We're doing it all over again. The policy in regard to Iran is regime change; a nuclear weapons program is simply an excuse to rally support around the confrontation of Iran.

Scott Ritter

"He says all options are on the table," said Ritter, "but the president has already made up his mind."

Ritter, who was in charge of searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before the war, spoke on Thursday to an audience of more than 150 people at the University of New Hampshire. Ritter drew parallels to today's situation with Iran and the ways Iraq was handled five years ago.

After carrying out more than 40 inspections in Iraq, Ritter determined Iraq did not possess weapons of mass destruction and resigned from his post because of his findings.

According to Ritter, the only way to truly stop a war with Iran is to stop the funding before it begins.

"Pressure your elected representatives to push for resolutions that prevent a war with Iran before Congress has had a chance to adequately review the issue," said Ritter.

Ritter also challenged the audience to become more informed.

"There is only one thing that defines citizenship and who we are as a people, and that's the Constitution," he said. "How can you say you're a citizen if you don't know what we espouse to be? We claim to support (the troops), but we can't come to grips with why they are fighting."

According to Ritter, President Bush's use of weapons of mass destruction as a reason to invade Iraq is now happening with Iran.

"We're doing it all over again," he said. "The policy in regard to Iran is regime change; a nuclear weapons program is simply an excuse to rally support around the confrontation of Iran."

Ritter again stressed the importance of education at the end of his talk.

"We are collectively grasping for solutions in Iraq when we haven't the foggiest idea what we're doing in Iraq," he said. "Don't believe the BS that you get out of Washington. Be good citizens; a good citizen thinks for his or herself."

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