Insight News

New York - Fresh off a highly successful State of the Black World Conference III at Howard University in Washington, D.C. where hundreds of Black leaders, organizers and activists gathered to discuss a blueprint for action after the re-election of President Barack Obama -- the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) has launched an online campaign to protest the persistent assault on U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice spearheaded by Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Calling their actions hypocritical in an Open Letter, which individuals and organizations are being asked to sign, IBW states: "We find it utterly incredulous that the Honorable Senators who uncritically supported the war against Iraq, based on inexplicably flawed intelligence or outright deception, could even perk their lips to criticize Ambassador Rice."

IBW and its allies are particularly incensed by the Senators' suggestions that Ambassador Rice is involved in a politically motivated cover-up. "Equally outrageous, you have called for a Joint House/Senate 'select committee' to investigate the Benghazi tragedy, invoking 'Watergate' and the 'Iran Contra' scandal, not so subtly suggesting a cover-up of impeachable proportions." Despite efforts by Ambassador Rice to clear the air with McCain and Graham, they have pledged to block her confirmation as Secretary of State, should she be nominated by President Obama.

IBW is calling on a "Rainbow" of constituencies to resist "hypocrites who are hell bent on continuing the kind of obstructionism carried out by Republicans during President Obama's first term." Dr. Ron Daniels, President of IBW, indicates that the campaign is not an uncritical endorsement of President Obama's foreign policy. "We reserve the right to dissent where we disagree with the administration on foreign policy issues," he said. "But, we will not stand idly by and allow obstructionists to make Ambassador Rice a political punching bag and scapegoat for their frustrations over the loss of the election." In addition to signing the Open Letter, IBW is urging organizations and individuals to call the offices of Senators McCain and Graham to protest their treatment of Ambassador Susan Rice.

Organizations and individuals can access and sign-on to the Open Letter at: http://ibw21.org/hands-off-ambassador-susan-rice/