Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) today joined 29 of his Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to the White House warning the President not to take offensive military action against Iran without the express consent of Congress.  Designed to clarify any ambiguity as a result of a recent Senate amendment urging designation of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, the Senators also expressed concern that the administration's increasingly provocative rhetoric has undermined diplomatic efforts with Iran.

While I believe we need to take a strong stand against the development of nuclear weapons technology in Iran, and we must use diplomacy to resolve these issues," Akaka said. "I believe that before engaging in military conflict it is important to assess the potential threat and ensure that adequate time is taken to prepare for an exit strategy. Rest assured that, as I did in opposing the use of military force against Iraq, I will require credible evidence that Iran poses an imminent threat to the United States before supporting any military action against Iran."

A copy of the letter spearheaded by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) follows:

November 1, 2007

President George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush:

We are writing to express serious concerns with the provocative statements and actions stemming from your administration with respect to possible U.S. military action in Iran. These comments are counterproductive and undermine efforts to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy.

We wish to emphasize that no congressional authority exists for unilateral military action against Iran. This includes the Senate vote on September 26, 2007 on an amendment to the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. This amendment, expressing the sense of the Senate on Iran, and the recent designation of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, should in no way be interpreted as a predicate for the use of military force in Iran.    

We stand ready to work with your administration to address the challenges presented by Iran in a manner that safeguards our security interests and promotes a regional diplomatic solution, but we wish to emphasize that offensive military action should not be taken against Iran without the express consent of Congress.

Sincerely,

1. Webb

2. Akaka

3. Baucus

4. Boxer

5. Brown

6. Byrd

7. Cantwell

8. Carper

9. Casey

10. Clinton

11. Dodd

12. Dorgan

13. Durbin

14. Feinstein

15. Harkin

16. Johnson

17. Kerry

18. Klobuchar

19. Kohl

20. Leahy

21. McCaskill

22. Mikulski

23. Murray

24. Reed

25. Rockefeller

26. Sanders

27. Stabenow

28. Tester

29. Whitehouse

30. Wyden