Lieberman-Kyl Amendment Seeks To Escalate Possibility Of Military Action Against Iran
Lieberman-Kyl Amendment Seeks To Escalate Possibility Of Military Action Against Iran
Today, the Senate is expected to vote on an “extremely threatening” amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill introduced by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ). The “sense of the Senate” amendment could “lead to a tit-for-tat escalation resulting in military confrontation between the US and Iran.”
The legislation accuses Iran of fighting “a proxy war against the Iraqi state and coalition forces in Iraq” and threatens to “combat, contain and [stop]” Iran. The right wing has quickly latched onto the amendment, claiming it “unflinchingly…calls on America to win” against Iran.
Appearing on Fox News today, Kyl attempted to downplay the legislation’s implications, claiming “this is not intended to be an authorization of military force against Iran.” Watch it:
In reality, the amendment is a clear call for military action against alleged Iranian agents inside Iraq. From the text of the legislation:
(3) that it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and [stop] the violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its foreign facilitators such as Lebanese Hezbollah, and its indigenous Iraqi proxies;
(4) to support the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of United States national power in Iraq, including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments, in support of the policy described in paragraph (3) with respect to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies.
As Jonathan Schwarz noted, the amendment is a “Sense of the Senate” resolution, “which means it has no legal force, but as the Congressional Research Service will tell you, ‘foreign governments pay close attention to [such resolutions] as evidence of shifts in U.S. foreign policy priorities.’”
Analysts are warning that “the growing US focus on confronting Iran in a proxy war inside Iraq risks triggering a direct conflict in the next few months.” Kyl said his legislation would “pass rather handily.”
UPDATE: TPMtv today looks at how the Lieberman-Kyl amendment is similar to the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act, which officially put the U.S. on record as supporting regime change in Iraq.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Right wing GOP oil-fascists want to escalate Bush aggression in the Middle East to include raining bombs, death and destruction upon the Iranian people. Stop the Bush-Cheney madness.
Impeach, Try, Convict and Remove from Office.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:36 pmJOE.
LIEBERMAN.
IS.
A.
$HITHOLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2007 at 12:37 pmsickening – I’m way more than tired of watching gopers hump each others legs while the world goes to hell in a handbasket. don’t they know there is no medal for circle-jerking in the name of war?
September 25th, 2007 at 12:40 pmArizona and Connecticut must be SOOOO proud of their “boyz”. Warmongering must be a good living for those two.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:40 pmConnecticut has a very well entrenched arms industry, connect that dot with Lieberman’s Judaic tendencies, and we know where he’s coming from.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:42 pmWhere is Botox Nancy Polosi?
Didn’t She and prunes-for-testicles Harry promise there will be a seperate legislation soon that would require Congress’ approval before war with Iran.
We got sold a bill of goods back in November 2006, and the only legislation these idiots can pass is to tell MoveOn not to practice its right to free political speech.
Thanks a bunch Nancy and Harry; Punch and Judy would have made more effective leaders than the two of you.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:43 pmIt’s beginning to look a lot like late 2002/early 2003.
When will this nightmare end?
September 25th, 2007 at 12:43 pmI don’t believe anything Republicans say about anything. Especially Iran.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:46 pmwhat? the good senator representing ISRAEL wants war with iran? say it isnt so….. like to see them try. they dont have the bodies…
ROFLMFAO @ their stupidity.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:46 pmI’m just curious. Does that “FO” in the upper left-hand corner of the screen-grab that goes with this story stand for “f*ck off”?
September 25th, 2007 at 12:47 pmI think I get it now. Actually, “FOX” stands for “f*cking obnoxious xenophobes”.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:49 pmJoe LIEberman is the type of scumbag who would have turned in Anne Frank’s family if it meant an extra matzo ball in his soup. What a dangerous douchebag you are Joe.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:50 pmBoth of these clowns are war mongers.
∞Ω
September 25th, 2007 at 12:50 pmGee no mention in the news of anything the prez of Iran said except that there are no gays in Iran ,or that he denies the holocaust ( which isn’t what he said at columbia) ,even on TP. Millions of Palestinians living in fear and squallor under a foreign occupation is not even worth thinking about .
September 25th, 2007 at 12:51 pmNow the neo con spin machine will inflame the population for a war with a country whose government we couldn’t overthrow fast enough and so supported Saddam in a war which took the lives of a million people .
There is a proxy war in Iraq. The U.S. is playing the role of Israel and Exxon.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:52 pmCan Congress actually do something? They’re not even bothering to legislate anymore. All they can do is pass worthless opinion bills which mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:52 pmApparently the op-ed page of the NYT isn’t good enough anymore.
