[Sosfbay-discuss] Dems won't try to limit Bush's power to attack Iran (AP)

[Gerry Gras]

Framing is important.

If you read this casually, you could say that the
right's thinking is reasonable.  That what they are
saying is that they don't want [our side] to have its
hands tied in its diplomacy with the other.

But the attempted Congressional action was not to
take any options completely off the table, but to
say that the Administration could not attack Iran
without Congress's approval.  So the liberal Dems
are supporting the Constitution while the Reps and
conservative Dems are saying let's give full authority
to the Bush Administration, never mind their past
track record, never mind the Constitution.

And now apparently the liberal Dems are giving in.

...

It looks like the most likely scenario is one all too
common in history,  Two sides do saber rattling in the
attempt to get the other side to "cooperate" (i.e.
give in), the rhetoric escalates, then one side says
it is hopeless, we must attack before they do, and
war ensues, and one or both sides lose big time.

Of course in this case it will be the U.S. or Israel
that will attack, and Iran, Israel, and the U.S. will
all suffer.  Unless ...

Gerry


JamBoi wrote:

>  Dems won't try to limit Bush's power to attack Iran (AP)
> Date:	 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:14:40 -0700 (PDT)
>  
> Dems abandon war authority provision
> 
> By DAVID ESPO and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press
> Writers 
> March 12, 2007
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070312/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq
> 
> 
> WASHINGTON - Top House Democrats retreated Monday
> from an attempt to limit President Bush's
> authority for taking military action against Iran
> as the leadership concentrated on a looming
> confrontation with the White House over the Iraq
> war. 
> 
> Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other
> members of the leadership had decided to strip
> from a major military spending bill a requirement
> for Bush to gain approval from Congress before
> moving against Iran.
> 
> Conservative Democrats as well as lawmakers
> concerned about the possible impact on       
> Israel had argued for the change in strategy.
> 
> The developments occurred as Democrats pointed
> toward an initial test vote in the House
> Appropriations Committee on Thursday on the
> overall bill, which would require the withdrawal
> of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by Sept. 1, 2008,
> if not earlier. The measure provides nearly $100
> billion to pay for fighting in two wars, and
> includes more money than the president requested
> for operations in Afghanistan and what Democrats
> called training and equipment shortages.
> 
> The White House has issued a veto threat against
> the bill, and Vice President Dick Cheney attacked
> its supporters in a speech, declaring they "are
> telling the enemy simply to watch the clock and
> wait us out."
> 
> House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio issued a
> statement that said Democrats shouldn't count on
> any help passing their legislation. "Republicans
> will continue to stand united in this debate, and
> will oppose efforts by Democrats to undermine the
> ability of General Petraeus and our troops to
> achieve victory in the Global War on Terror," he
> said.
> 
> Top Democrats had a different perspective.
> 
> Pelosi issued a written statement that said the
> vice president's remarks prove that "the
> administration's answer to continuing violence in
> Iraq is more troops and more treasure from the
> American people."
> 
> Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said
> in a statement that America was less safe today
> because of the war. The president "must change
> course, and it's time for the Senate to demand he
> do it," he added.
> 
> The Iran-related proposal stemmed from a desire
> to make sure Bush did not launch an attack
> without going to Congress for approval, but drew
> opposition from numerous members of the rank and
> file in a series of closed-door sessions last
> week.
> 
> Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said in an
> interview 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 of
> 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.
> 
> Public opinion has swung the way of Democrats on
> the issue of the war. More than six in 10
> Americans think the conflict was a mistake -- the
> largest number yet found in AP-Ipsos polling.
> 
> But Democrats have struggled to find a compromise
> that can satisfy both liberals who oppose any
> funding for the military effort and conservatives
> who do not want to unduly restrict the commander
> in chief.
> 
> "This supplemental should be about supporting the
> troops and providing what they need," said Rep.
> Dan Boren, D-Okla., on Monday upon returning from
> a trip to Iraq. Boren said he plans to oppose any
> legislation setting a clear deadline for troops
> to leave.
> 
> In his speech, Cheney chided lawmakers who are
> pressing for tougher action on Iran to oppose the
> president on the Iraq War. 
> 
> "It is simply not consistent for anyone to demand
> aggressive action against the menace posed by the
> Iranian regime while at the same time acquiescing
> in a retreat from Iraq that would leave our worst
> enemies dramatically emboldened and Israel's best
> friend, the United States, dangerously weakened,"
> he said.
> 
> ___________________
> 
> JamBoi
> Jammy The Sacred Cow Slayer
> 
> "Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
> http://dailyJam.blogspot.com
> 
> 
>  
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