The pro-Iran war posturing continues in the House, with yet another Member of Congress throwing their hat in the ring to signal support for Israeli-led preventive war on Iran.
Arizona Republican Paul Gosar has dropped what is now the third resolution in the 112^th Congress providing Congressional cover for Israeli strikes—which the Pentagon has warned would drag the U.S. into war.
Signaling unconditional support for Israeli strikes significantly undercuts U.S. efforts to avoid war; it politicizes Israeli security (which is supposedly sacrosanct); and it provides political leverage against the U.S. administration for hawks in Israel (a group which, by the way, apparently doesn’t include Israel’s military chief).
Gosar’s resolution, H.Res.630, has no cosponsors.  But between his new measure, a “happy birthday Israel, now go bomb Iran” resolution, and the one that started it all–the Gohmert resolution, there are now 120 House Members who have endorsed Israeli preventive war in the current Congress.
The full list is below–I wonder how many of these Members have repeated the line that we must “listen to our generals”?  All the while, they disregard the overwhelming opposition to war with Iran expressed by the U.S. military, and instead follow the AIPAC-Netanyahu line (although AIPAC has been careful to not publicly endorse these measures, yet).

Gosar’s resolution also, tellingly, plays fast and loose with the facts, repeating the dangerous meme that Iran is actively building a nuclear weapon.  This misstatement has been repeatedly shot down by top officials, including in testimony before Congress.  They have made clear that, while Iran’s nuclear program is a serious concern that must be addressed, Iran’s leadership has not decided to actively pursue a nuke.  U.S. intelligence agrees.  Israeli intelligence agrees.  The IAEA agrees.  Congressional hawks, however, have their own set of facts.
The resolution also comes at a time when the U.S is finally gaining diplomatic traction in sensitive negotiations with Iran. Progress on the diplomatic front is critical to resolve the nuclear standoff, prevent war, and finally directly address the neglected issue of human rights in Iran.
Whether political opportunism or policy ignorance, it is unconscionable for elected officials to play games when the lives of U.S. servicemembers–not to mention civilians in Iran and Israel–are on the line.  Yes, the question of nuclear weapons-acquisition versus capability is complicated.  Yes, diplomacy is tough.  But war is not simple nor easy.  And we deserve for our representatives in Congress to do their homework instead of paving a path through falsehoods to another war of choice.
Representatives who have signed onto resolutions endorsing Israeli preventive strikes on Iran (113 Republicans in bold, 7 Democrats in italics: