Hoekstra: ‘Iran Is Not Iraq’ And Military Action Would Be A ‘Huge Mistake’
Hoekstra: ‘Iran Is Not Iraq’ And Military Action Would Be A ‘Huge Mistake’
Today on CNN’s Late Edition, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) sounded a note of caution on belligerant action toward Iran. Both said that Iran is trying to extend its influence in Iraq, warned against military action, and advocated diplomatic engagement. Hoekstra said:
I believe that reaching out and engaging with Iran, but doing so with Russia, doing so with our European allies, recognizing that they do have contacts into Iran, and engaging in a full-court diplomatic press with Iran is a good thing to begin the process of doing that.
You know, we’re not going to go into Iran militarily. The senator is absolutely right. Iran is not Iraq. And going in there militarily would be, from my perspective, a huge mistake.
Watch it:
A “stark new assessment” by Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen reports that “the government of Iran continues to supply weapons and other support to extremists in Iraq, despite repeated promises to the contrary, and is increasingly complicit in the death of American soldiers.” Yet Mullen too responded last week by stating, “I have no expectations that we are going to get into a conflict with Iran in the immediate future.”
In recent days, Hoekstra has sharply criticized the Bush administration’s handling of foreign policy. Commenting on the recent news that North Korea had helped Syria build a nuclear reactor — which was destroyed by Israel — Hoekstra blasted the White House for keeping the information from Congress for almost a year.
Transcript:
FEINSTEIN: Well, my assessment is this, that you have a belligerent and isolated Iran extending its influence.
I think Mr. Hoekstra is correct about the equipment that’s gone in. I think there’s no question that some elements of the Iranian government are also buying businesses in Iraq. They are extending their sphere of influence.
We have had no meaningful dialogue with Iran for 30 years, and I have a very hard time understanding why this administration does not try to do so.
BLITZER: Well, what do you want…
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Well, what do you want the U.S. — the Bush administration, Senator, to do?
FEINSTEIN: To make some outreach to the supreme leader, not to the president, Mr. Ahmadinejad, but to the supreme leader — he is the one, and the council, that will control this area — and to have some direct discussions without preconditions.
The minute you precondition the discussion, you create the loss of face for the Iranians to sit down and talk and try and see if we can’t evolve a meaningful relationship that can keep them out of Iraq, that can use this window of opportunity that’s produced by the halting of their nuclear weapons program.
That was, as you know, a national intelligence estimate. It has not been contradicted to this date. So there is every reason to believe there is a window of opportunity to develop a series of proposals, carrots and sticks, if you will.
The Iranian economy is not good. But nobody should believe that Iran is Iraq. And it is a big mistake for us to only look at military options when it comes to Iran.
BLITZER: Does she have a point, Congressman?
HOEKSTRA: Yes, I think it would be a huge mistake to consider that we would take a military action into Iran. I think she’s laid out a…
BLITZER: Well, what about opening a dialogue — trying to open dialogue with the supreme leader of Iran?
HOEKSTRA: Well, that was going to be my second point. I believe that reaching out and engaging with Iran, but doing so with Russia, doing so with our European allies, recognizing that they do have contacts into Iran, and engaging in a full-court diplomatic press with Iran is a good thing to begin the process of doing that.
You know, we’re not going to go into Iran militarily. The senator is absolutely right. Iran is not Iraq. And going in there militarily would be, from my perspective, a huge mistake.
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“Today on CNN’s Late Edition, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) sounded a note of caution on belligerant action toward Iraq.”
TP, are McCain’s “senior moments” contagious? Or, to quote Hoekstra above, “Iran is not Iraq.”
April 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pmDid Feinstein or Hoekstra mention anything about indictments of Bush administration officials for illegal propaganda and war crimes?
April 27th, 2008 at 2:13 pmYes, maybe we shouldn’t be undertaking acts of aggression against Iraq… If Bush stupidly attacks Iran, the Gates of Hormuz will be closed and Americans will soon be paying $15 a gallon for gas and Cheney and Bush will quickly be impeached, tried, convicted and removed from Office… Americans will put up with a lot of crap from the Bush gangsters, but they won’t put up with paying fifteen dollars for one gallon of gas…
April 27th, 2008 at 2:17 pmIran is not Iraq. And going in there militarily would be, from my perspective, a huge mistake.
