Stewart A. Alexander
Nominee for Vice President Socialist Party USA
Candidate for Vice President Peace and Freedom Party

May 28, 2008

As the Iraq War runs its bloody course, Iran has become a central focus in the 2008 presidential campaign. While not satisfied with Barack Obama’s conditional plan for a much delayed disengagement from Iraq; Socialist Party Vice Presidential nominee Stewart A. Alexander says that he and his Presidential running mate Brian Moore are “greatly concerned” that comments being made by Republican presidential contender John McCain, regarding Iran “are reckless and irresponsible and will further escalate tensions in the Middle East and the international community.”

Senator McCain recently directed a barrage of negative comments against Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic Party presidential frontrunner. According to the Associated Press, Senator Obama had stated, “Iran, Cuba and Venezuela, these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us.” Senator McCain responded to Obama’s statement saying “Such a statement betrays the depth of Senator Obama’s inexperience and reckless judgment.” Alexander says “It is amazing that the fellow who chanted ‘Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran even knows the word ‘reckless.’ But he apparently doesn’t know its meaning, as it could best be applied to him of all the candidates.”

McCain is charging that the Iran government is a sponsor for terrorists in the Middle East and that Iran is attempting to develop an atomic bomb; McCain is also charging that Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel. However, recent intelligence has revealed no conclusive evidence that Iran is attempting to develop an atomic bomb and there is no indication that Iran has plans to take any hostile actions against Israel. Alexander points out that “the refusal to accept accurate intelligence, and a determination to whip up war fever against a Middle Eastern state that does not in fact threaten us, was exactly how the Bush administration misled our people into the lie-based aggression in Iraq.”

These reckless statements by Senator McCain are another indication that the Republican presidential frontrunner is mapping a road to the White House by staying the course that has been paved by President Bush; a course that will continue to advance U.S. imperialism, a course that will continue to benefit the rich at the expense of working people, and a course that has spiraled the U.S. economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Socialists are opposed to the domestic and foreign policies of both John McCain and Barack Obama because the two presidential contenders have expressed a clear determination to expand U.S. imperialism based upon more human sacrifice. The greatest sacrifice has been the 1.2 million Iraqis that are now dead as a result of the war, more than 4,000 U.S. dead, the tens of thousands of U.S. veterans that have been injured and emotionally scared, the 4.2 million Iraqis that are now living as refugees, and a U.S. economy that is crumbling under the escalating cost of the war. The continuing war in Afghanistan, that has also claimed so many dead and wounded, has been revealed now as an attempt to prop up an utterly corrupt coalition of warlords, some of whom treat women and workers even worse than did the Taliban.

The cost of the Iraq War is now being felt by most Americans from coast to coast as the war expenditures accompanied by huge tax cuts for the rich cheapens the dollar. The cost of gasoline is now over $4.00 per gallon and diesel is over $5.00 per gallon in some areas. The U.S. automobile industry is in a major slump creating job loses for tens of thousands, the U.S. housing market is in a major crisis; as many as 2 million homeowners may lose their homes in 2008. College students are feeling the cost of the war by having to pay higher college tuitions, and millions of seniors and working people are struggling daily just to keep pace with the rising cost of living and escalating food prices. The Iraq War is also making it difficult for most working people to keep up with the rising cost of health care; presently, more than 48 million Americans are without health care coverage and as the cost of living continues to rise, the numbers of the uninsured will continue to rise to even greater levels.

“Working people are beyond the empty promises and future timetables to end the Iraq War; Congress must end the war now. Millions of working people, and their unions, are saying with a loud voice “End this War and No War with Iran.” Congress must discontinue the endless funding for the Iraq War and take a greater role to establish peace in the Middle East. Socialist Party USA and Peace and Freedom Party both demand an immediate end to the Iraq War and both socialist parties are opposed to the escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran.”

For more information, search the Web for Stewart A. Alexander; Independent voters rejecting Democrats and Republicans.
banderasnews.com/0805/edop-stewartalexander19.htm
banderasnews.com/0704/eded-countingthecost.htm
labs.daylife.com/journalist/stewart_a._alexander

StewartAlexanderCares.com
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www.dcpoliticalreport.com/pres08.htm
www.politics1.com/p2008.htm