Hagel: New Unilateral Iran Sanctions ‘Escalate The Danger Of A Military Confrontation’
Hagel: New Unilateral Iran Sanctions ‘Escalate The Danger Of A Military Confrontation’
Today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson accused the Quds division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps of proliferating weapons of mass destruction and sponsoring terrorism. They announecd new unilateral sanctions, the “broadest set of punitive measures imposed on Tehran since 1979.”
In his weekly news conference today, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply criticized the administration’s move, warning that it brings the United States one step closer to war:
“Unilateral sanctions rarely, ever work,” Hagel said by phone during his weekly news conference. “I just don’t think the unilateral approach and giving war speeches helps the situation. It will just drive the Iranians closer together.” […]
“It escalates the danger of a military confrontation,” Hagel said.
“I certainly think engagement is critical … direct engagement,” said Hagel. “That’s what great powers do.”
In the press conference today, Rice insisted that the United States continues to pursue the “path of cooperation” with Iran. But the administration’s announcement comes just a day after CQ reported on the administration’s $88-million request to equip B-2 “stealth” bombers with a new 30,000-pound bunker buster — a weapon “meant for the kind of hardened targets found chiefly in Iran.”
On Sunday, Vice President Cheney issued “his sternest warning to date on Iran,” promising that there will be “serious consequences” if Iran continues “on its present course.” President Bush also last week publicly warned for the first time of the risk of “World War III” if Iran gets nuclear weapons.
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46 Responses to “Hagel: New Unilateral Iran Sanctions ‘Escalate The Danger Of A Military Confrontation’”
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Ok, bushco blocked Iran from using the dollar on the world market… guess what… There are others that ARE bailing on the dollar VOLUNTARY!
October 25th, 2007 at 5:00 pmSo what are you going to do about it, Chuck?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:08 pmCan we please find a padded cell and put these two in it? Well, along with Rice and Paulson and anyone else that is willing to blow up the world to find out who is the toughest. CentCom Fallon is saying hold on a minute others are saying wait but these few keep pushing and pushing. Where in the hell is butterfly net when you need it ?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:08 pmSen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply criticized the administration’s move, warning that it brings the United States one step closer to war
Hagel is real good about speaking out against Bush, then turning around, caving in and voting for the Bush fckups.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pmSounds almost like the current crop of Democrats, hmmmm.
The only way to stop Cheney from attacking Iran is to tie him down and gag him. Hoping he’ll just give up is foolish. Is there anyone in congress with the guts to stop this madman?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pmSo what are you going to do about it, Chuck?
Comment by TheToonGuy — October 25, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
What he usually does, give Bush what he wants…….
October 25th, 2007 at 5:11 pmOf course Hagel is right, which is why he’s being pushed out of the party. Stating the obvious is against the RNC’s bylaws.
What else are you gonna call their claims that Iran’s military is spreading WMDs? What are we defining WMDs as anyway? Slingshots? WMD has become newspeak for “we want to attack you, and its our Pavlovian trigger to make our idiot public support us.”
October 25th, 2007 at 5:14 pmThe TREASURY Secretary?? Geeze, can Barney and the twins weigh in on this too?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:15 pmAre we so foolish to think that that Iran will not retaliate. Do we think we will attack with impunity? Fools are we.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:15 pmThe TREASURY Secretary?? Geeze, can Barney and the twins weigh in on this too?
Comment by Badmoodman — October 25, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
To be fair, economic sanctions against foreign countries are in Treasury’s jurisdiction.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:16 pmI am reading on C&L that this a.m. Col David Hunt (ret) said we had Osama in our sights August 2007. Heard his conversations from a convoy leaving the Tora Bora area, had him lined up, could have taken him and didn’t. Tell me again that Bush wants to have to put on trial the son of his friends.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:21 pmWhat else are you gonna call their claims that Iran’s military is spreading WMDs? What are we defining WMDs as anyway? Slingshots? WMD has become newspeak for “we want to attack you, and its our Pavlovian trigger to make our idiot public support us.â€
Comment by imorgan82 — October 25, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
Maybe they are the ones providing Bic lighters to Al Qaeda, to start the California fires, like Faux is claiming.
OMG, they are spreading Bics of mass destruction!!!
October 25th, 2007 at 5:23 pmHide in your basements trolls!! ( coward Hit especially )
Fear the BMDs!!
Rice insisted that the United States continues to pursue the “path of cooperation†with Iran.
hate to see the “path of uncooperation,” wait…duoh! there they go again!
October 25th, 2007 at 5:24 pmTell me again that Bush wants to have to put on trial the son of his friends.
