AAA Statement on US
Military Action Against Iran

WHEREAS the Bush administration and members of the US Congress have, over the past four years, accused the Iranian government of developing nuclear weapons, of supplying explosive devices to Iraqi insurgents, and of supporting terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda and the Taliban; and

WHEREAS the Bush administration and members of the US Congress have indicated the possible use of pre-emptive military strikes as a means of addressing these concerns; and

WHEREAS the International Atomic Energy Agency has clearly and repeatedly asserted that there is no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons; and

WHEREAS in September 2007, Mohamed El-Baradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned against a US strike on Iran and stated that the use of force should only be considered if authorized by the UN Security Council; and

WHEREAS the possibility of Iranian government support for Al Qaeda and the Taliban is negligible, since the Sunni-dominated Al Qaeda and Taliban reject Shiism, Iran's state religion, as heretical; and

WHEREAS in February 2007, General Peter Pace admitted that no evidence exists that the Iranian government has supplied explosive devices to Shiite fighters in Iraq; and

WHEREAS in October 2007, Afghan government officials have declared that no evidence exists that Iran has shipped weapons to Taliban insurgents; and

WHEREAS a US military strike against Iranian targets would likely result in the deaths of civilians and further destabilize the Middle East region; and

WHEREAS consequently, US military action against Iran would likely make it more difficult and dangerous for US anthropologists to conduct future research in the Middle East region;

Be it moved that the American Anthropological Association opposes any covert or overt US military action against Iran; condemns any public relations campaigns designed to convince the US public to support military action against Iran; and urges President George W. Bush and members of the US Congress to:

Refrain from using covert or overt military action (including air strikes) against the country or government of Iran; and

Refrain from authorizing the President to use such military action; and

Cease all public relations campaigns designed to convince the US public to support military action against Iran; and

Work with allied countries to find a peaceful and diplomatic solution to resolving any differences with Iran.

Submitted by:
Roberto J. González
Associate Professor of Anthropology
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA 95192-0113
tel: (408) 924-5715
email: roberto_gonzalez@netzero.net

William O. Beeman
Professor of Anthropology
University of Minnesota
395 Hubert H. Humphrey Center
301 19th Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
tel: (612) 625-1376
email: wbeeman@umn.edu