Here are some facts:

Last spring, Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state and Washington’s chief nuclear arms negotiator, asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel refused.

The United Nations passed a resolution calling on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

The IAEA asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

Iran’s formal notification to the IAEA of the planned construction of the backup fuel-rod facility underscores that Iran is abiding by the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which Iran has signed.

Iran allows IAEA inspections of all its facilities.

Contrary to face-saving claims, it appears that the U.S. and Israel were both caught off guard by Iran’s announcement. The reasoning is simple. Had the U.S. or Israel announced the existence of the new facility before Iran notified the IAEA, it would have put Iran on the defensive. As it is now, the U.S. and Israel seem to be playing catch up, casting doubt on the veracity of Israel’s claims to “know” that Iran is a nuclear threat.

The IAEA and all 16 United States intelligence agencies are unanimous in agreement that Iran is not building and does not possess nuclear weapons.

Israel made the same accusations against Iraq that it is making against Iran, leading up to Israel’s bombing of the power station at Osirik. Following the invasion of 2003, international experts examined the ruins of the power station at Osirik and found no evidence of a clandestine weapons factory in the rubble.

The United Nations has just released the Goldstone Report, a scathing report that accuses Israel of 37 specific war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza earlier this year. Israel has denounced the report as “anti-Semitic” — even though Judge Goldstone is himself Jewish.

We all need to be “Joe Wilsons” (the one who blew the whistle on the Bush administration in 2003 over its bogus claims about Iraq’s nuclear weapons program) right now and hold war party politicians and pundits to account. And we need to keep doing it until they get the message that we will not be deceived anymore.

Israel, the war party and the military mafia want to send your kids off to die in Iran and you are the only one that can stop them.

Paul Demetrick, Canadian Army (Reserve) retired

Penticton

Something for seniors

I would like to send out an invitation for R. Fowler to come down to the Leisure Center (formally Penticton and District Wellness Centre) at 439 Winnipeg to check out our programs.

The centre has a lot to offer for seniors at very reasonable rates. They have two levels of fitness classes running Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Dancersize from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. is suited for the active, mobile senior. Followed by EZ Pacers from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., a class done with chairs which is suited for the senior that needs support perhaps because of recent surgery or other health problems.

All classes are led by a BCRPA certified fitness professional whose specialty is third age (seniors). The centre also offers snooker in the mornings and at night we have clogging classes.

For seniors that want to workout their brains as well as get in some socializing we offer bingo on Fridays and many computer classes during the week. If you don’t find anything suitable at this facility you could check out fitness classes held at the Legion or the many programs offered at the Seniors Centre on South Main.

While it’s true that the City of Penticton does not offer much for seniors, there are many other organizations in town that are trying to keep the older adult active and fit. I hope this helps.

Lynn Redmond

Penticton