UI campus speech to focus on U.S., Iran

Many hoped the release of the national intelligence estimate on Iran, which concluded Iran does not have a nuclear weapons research program, would lead to a fundamental change in American policy. Many hoped the apparent reduction in violence in Iraq the Bush administration had previously blamed on Iran would lead to more diplomatic engagement.

But President Bush disowned the assessment of his intelligence agencies and continues to push toward military confrontation. The Bush administration continues military threats, although these violate international law. This month the Pentagon escalated tensions by releasing information about a military encounter with Iran that turned out to be largely false and misleading.