Comment by texaslady — October 25, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Well, what do you expect? Arbusto ain’t gonna bail out itself, ya know…
October 25th, 2007 at 5:28 pmThese sanctions are the “prelude” to an attack, we all know that. This way the neofascists can say that they tried everything first before attacking when an attack is foremost on their mind. I wonder how long they’ll give these economic sanctions before they do so? Bush’s clock is ticking….how much longer do we have to endure looking at that nasty mug of his?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:30 pmToasterhead: Who was the Bin Laden who bailed GWB out of his Arbusto stock? Was it the same Bin Laden who was in business with him in Harken - his other “botched” business?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:31 pmThe sanctions aren’t being used ‘to work’. They’re being used to fail. BushCo & the Knuckledraggers are hellbent upon attacking Iran, these sanctions are just there to soften up Americans.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:32 pmI hope some of the kool aide drinkers listening to Fox heard all this, was on Stephanie Miller’s show. Probably too early in the morning for them and you better believe it won’t hit the news again.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:33 pmMaybe I will e-mail Olbermann’s show and see if they will pick up on it. Those 24%ers need to know their boy is lying to them.
Those 24%ers need to know their boy is lying to them.
The 24%’ers don’t care. Just like the brown shirts and lemmings, they will follow der leader right off the cliff.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:36 pmONCE AGAIN, THE BUSH CABAL IS MOVING TO INTENTIONALLY RAISE THE PRICE OF OIL, ONLY FO RTHE US. HE AND HIS BUDDIES ARE GOING TO GET RICH RICH RICH STOPPING THE FLOW OF IRANIAN OIL INTO THE COUTNRY.
GO TEAM TERROR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Makes me sick to my stomache.
These bastards are going to get their $5 a gallon oil, no matter how in on it the Democrats are.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:36 pmWon’t somebody stop Bush & Cheney? They’re doing the same thing they did with Iraq, and everyone knows how that’s turning out. It can only get worse if they have their way.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:38 pmOH yeah and where are all of the old school trolls who said they would man up and admit they were wrong and we were right 3 years ago when we said that Bush planned on bombing Iran and they called us lunatic fringe whackos.
Looks like the lunatic fringe whackos were right on the fu*king money.
Again.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:38 pmEh “$5 a gallon oil” should have been “$5 a gallon gas”
October 25th, 2007 at 5:39 pm” proliferating weapons of mass destruction and sponsoring terrorism ” and the proof is where? Are they just shooting off their mouths and lieing as their dear leader did about Iraq?
President Bush also last week publicly warned for the first time of the risk of “World War III†if Iran gets nuclear weapons. What kind of timing is GW666 gonna bomb Iran, we all know he is up to no good again, but does the idiot know or even consider the consequences of this kind of action? I doubt it.
We’re Number 10, We’re Number 10, We’re Number 10, GO TEAM GO
Buck Fush
October 25th, 2007 at 5:43 pmToasterhead: Who was the Bin Laden who bailed GWB out of his Arbusto stock? Was it the same Bin Laden who was in business with him in Harken - his other “botched†business?
Comment by Veritas — October 25, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
That was Salem bin Laden, who mysteriously died in a plane crash in 1988. The Binladin Group assets then passed on to Khalid bin Mahfouz, who was indicted by a New York grand jury for fraud in the BCCI scandal and paid over $200 million in fines.
Nice group of friends our President has, eh?
October 25th, 2007 at 5:43 pmOMG, they are spreading Bics of mass destruction!!!
Hide in your basements trolls!! ( coward Hit especially )
Fear the BMDs!!
Comment by Wayne — October 25, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Dayum, Wayne!!
BICS of Mass Destruction…??
Hell, I was just barely over my fear of GMD - GUMBALLS of Mass Destruction!!!
:o/
October 25th, 2007 at 5:45 pmThe only way to stop Cheney from attacking Iran is to tie him down and gag him. Hoping he’ll just give up is foolish. Is there anyone in congress with the guts to stop this madman?
Comment by TheToonGuy — October 25, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
OR hit his PACEMAKER with a STRONG MICROWAVE.
While hunting in Poughkeepsie…
October 25th, 2007 at 5:50 pm“In the press conference today, Rice insisted that the United States continues to pursue the “path of cooperation†with Iran
October 25th, 2007 at 5:51 pm… not if Iran gives up their ambitions to acquire or generate weapons grade uranium / plutonium. It really is that simple.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:53 pmI am reading on C&L that this a.m. Col David Hunt (ret) said we had Osama in our sights August 2007. Heard his conversations from a convoy leaving the Tora Bora area, had him lined up, could have taken him and didn’t. Tell me again that Bush wants to have to put on trial the son of his friends.
Comment by texaslady — October 25, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Correct. Which is ONE of the reasons why Bush and Cheney REFUSED TO TESTIFY UNDER OATH to the 9/11 Commission.
They NEED Osama to keep the RapeubliNazis SCARED…
October 25th, 2007 at 5:54 pmre # 28 - The rest of my comment was “Didn’t the U.S. say essentially the same thing just before they invaded Iraq?
Don’t know why it disappeared.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:54 pmHell, I was just barely over my fear of GMD - GUMBALLS of Mass Destruction!!!