Congress is doing something. This nonsense is going on in the senate where supposedly cooler heads prevail.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:54 pmHarry Reed needs to nip these “Sense of the Senate” amendments in the bud. He needs to tell the Senate they will no longer be considered. If the Republicans want to do something, they will have to introduce a law to do it. It’s time for the Democrats to stop allowing the Republicans to define every argument. They have the power, they need to use that power.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:54 pmThey’ve been ratcheting up the proxy war talk lately, looking for a good excuse, and this gives them authority. Sense of the Senate amendments lay the groundwork for future actions. Dems better be very careful how they vote on this. It will be used against them later.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:55 pmLast chance democrats ,you are serving your corporate masters at the expense of the American people and there will be hell to pay . The 2 party system is broken ,the MSM is a propaganda arm of the most corrupt group of people to assume power in our history !
September 25th, 2007 at 12:58 pmChimpy and Co. tell you it’s all about the nukes but in reality it’s all about hubris, control of oil, hegemony and ethnic cleansing.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:04 pmIf the proposed Amendment is meant to only affect the violence allegedly being perpetrated inside Iraq by Iranian agents, isn’t the U.S. military already addressing that? Isn’t the military going against any sources of violence or destabilization in Iraq? They are rounding up Iranians without the need for an Amendment. Why the Amendement now, unless they plan to use it to justify military actions outside of Iraq and expand the war?
September 25th, 2007 at 1:05 pmStop posturing ,your political lives are not as important as the survival of our country as a democracy .
September 25th, 2007 at 1:06 pmLets run our own candidates on the internet without corporate funding outside the 2 party system ! The democrats are betraying the trust of the people who elected them , they seem to be either paralysed or complicit !
What in the hell is wrong with Harry Reid. Why is he allowing the Republics to control the message like this? Why doesn’t he just tell them “No more Sense of the Senate” bullshit. I think it is time for the Democrats to replace Harry Reid. Give the job to someone like Russ Feingold or Jim Webb who can stand up to the Republicans. If Reid keeps this up, he will KILL THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:08 pmHas anybody relevent asked the questions:
1. Where the Hell is the PROOF? I don’t think we want to just take Bush/Cheney’s word alone on this one (fool me once…)
2. Where is the F@cking money going to come from?(we’re already indebted to China for the next 100 years)
3. Where will you get the f@cking troops from? (can anyone say DRAFT)
4. Does anyone think that the American populace will be onboard with this?
(oh yeah, nobody in Washington gives a damn what the public thinks anymore)
5. Any support from the international community?(If Israel is your only answer let them fight their own damned war)
No proof, no money, no troops, no support domestically or internationally
September 25th, 2007 at 1:14 pmgee sounds like Lieberman and Kyl have really thought this one through.
Looks like someone’s going to get some medals!
Funny, how Chimpy said that Osama bin Laden and his 19 boxcutters attacked us 6 years ago because they were jealous of our freedoms.
And since that time the Patriot Act, The Military Commissions Act etc are taking away our freedoms all in the name of this phony war on terror.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:17 pmI immediately shot off email to both my Senators as soon as I read this article.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:19 pmStop this madness. Call or email your Senators right now!
Let’s just put it all on the table.
By supporting military aggression against Iran, you are advocating for one, if not all, of the following:
1. The disintergration of the military as, already dangerously overextended, our brave men and women are asked to do too much.
2. The return of the Draft
3. An explosion of terrorism against American interests up to and probably including attacks on American soil.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:22 pmSo at every turn when the Democrats try to pass any legislation, the Republicans simply bring up the potential of a filibuster and the Democrats, rather than fight, simply let the issue die.
So with this moronic idea, where are the Democrats who should be threatening to filibuster? If we keep being told by the Democrats that they don’t have 60 votes, where are the Republican’s 60 votes?
As was said previously, where is the proof that this is happening. How do we know that it is Saudis buying Iranian equipment and supplying it to the Iraqis.
More to the point. The US has NO way to protect the Straits of Hormuz. A small group of boats, or something underwater could easily destroy a tanker and close the Straits.
At that point, you not only shut off Iranian oil, but the vast majority of oil from the entire Gulf.
So what country China, France, etc. is going to support us cutting off their oil?
September 25th, 2007 at 1:22 pmLips Lieberman & Kly ‘kiss my ass’ are doing this for the exposure and shore up WH supports.
They’re idiots without a purpose, other than feathering their own nest.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:23 pmAnd since that time the Patriot Act, The Military Commissions Act etc are taking away our freedoms all in the name of this phony war on terror.
