran attacks Israel, we should sit back and not do anything? They haven’t attacked us, [but] they can attack everyone else? I have real problems with that,” Daley said. Alderman Sandi Jackson (7th), wife of U.S. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr supported the resolution, saying "the dismantling of the office of public diplomacy indicates how this administration has not placed a premium on diplomacy. Of course we should exhaust diplomacy before contemplating any military action. We have to be very careful after what has happened, it would be irresponsible to trust information coming from the Bush Administration." The resolution was put off until next month at the request of Aldermen Bernie Stone (50th) and James Balcer (11th), who both questioned the need for such a resolution.

Photo by pcurtner