I wonder about the choice of words. Does this mean that going into Iraq was not a mistake, according to Hoekstra?
Does he think the occupation of Iraq is going really “swimmingly”? Who believes that anymore?
IMO, a correct wording could have been “Military action against Iran will compound the many mistakes made in Iraq”.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:17 pmsame thoughts: Iraq WAS a mistake! Iran might just be more of one. Hoekstra & Feinstein were both enablers.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:18 pmA few Repubs getting a little “Dutch courage” intoxicated with the Cheney-Bush lame-duck liquor? Or is it just fear of pending impotence?
April 27th, 2008 at 2:19 pm1) More than 190000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols distributed to Iraqi forces by the US are missing.
2) Iran is a stout sponsor of most the Shi’a parties in Iraq’s government.
3) Iran has pledged its support for Nouri al-Maliki.
4) Al-Maliki has thanked Iran for its “constructive” role in “fighting terrorism” in Iraq.
5) Neocons have shown beyond any doubt that they are liars, bumblers, and arrogant cretins.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:20 pm1. Let’s remember that Bushco rejected back channel talks with the prior, more moderate (in comparison to the current) Iranian regime. That failure of Bushco lead to the election of Ahmadinejads more radical government.
2. Is Congress going to do its job and restrict Bushco’s option to bomb Iran or continue to give carte blanche to our Dear Leader. Take a guess!
April 27th, 2008 at 2:25 pmThanks for making the correction, TP.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:27 pm#3 James K. Sayre said:
(” If Bush stupidly attacked Iran,the Gates of Hormuz will be closed and Americans will soon be paying $15 a gallon for gas and Cheney and Bush will quickly be impeached,tried,convicted and removed from office”.)
I agree with you on the price of gasoline getting to $15.00 a gallon resulting from this war…but I don’t know who is going to impeach Bush…This Congress..?!!
I don’t have much faith in this Congress…The Senate few months ago voted on Lieberman /Kyle Bill , which calls the Iranian National Guard,which is more than half of Iranian military force, a terroist organization.
April 27th, 2008 at 2:54 pmAll what Bush has to do is to claim he is defending US troops,as a Commander In Chief….then what this Congress is going to do..Nothing. They are the last to know anyway…
sounded a note of caution on belligerant action….
Hate to be the spelling nazi, but it’s belligerent.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:12 pmCommenting on the recent news that North Korea had helped Syria build a nuclear reactor — which was destroyed by Israel…
Anyone inclined or not to believe this should read a guest post at juancole.com
April 27th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
http://www.juancole.com/ 2008/ 04/ more-on-syrian-reactor-bombing-from.html#comments
April 27th, 2008 at 3:26 pmThis diplomatic approach is most important to me since my fiance and her family are originally from Tehran, Iran
The US has had no problem with Iran for decades. Starting in 2004 as Iraq failed, the US regime began targeting the Iranian regime, since they needed a new war.
The people of Iran do not back the current Iranian government. They love democracy and many Persians live all across the US. Most of the best doctors, dentists and engineers in Southern California are Persian.
They travel back to Iran throughout the year, including their American husbands or wives.
This struggle that has begun between US and Iran is mostly smoke and mirrors. Just politics.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:33 pmHoekstra has just killed any chance of helping Bush clear brush in Crawford a year from now.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pmIt’s not to hard to figure out: the real reason going into Iraq was to sew chaos and then move on to Iran.
The CURRENT asses (not axis) of EVIL: Cheney, Bush, Patreus, Gates, Rice, Mullen.
All the rats that jumped ship should be worried about being prosecuted for war crimes: Rumsfeld, Rove, Powell etc,
April 27th, 2008 at 3:45 pmTelling Iran to have no influence in Iraq is so absurd , it’s like telling the U.S. not to have any influence in Canada and here the Unites States a ” christian nation ‘travels thousands of miles to a Muslim country, attacks it and occupies the country and tells their neighbor of thousands of years , you can’t have any influence , is not the only height of arrogance , it’s serves only one purpose by Feinstein & others ,
April 27th, 2008 at 3:46 pmTo make the occupation of Iraq a success without any challenges from ANYBODY , Al Sadr , Iranians , or Mormons .