Comment by Leftside Annie — October 25, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Oh, no
You had to mention the GMDs
Now the trolls will flee this thread screaming like ninnies.
=D
Looks like the lunatic fringe whackos were right on the fu*king money.
Again.
Comment by Spudge Boy — October 25, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
Yeah, I remember that….
October 25th, 2007 at 5:58 pmDon’t expect those trolls to have honor enough to admit they were wrong. Not going to happen.
Hagel, though a Republican, has always made more sense than his colleagues in his views of the war. He is leaving office, however, so his word means little. They ignored him before and they will ignore him even more now.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:58 pmThe best we can hope for is that he influences the thinking of the moderate republicans (oxymoronic phrase?) and pressure continues on the White House.
Some day we may learn that OBL has been dead for years, but Bush&Co have kept him alive for their own purposes.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:00 pmThey need a boogeyman out there. They need to produce a video tape or an audio tape when they need to add a punch to their talk of the war on terror.
Some day we may learn that OBL has been dead for years, but Bush&Co have kept him alive for their own purposes.
They need a boogeyman out there. They need to produce a video tape or an audio tape when they need to add a punch to their talk of the war on terror.
Comment by Marie — October 25, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Actually looks like he is still alive, but Bush does still need his boogyman…….
From Crooks & Liars because I refuse to link to Faux Snewz
October 25th, 2007 at 6:08 pmHagel isn’t being forced out of the party or the Senate. He is leaving because he is so fed up with the nutcases in the Republican party. He should probably just run as a Democrat because he’d certainly make more sense that Lieberman does or since he is calling it like he sees it run as an independent. He has voted on the side of the Democrats in many of the last votes and deserves some props for speaking up and speaking out.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:11 pmComment by toasterhead — October 25, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
I believe Salem bin Laden’s money was part of the original startup investment for W’s first oil company (Arbusto). Not a bailout. A major part of the startup money for his Harken Energy came from BCCI (Bank of Crooks and Criminals Int.) heavily used by Middle East terrorists, drug runners, and CIA (friends of his dad).
What’s especially strange is that these were two small West Texas companies that had nothing to do with the Middle East.
John Kerry was involved with the prosecution of BCCI and Iran-Contra, but was hampered by Republicans.
W’s illegal insider trading with Harken was 50 times Martha Stewart’s. She went to jail
October 25th, 2007 at 6:16 pmBush & Cheney, like Hitler before them are determined that, if they can not win, they will drag the world into the abyss with them.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:16 pmPlease read this!
The Secret History of the Impending War with Iran That the White House Doesn’t Want You to Know
http://www.esquire.com/print-this/iranbriefing1107#
October 25th, 2007 at 6:46 pmComment by Shayne — October 25, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
Yeah, you are right on here. Unless he is serious about leaving politics altogether. This would be an opportune time for him to switch parties if he wants to stay.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:51 pmSo much for diplomacy.
In fact, are these sanctions not an act of war? And still no calls for impeachment. What does it take? I’m speachless.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:20 pmIran has developed a way to hit the enemy without weapons. All the bombs the US is using will be useless as Iran has already known what the US has.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:40 pmNow if Cheney hadn’t leaked the name of CIA covert agent Plame who was working in Iran maybe the US would know what they have. As for the sanctions the US is doing to Iran no worries Russia and China will make up the lost. It was good that the White House still let’s Halliburton do business with Iran as Cheney got 19% profit in his shares. Like Connie Rice said US companies can’t do business with Iran but Dick was smart he moved his Halliburton company to Dubai and money just keeps on coming. While American business get nothing. Oh don’t think it was a mistake that the US didn’t get Osama Bin Laden since they aren’t looking for him it’s all a front to use his name and put people in fear.
I believe Salem bin Laden’s money was part of the original startup investment for W’s first oil company (Arbusto). Not a bailout. A major part of the startup money for his Harken Energy came from BCCI (Bank of Crooks and Criminals Int.) heavily used by Middle East terrorists, drug runners, and CIA (friends of his dad).
Comment by Keith — October 25, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
I think you’re right. My brain hurts just trying to follow all the strands of the web.
October 25th, 2007 at 8:42 pmTwo Quagmires aren’t enough for the Bush-Cheney Clown form of government… They want to have three Quagmires in a row… They think that they are playing on those old slot machines, where three identical icons in a row meant that you are a winner…
October 26th, 2007 at 12:25 amIt’s amazing to me how the criminal leaders of our country continue to plow forward with their Nazi style plans and propaganda, totally ingoring the will of the people.
The SOBs do’t care what we think. Congress should immediately impeach these thugs (Bush, Cheney, Rice) before they can do any more damage to our country and the world.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:26 amBoth Bush and Cheney need to be locked up in a mental hospital and heavily sedated.
These dangerous thugs need to be stopped before they cause more wars.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:43 am