Comment by Kay — September 25, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
Indeed, Kay. Why do boxcutters hate America so?
September 25th, 2007 at 1:25 pmThis amendment is nothing less than another Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
Be afraid, be VERY afraid.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:28 pmThat’s what I’m afraid of : that people still think that OBL and his band of boxcutters took down the towers.
Sheesh. wake-up America.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:30 pm#37
First of all, since you apparently fell off the turnip truck this morning, Joe Lieberman is NOT a Democrat, he’s an INDEPENDENT.
As far as your other, extremely lucid remark, yeah all of the traffic is coming at you and YOU still think that THEY are all going the wrong way.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:35 pmLiberman is the only Dem with the brains and guts 1:31p
Lieberman isn’t a Dem…and the brains and guts are remains of dead soldiers he is responsible for.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:36 pmRelated item: House of Representatives tooks steps today against Iran:
WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress signaled its disapproval of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with a vote Tuesday to tighten sanctions against his government and a call to designate his army a terrorist group.
The swift rebuke was a rare display of bipartisan cooperation in a Congress bitterly divided on the Iraq war. It reflected lawmakers’ long-standing nervousness about Tehran’s intentions in the region, particularly toward Israel—a sentiment fueled by the pro-Israeli lobby whose influence reaches across party lines in Congress …
The House passed, by a 397-16 vote, a proposal by Lantos, D-Calif., aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran, in particular its lucrative energy sector.
http://www.breitbart.com/ article.php?id=D8RSJ5VO1&show_article=1
September 25th, 2007 at 1:40 pm12 – because nearly all of those boxcutter guys came from Saudi Arabia, practicing a radical Saudi ideology, using Saudi money.
George Bush (both of them) are on a face-kissing basis with Saudis to this day.
You righties should ask your President why he remains on face-kissing terms with the Saudis, who gave us Bin Laden, the hijackers, and the hateful ideology that propels terrorism.
Why are you righties not all hot and bothered about delivering justice to the Saudis, who gave us the hateful terrorist ideology, the hijackers, and their mastermind boss? Using your logic, it must be because you want to kiss them, too.
I repeat, as have many others – these attacks against Iraq and Iran are like attacking Maylaysia in retaliation for Pearl Harbor.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:41 pm#41 Islamofacists – Another Rovian term that has absolutely NO basis in reality, except for the chicken littles who believe everything else that the administration has frightened them into believing. Goes along with the last “terror alert” that happened right before the vote on extending the Patriot Act.
The “islamofacists” are not too different than the right winged radical “conservatives” who are trying to save the country from the Constitution.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:44 pmLieberman (I) at it again…pushing for more wars for Neocons to fullfil the PNAC ( Project For New American Century) manisfesto,and the Strausscons,Likudites dreams.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:46 pmIs Lieberman sending any of his family to fight this coming Iranian war that he is pushing for?!
Let’s implement a pay as you go system for any current and future wars of aggression. All supporters of the war will be billed in advance via monthly invoice. Any troop needs will be met by a draft of war supporters between the ages of 18 and 48.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:54 pmThere is a proxy war in Iraq. The U.S. is playing the role of Israel and Exxon.
Comment by tom — September 25, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Now that is a gross oversimplification and you know it!
You’re forgetting UNOCAL, Chevron, Texaco, Bay Oil, KBR, BP, and so many more!
September 25th, 2007 at 1:55 pmThese two criminals have to be voted out.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:08 pmRelated item:
France Says Letting Iran Go Nuclear Could Cause War
September 25, 2007
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons could destabilize the world and lead to war, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the United Nations on Tuesday.
In his maiden speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Sarkozy said: “There will be no peace in the world if the international community falters in the face of nuclear arms proliferation.â€
Iran was entitled to nuclear power for civilian purposes, he said, “but if we allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, we would incur an unacceptable risk to stability in the region and in the worldâ€.
In a broader warning against the dangers of appeasement, the new French leader said: “Weakness and renunciation do not lead to peace. They lead to war.â€
September 25th, 2007 at 2:18 pmI am totally in favor of bombing Iran.
As long as McChain and his AZ buddy Kyl are riding the bombs down like Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:19 pmSarkozy is the new Bush poddle who replaced Tony Blair.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:24 pmIf the repub-licks can’t get 60 votes, then this bill should die.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:29 pmLieberman is the only Dem with the brains and guts to play it tough with Iran. The rest are either pussies, idiots or traitors.
