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After Jim Webb’s amendment was rejected by cloture vote ::
(Firedoglake) – Right after Sen. Lieberman voted against U.S. troops on the Webb amendment, he launched his new Iran Amendment – cosponsored by pals Kyl, Graham, Collins and Sessions with strong support by McCain – and Senator Levin could not fall over himself fast enough to display his love of his big pal from CT. Watch here – but prepare yourself – it will test your gag reflex mightily. (Thanks as always to Crooks and Liars for being on top of the news!)
This gist of the amendment:
It is the sense of the senate that Iran is participating in acts of war against the United States. (h/t OpenLeft)
(The Hill) July 11 – By a vote of 97-0, the Senate Wednesday passed an amendment to the 2008 defense authorization bill offered by Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) calling for a detailed report on the role Iran plays in equipping and funding terrorists in Iraq.
The Senate’s rebuke also comes a day after the U.S. Navy announced that it would send a third aircraft carrier to its 5th Fleet area of operations, which includes waters close to Iran, whose dispute with the West over its nuclear plans has stirred regional tensions.
The provision expresses a sense of Congress that the killing of members of the U.S. military is an unacceptable act and that Iran and its agents must take immediate action to end all training, equipping, funding, advising or any other support to Iraqi militias and insurgents that contributes to the destabilization of Iraq.
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Some Democrats have been trying for months to rein in the presidential war-making powers and ensure that the Bush administration seeks congressional authorization for any preemptive strike against Iran, but those attempts have failed in part because of divisions among Democrats. Some are concerned that restricting Bush’s war powers could endanger Israel’s security in the Middle East.
Lieberman recently generated controversy when he said that Iran, by its actions in Iraq, has declared war on the U.S. and that the U.S. government should keep open the possibility of using military force against Iran .
In short, McCain’s statement on Senate floor: destabilizing Iraq and killing American troops. Iran’s president: “Israel must be wiped off the map.” Continued threat to Israel! Link Hezbollah to Quds militia, training and support of Shia extremists in Iraq and Iran. Acquiring a nuclear weapon and handing it over to terrorists. Sunni involvement sponsored by the Saudis and Turkey not accepting a Kurdish state. Address Iranian threat, or pay a very heavy price.
They are all insane, that’s the only conclusion I can come to…detailed report on Iran eh…yeah so they can cherry pick just like they did with Iraq-to fit their already preconceived ideas about the danger Iran poses.
I’d rather see a 97-0 vote making an amendment for universal health care-something constructive instead of this idiocy and waste of time.
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(The Jewish Daily – Forward) – Last week an American general in Baghdad announced that a veteran Hezbollah commander had been caught in Iraq and had admitted to training and directing anti-American Iraqi militias in coordination with Iran’s hard-line Revolutionary Guard. The presence of Hezbollah in Iraq has been alleged by American officials before, but last week’s announcement marked the first time the militant Shi’ite group has been accused of involvement in the killing of American soldiers in Iraq.
The drumbeat of American accusations against Iran has been growing in recent months, during which time the American military has detained several Iranian officials in Iraq. While the initial allegations focused on Iranian support for Shi’ite militias in Iraq, they now also include backing for Sunni Iraqi groups and Tehran’s erstwhile enemy in Afghanistan, the Taliban.
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Mark Perry, a military analyst who has been in regular contact with Hezbollah, is skeptical of Bergner‘s claims. The general became the head spokesman for the American military in Iraq in June, having served previously as a special assistant to President Bush.
“I don’t believe this report, because it’s not in the interest of Hezbollah,” said Perry, a co-director of Conflicts Forum, which has organized meetings in recent years between leaders of the militant group and former American and British intelligence officials. “I am bothered that a general in Baghdad makes these claims instead of the civilian leadership in the Pentagon.”
Others have noted multiple reasons why Hezbollah would have an interest in being involved in Iraq. Israeli operatives are allegedly on the ground in Kurdistan, the largely autonomous northern region whose leadership has relatively friendly relations with Jerusalem. And a number of those who founded Hezbollah in the early 1980s were members of the Lebanese branch of Dawa, an Iraqi Islamist party now headed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Unbelievable. Just unbelievable – they’ve just issued another blank check so Bush can declare War on Iran.
Vote was 97-0. Who were the 3? Sen. Vitter (oK, he was occupied), Sen. Brownback (R-KS) and Sen. Johnson (D-SD).
Quick bombs away. We do have a death wish.
UPDATE: This from The Guardian, UK, July 16,2007
It is reported that Rice and Gates lost the internal debate. Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran
…but the Monday, July 16th edition of the Guardian is claiming that Cheney has gained the upper hand over Condi and that military action will be taken against Iran before Bush leaves office in 18 months.
But hey, we can’t pursue impeachment because that wouldn’t be polite. Better not use any four-letter words either.