Dems Blink on Iran Provision
They're All Neocons Now
By Mark I Posted in War — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Congressional Democrats have removed a provision from the supplemental appropriation to fund War on Terror battlefield operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that would have required the president to seek Congressional approval for any future military action against Iran.
Democratic leaders are stripping from a military spending bill for the war in Iraq a requirement that President Bush gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and other leaders agreed to remove the requirement concerning Iran after conservative Democrats as well as other lawmakers worried about its possible impact on Israel, officials said Monday.
The overall bill -- which requires that the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by September 1, 2008, if not earlier -- remained on schedule for an initial test vote Thursday in the House Appropriations Committee.
Read on...
[UDPATES below the fold]
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nevada, said in an interview that there is widespread fear in Israel about Iran, which is believed to be seeking nuclear weapons and has expressed unremitting hostility about the Jewish state.
"It would take away perhaps the most important negotiating tool that the U.S. has when it comes to Iran," she said of the now-abandoned provision.
"I didn't think it was a very wise idea to take things off the table if you're trying to get people to modify their behavior and normalize it in a civilized way," said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-New York.
Several officials said there was widespread opposition to the proposal at a closed-door meeting last week of conservative and moderate Democrats, who said they feared tying the hands of the administration when dealing with an unpredictable and potentially hostile regime in Tehran.[...]
"This supplemental should be about supporting the troops and providing what they need," Rep. Dan Boren, D-Oklahoma, said Monday upon returning from Iraq. Boren said he plans to oppose any legislation setting a clear deadline for troops to leave.
Attacks from the netroots over this obvious sell out to the Israel lobby are sure to be coming soon, and they're sure to be vicious.
With apologies to streiff, pass the popcorn.
[UPDATE:] Bwahahahaha!
[UPDATE II] Mmmmm. Butter.
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Dems Blink on Iran Provision 10 Comments (0 topical, 10 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Israel was not the only reason. We have one captured, and one defected, Iranian general ready to roll on television stating that they commanded Iranian forces attacking American forces in Iraq. Under orders from their government, i.e., this was official government policy and not any rogue faction. Congressional Democrats know this.
Those two guys are a Sword of Damocles hanging over the Democrats on Iran.
But I am loving the butter update.
I want names. Which so-called conservative Democrats and Israeli-lobby suck-ups killed the provision to stop war with Iran?
I have to love those tolerant friendly ethnically diverse(No Christians, Jews or polite agnostics need be included) people.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
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Develop alternatives to existing policies and keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable. Milton Friedman
Why are politicians still going to AIPAC meetings after we caught them spying on us?
Or the communist fifth column that registers as democrats ?
Or the fifth column that calls itself the fourth estate ?
I'm a little confused here, lend a hand please.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Camp
I wonder if you are channeling Pitchfork Pat, who has been strangely silent of late.
Are you inferring something about affair 'd Johnathan Pollard? He's still in jail, may he rot there, and yes even your friends goof up from time to time. That does not make them any less a friend once we've kissed and made up.
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Dennis Miller for President...no more wimps!
This represents a new low for the spineless windbags known as "Members of Congress." First they handed off the war-making power to the Executive Branch. We know this because, in spite of a dozen military adventures by various presidents since the 1950's, no Congress has had the guts to actually declare a war since December 7, 1941.
Now here they were, about to behave as though the Executive is free to enter into wars at whim, so long as Congress does not disapprove in advance. Today we found out they don't even have the guts to pass that.
Why are we even bothering to pay for a Congress when all it does is write vague laws that say nothing, which the Executive and Judicial branches interpret as they please. In this way Members of Congress never have to make a decision. Instead they stand around heckling while other people try to do the jobs that Congress has abdicated.
Drink Good Coffee. You can sleep when you're dead.
...I would be steamed, and demanding that heads roll over this.
This is a cave, if ever I've seen one.
I hope the nutroots go to the ramparts over this. [grin]