Gov. Bill Richardson Calls for Iran Resolution

Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, has called for Congress to issue and pass a resolution requiring President Bush to gain congressional approval before taking military action targeted at the Central Asian nation of Iran. Presidential candidate John Edwards also released a statement regarding war with Iran and the occupation of Iraq.

According to a press release issued by the Richardson for President campaign on Wednesday, the Governor warned of "striking similarities" between the Bush administration's efforts to promote war against Iran and the actions it took leading up to the invasion of Iraq. He expressed disappointment with Senator and fellow presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's support of a resolution labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a "terrorist organization", claiming that the resolution heightens the possibility that there will be another war.

Governor Richardson also called upon the Congress to "stand up" to President Bush, saying that a war with Iran would additionally isolate the United States and give more strength to its enemies. He spoke of the need for greater diplomacy and a complete removal of American troops from Iraq as well. He has previously criticized some of the other presidential candidates for not advocating an early or complete withdrawal from Iraq.

Meanwhile, presidential candidate John Edwards issued a press release on Wednesday referring to the same issue and also condemning Senator Clinton's vote in support of the resolution against Iran. His statement accused the Bush administration of "actively preparing" for military action against Iran. He criticized Senator Clinton for supporting the above-mentioned "terrorist organization" resolution on Iran, calling it a step closer to war. He also referred to Clinton's support for continued long-term troop presence in Iraq, pointing out that he had apologized for previously supporting the war authorization.

According to Wikipedia's entry on Bill Richardson, he was born fifty-nine years ago in California. He has worked at the State Department, been a Congressman for multiple terms, and written two books. He has been involved in negotiations with the governments of Iraq, North Korea, and other countries. Additional positions Richardson has held include Secretary of Energy, Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, the Organization of American States' Special Envoy for Hemispheric Affairs, and Ambassador to the United Nations. He became the Governor of New Mexico in 2002, and decided to run for President early this year.

Sources:

1. Bill Richardson for President, http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/newsroom/pressreleases?id=0311
2. Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Richardson
3. John Edwards for President, http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20071010-iraq-vote-anniversary/