Chicago City Council Considers Resolution Opposing War on Iran

Chicago City Council Considers Resolution Opposing War on Iran

Leading Experts to Testify Against Military Action as Tensions Rise

WHAT: Press Conference & Committee Hearings on Iran Resolution
WHEN: Tuesday May 13 — Press Conference 10:30 AM, Hearings 11:30 AM
WHERE: City Hall — Second Floor Council Lobby & Council Chambers
WHO: Scott Ritter, John Mearsheimer, Stephen Kinzer, Doug Cassel

With the prospect of a U.S. military strike on Iran looming, America's third largest city will decide next week whether to take a stand on this volatile international situation.

At the Chicago City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 14 at 10:00 AM in the City Council chambers, the body will vote on a resolution introduced by Alderman Joe Moore (with the support of Chicago's No War on Iran Coalition) that would declare the city opposed to a U.S. military attack on Iran.

Hearings on the resolution will be held the day before — Tuesday, May 13 at 11:30 AM in the Council Chambers, City Hall. Testifying will be:

John Mearsheimer
Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and Co-Director of the University's Program on International Security Policy

Scott Ritter
Former Chief Weapons Inspector for the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq (UNSCOM) and Intelligence Specialist with the U.S. Marine Corps

Stephen Kinzer
Professor of Political Science and Journalism at Northwestern University and Former Foreign Correspondent for the New York Times

Douglass Cassel
Director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame Law School and a Weekly Commentator on Chicago Public Radio's Worldview Program

Norma Claire Moruzzi
Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of the International Studies Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

Farrah Hassen
Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.

All of the experts but Professor Cassel will be on hand at a press conference one hour before the hearings, at 10:30 AM in the Council lobby, second floor, City Hall (just outside the elevators).

While a handful of American cities have passed similar resolutions, Chicago would be by far the largest to do so. "With the economy in a freefall," said Alderman Moore, the resolution's author, "another unnecessary military adventure would sap even more of the resources critically needed to improve the quality of life in Chicago's neighborhoods."

"No one harbors any illusions that the resolution will stop a U.S. attack on Iran," said Michael Lynn of Chicago's No War on Iran Coalition. The measure is rather "a vehicle to raise the profile of the issue — right in the country's heartland — and demonstrate broad opposition to a wider war."

The goal, said Lynn, is "to influence policy by showing there would be serious political consequences to any attack." The resolution's passage, he said, "could inspire people in other cities to press their local governments to pass similar measures."

The resolution's co-sponsors include 2nd Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti; 4th Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle; 6th Ward Alderman Freddrenna Lyle; 7th Ward Alderman Sandi Jackson; 22nd Ward Alderman Ricardo Muñoz; 47th Ward Alderman Eugene Schulter; and 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith.

As well, a range of political scientists at the major universities in Chicago — from Northwestern and the University of Chicago to DePaul and the University of Illinois at Chicago — and other prominent local commentators have expressed their support for the resolution.