Comment by Cynicon Implant
So tell me Cynicon – why do you want to start World War III? What will it gain the US? Where are we going to get the troops? Where are we going to get the money? Do you really think the rest of the world will sit idly by and watch us bomb Iran? We are already the most hated nation in the world, why do you want to make this worse? What are you, some kind of a moron? Oh….that’s obvious, never mind my asking.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:33 pmIsn’t there anything CT can do with their insane, out of control idiot senator? And to think he was supposed to be VP beginning 2001.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:35 pmIf France and Israel are so fired up with aggression towards Iran, America should simply stand down and tell them to go right ahead. Leave us the f@ck out of it. We should, however, send them one battalion made up of this country’s biggest supporters of anti Iran aggression: Georgie with his fly swatter, Dickieboy, Lieberman, Kyl, Thomson, Gouliani, all the boys @ FAUX news (that’s right Coultergeist I’m talking about you too), all the warmongers at the Brookings Institute and Michelle Malkin in a cheerleader uniform, pack them up in a few shipping containers and ship them on a direct flight to Charles DeGaulle Airport where they can be fitted with French Army fatigues and sent promptly to the border of Iraq/Iran. We can make Georgie wear a placard saying, “BRING IT ON!” also.
September 25th, 2007 at 2:44 pmI am so sick of all this I will scream…..Once again, the USA and bushco regime (the most war like in modern time’s ) has no right to dictate bomb building to any other country in the world…..Cheney/Bush, lieberman and all the warmonger’s should crawl in a hole or be strapped to the very bomb’s they want to drop on another innocent country…Untill Iran or any other country actuely doe’s something war like we have no right….Get the hell out of Iraq….Make Israel handle their own damn peoblem’s….Stop this madness..What is wrong with these people.? If my neighbor caused a problem ( as they have in the past) I talked to them….No bomb’s..Before we dictate to the world we better stop the bomb building and invasion’s…Blessings
September 25th, 2007 at 3:10 pmFree Palestine and we will free ourselves from our illegal war on terror. Of course, that’s the big, huge, leviathan, sickening lie – that being what we are actually involved with is our ‘War of Terror for Israel’ – and THAT is how bought we are
“The Israeli Lobby and US Foreign Policy” is an essential primer to the ‘why they hate us’ that Israel and the Neocons don’t want Americans to know about. It very clearly outlines the PRESENT manipulation of our foreign policy for our coming war on Iran – read it before (or during) our war with Iran begins – talk about exciting and timely! Ha! It’s a great read and provides the necessary background for informed American foreign policy debate, IMHO
Check it out for free – there’s a couple of free chapters of “The Israeli Lobby and US Foreign Policy ” by Mearsheimer and Walt in today’s NYTimes – it’s posted in today’s edition.
September 25th, 2007 at 4:33 pm“…the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act, which officially put the U.S. on record as supporting regime change in Iraq.”
You mean the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act that passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent and the House of Representatives by a vote of 360 – 38 and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton????
Is that the Iraq Liberation Act Josh is talking about?
September 25th, 2007 at 4:55 pmEnough military-industrial-complex business as usual. I’m voting for Kucinich.
“Iran had a democratic government which was overthrown because of oil.” — Dennis Kucinich, November 2006
September 26th, 2007 at 4:37 pmI am not for Republicans at all. I just want to point out the facts.
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00349
If you peruse that list you will see that two Republicans voted nay on this amendment. Hagel and Lugar.
I am glad that there are two Republicans against it. However, this means more Democrats voted for it than we thought!
Hillary just lost all possiblity of my vote.
IMPEACHMENT NOW!!!
These bastards have ruined us! The US Dollar is worth LESS than the Canadian dollar as of yesterday! The economy is doing great though!
September 29th, 2007 at 3:42 pm“China doesnt care because they want Beijing to be pretty for 2008 Olympics.”–Comment by Omega 3
Think again. China imports a lot of Iranian oil for use in their burgeoning middle-class economy (if just 10% of Chinese want a new car, that’s still 120 million new cars craving gasoline.
Do you REALLY think the Chinese who hold most of Bush’s Tax-Cut-and-Spend reckless war debt, are really going to sit idly by while we bomb them and their oil delivery infrastructure back into the stone age?
If yourt grandparents lived through the Great Depression, it might be a good time to ask them for their view on what that was like. Our depression brought on by Chimpy’s cowboy attitude will make 1929-38 look like a day at the NASCAR races.
The Dems better threaten to fillibuster this. Then Pelosi better put Impeachment back on the table–Dick first, then Chimpy.
October 9th, 2007 at 1:44 am