* Coalition that opposes a U.S. invasion of Iran as a means of stopping Tehran’s leaders from developing nuclear weapons
* Is composed mostly of leftist groups, but also a few conservative organizations
* Asserts that “sanctions cannot replace diplomacy as a means of resolving differences between nations,” and decries “hostile official rhetoric which exacerbates tensions and reinforces misunderstandings and false animus between people in the United States and Iran”
The Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran (CNAPI) was founded in 2008 to counsel against a U.S. invasion of that nation; at the time, there was much speculation that President Bush might be planning to launch a war against Iran in an effort to derail its nuclear weapons program. Said one of CNAPI’s organizers, Carah Ong of the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation: “The current rumor here in Washington is that Bush will attack [Iran] after the November [2008] elections so it won’t hurt the Republican nominee politically. Many around him say he feels he has to do something before he leaves office.”
According to Ong, CNAPI originally grew out of a November 2007 meeting of liberals and conservatives at the Washington, DC headquarters of Americans for Tax Reform. CNAPI bills itself as “transpartisan” to reflect the fact that some of its constituent groups and advisors include political conservatives such as the American Conservative Defense Alliance, the Libertarian Party, and the American Cause, which is headed by Patrick Buchanan.
As of June 2008, CNAPI consisted of 42 “partner groups,” including the American Friends Service Committee, Antiwar.com (headed by Dennis “Justin” Raimondo), the Backbone Campaign, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Institute for Policy Studies, the Mennonite Central Committee’s Washington Office, George Soros’ Open Society Policy Center, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Women’s Action for New Directions.
CNAPI’s mission statement reads, in part, as follows:
“A military confrontation with Iran would have enormous human and financial costs and would plunge the Middle East into further chaos…. While serious concerns regarding the Government of Iran’s statements and behavior persist,… CNAPI supporters believe sanctions cannot replace diplomacy as a means of resolving differences between nations. They also decry hostile official rhetoric which exacerbates tensions and reinforces misunderstandings and false animus between people in the United States and Iran…. Supporters of CNAPI believe sustained, direct, unconditional, bilateral, and comprehensive talks between the governments of the United States and Iran represent a realistic way to resolve long-standing conflicts that destabilize the Middle East and by extension, threaten the global economy.”
A number of CNAPI “experts” are available to speak, in media interviews and at special events, on the subject of Iran. These experts include:
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CNAPI encourages Americans to take the following measures to influence U.S. policy towards Iran: