Difference between revisions of "Bipartisan Policy Center"
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Revision as of 22:18, 29 November 2010
Funded to the tune of over 23 million in 2009 with donations coming from Shell, Chevron, and PhRMA,[1] the Bipartisan Policy Center "is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole and George Mitchell."[2] It claims to act "as an incubator for policy efforts that engage top political figures, advocates, academics and business leaders in the art of principled compromise." In contrast to its stated desire "to develop policy solutions that make sense for the nation" that "can be embraced by both sides of the aisle,"[2] the BPC has been described by some analysts as "ultra-hawkish" considering the backround of leadership figures like Michael Makovsky[3] who joined the BPC in 2006. [4] According to investigative journalist Robert Dreyfuss, the BPC is "a collection of neoconservatives, hawks, and neoliberal interventionists and it "is currently campaigning for military action against Iran."[5]
Contents
Target Iran
The Roadmap to War with Iran
In 2008 the BPC released a task force report believed to be mainly authored by Makovsky and Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute[6] titled "Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iranian Nuclear Development"[7] which offered analysis of Iran's nuclear program and recommendations for strategic US policy response. It has been characterized by some analysts as a "Roadmap to war with Iran."[6][8]
As summarized by report task force members Charles S. Robb and Charles Wald, the report offers "a triple-track strategy that involves the simultaneous pursuit of diplomacy; sanctions; and visible, credible military readiness activity."[9] Robb and Wald suggest without solid evidence that "current trends suggest that Iran could achieve nuclear weapons capability before the end of this year."[9] They add:
- Contrary to a growing number of voices in Washington, we do not believe a nuclear weapons-capable Iran could be contained. Instead, it would set off a proliferation cascade across the Middle East, and Iran would gain the ability to transfer nuclear materials to its terrorist allies...An even more likely scenario, however, is that Israel would first attack Iranian nuclear facilities, triggering retaliatory strikes by Iran and its terrorist proxies. This would put the United States in an extremely difficult position. If we remained neutral in such a conflict, it would only invigorate Tehran, antagonize our regional allies and lead to greater conflict...Sanctions can be effective only if coupled with open preparation for the military option as a last resort. Indeed, publicly playing down potential military options has weakened our leverage with Tehran, making a peaceful resolution less likely.[9]
Robert Dreyfuss argues that
- it’s important to note that the report prominently cites Dennis Ross, currently “Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Central Region, National Security Council,” as one of the “original task force members” of the BPC’s bomb-Iran planning group. Ross, who’s been keeping a low profile, is the inside man for the neoconservatives in the Obama administration...It’s not the first time that the BPC has issued a war-mongering report on Iran. Its first was issued in September, 2008, and that report was signed by Dennis Ross. A second report, similar to the first, was released in September, 2009.[5]
In May 2009 an article written by Makovsky and Ed Morse was published in the New Republic that "essentially says that AIPAC and other components of the lobby — such as Joe Lieberman, who published a new op-ed promoting the bill in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal — are wasting their time and should be pushing stronger measures now."[3] Daniel Luban and Jim Lope of IPS point out that Makovsky and Morse admit that sanctions on Iran won't work so they can push for a "naval blockade" instead.[3] The article repeats claims from "Meeting the Challenge". Write Makovsky and Morse:
- Placing aside the issue that the U.S. government has not consistently and aggressively enforced the current iteration of the Iran Sanctions Act, ramping it up to limit Iran's gasoline imports is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country...Moreover, with so many gasoline suppliers in the world--including Russia and China, over which the United States has limited leverage--it would be difficult to enforce any embargo short of a military-backed blockade...If the United States is committed to using an energy lever, the only effective one available is to deploy a naval blockade to interdict Iran's gasoline imports, and possibly its oil exports. Since this would be tantamount to an act of war, it should only be initiated by the United States and its allies after diplomacy and financial sanctions have failed, as a last measure short of a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.[10]
Key Personnel
Principals
- Jason Grumet - President[11]
- Michael Makovsky - Foreign Policy Director[4]
Funding
The BPC's 2009 Annual Report included a list of its major funders.
Contact
Website: http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BipartisanPolicyCenter
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/BPC_Bipartisan
Address:
1225 I Street, NW Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
202-204-2400
Contact
http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/
Notes
- ↑ BPC, 2009 Annual Report, Bipartisan Policy Center, accessed on 29 November 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 BPC, "About", Bipartisan Policy Center, accessed on 27 November 2010
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Daniel Luban and Jim Lobe, "Shortcut On The Roadmap To War", Lobe Log, 1 June 2009
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bipartisan Policy Center, "Michael Makovsky", Bipartisan Policy Center, accessed on 29 November 2010 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bibio" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Robert Dreyfuss, Hawks, UAE Ambassador Want War with Iran , The Nation, 9 July 2010
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jim Lobe, "Top Obama Adviser Signs On To Roadmap To War With Iran", IPS, 23 October 2008
- ↑ BPC, "Meeting the Challenge: U.S. Policy Toward Iranian Nuclear Development", Bipartisan Policy Center, September 2008
- ↑ Jim Lobe, "Accelerated Roadmap To War", Lobe Log, 9 September 2009
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Charles S. Robb and Charles Wald, "Sanctions alone won't work on Iran", Washington Post, 9 July 2010
- ↑ Ed Morse and Michael Makovsky, "Morse and Makovsky: Over a Barrel: Why Congress's sanctions against Iran won't work", Bipartisan Policy Center, 29 May 2009, accessed on 26 November 2010
- ↑ BPC, [Bipartisan Policy Center "Jason Grumet"], Bipartisan Policy Center, accessed on 29 November 2010
