Senator Ron Wyden
700 NE Multnomah St. Suite 450
Portland, OR 97232

Senator Wyden,

I called your Washington office yesterday to inquire about the
motivations behind Senate Resolution 82 and to ask if ou would be
making any public statements about it. I was told that you simply
believe in the words of the document and were too busy with the war
budget to bother with this issue. I was encouraged, then, to learn
that you did make a statement about SR 82 to the press this morning.
Sadly, you offered no substantive explanation for the presentation of
this Resolution at this time.

The President has declared Iran to be an evil state. Many of his
advisers are on record supporting a vision of America that would have
us reshape, by force, sovereign Middle Eastern states. This morning
in his press conference with Prime Minister Blair, the President
reinforced that view, saying "I see an opportunity, as does Prime
Minister Blair, to bring renewed hope and progress to the entire
Middle East." These are carefully chosen words, but their implication
is clear.

As I understand the situation, Iran has a thriving student-dissident
movement.It lost a good organizing tool when Norman Pattiz decided to
replace Radio Freedom broadcasts with Radio Sawa's "pop" music
programming and minor news summaries but it carries forward. What
right have we to further interfere in a country where American
foreign policy is already suspect?

What right have we, a nation who for a decade supported the current
Iraqi regime and who still supports other totalitarian regimes, to
say which governments need changing and how they should change? This
is the arrogance of empire and it frightens me. I want to believe in
my country and its government. But how can I when our foreign policy
is little more than "might makes right?"

I hope with all my heart, Mr. Wyden, that you do not share the
international political philosophy of men like Dick Cheney, Richard
Perle, and others who follow the doctrines of the "New American
Century." But when you put your name on documents like Senate
Resolution 82, you suggest that you do. I respected your vote against
the war powers resolution last fall. Now, I am disappointed,
confused, and frightened for the future of a country I love.

Sincerely,