“A Huge Mistake” Well, that’s right up Bush’s alley!
As long as Bush, cheney and the wingnut extremist neo-cons are in power a war with Iran is Guaranteed! These evil, sick warmongers don’t listen to reason, create their own (false) facts and are hell bent on creating a nuclear WW3.
Chaos and Destruction is what they do. It’s the only thing they are good at…
Impeach and convict!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:40 pmMilitary action would indeed be a huge mistake. Let’s not compound what has already happened. Diplomacy is always the best policy. The big question is who do we send in??? Condi is the last person on earth to do it. Actually I think Bill Clinton and (or) Jimmy Carter would be excellent options.
There is no one in the current administration who could actually handle any form of Diplomacy without making it a complete debacle.
April 27th, 2008 at 5:06 pm“Anything is possible with President Koo Koo Bananas in charge.”
April 27th, 2008 at 6:00 pmHomer Simpson
You know, we’re not going to go into Iran militarily. The senator is absolutely right. Iran is not Iraq. And going in there militarily would be, from my perspective, a huge mistake.
Going into Iraq was a huge mistake. It blows me away that these two still don’t get it. How and why did it make any more sense attacking Iraq than it does to attack Iran. And if they are so worried about people meddling in Iraq, why are they not worried about all the money Saudi Arabia is funneling to the Sunnis?
I sent Nancy Pelosi another e-mail today telling her that the only way she is going to be able to stop them from attacking Iran and declaring Martial Law was to have both Cheney/Bush under articles of impeachment.
Funny thing, the e-mail to her bounced. I guess she got tired of hearing what we have to say.
April 27th, 2008 at 6:42 pmThe people of Iran do not back the current Iranian government. They love democracy and many Persians live all across the US. Most of the best doctors, dentists and engineers in Southern California are Persian.
And I found out something today that startled me. That was that 65% of the people in Israel want their government to negotiate with Hamas. So, the government in Israel is no more prone to listening to what it’s people want than is our government. WHEN is someone going to start listening to the people?
April 27th, 2008 at 6:46 pmAs I have stated on this site before, there could be a false flag attack on Israel by the us war ships off of the Iranian coast and made to look like Iran fired the missles. False threats would be made by US operatives/spies that Iran would attacked by Iran. Israel would make Teheran a glass parking lot along with the nuclear processing facilities.
This could happen before the election in Nov. and would be a disaster. Can you say WWIII?
April 27th, 2008 at 6:53 pmMy last post should be ’spies that Israel would be’
April 27th, 2008 at 7:09 pmThe quote for the day in the Boston Globe sometime last week was:
“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”
Isacc Asimov
April 27th, 2008 at 7:32 pmIt appears Hoekstra drunk the cool-aid but did not SWALLOW?
April 27th, 2008 at 9:16 pmThe incompetent bu$h regime can’t even keep the Iraqi “military” and “Security” forces in check. So, they blame the Iranians for bringing in weapons and explosives to Iraq for attacks on US military. Excuse me, but didn’t the brilliant conservanazi bu$h regime and Mayor of The Green Zone, Maliki, lose hundreds of thousands of weapons WE PAID FOR.
Who did they blame for that? The Iranians?
IMPEACH bu$h.
NO IMPEACHMENT, NO PEACE.
Buck Fush!!
April 27th, 2008 at 9:28 pmSilly Americans.
The PNAC and Clean Break plans were for first Iraq, then Iran then, last, Syria.
No one cares what you silly people think.
The plan is in motion and will be fulfilled.
April 28th, 2008 at 12:04 amA “stark new assessment” by Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen reports that “the government of Iran continues to supply weapons and other support to extremists in Iraq, despite repeated promises to the contrary, and is increasingly complicit in the death of American soldiers.” Yet Mullen too responded last week by stating, “I have no expectations that we are going to get into a conflict with Iran in the immediate future.”
Did anyone ask him what his definition of “near future” is?
April 28th, 2008 at 12:07 amNext week? Month? At least until Jan 20, 2009??
And the voice of treason speaketh again. War is good…
April 28th, 2008 at 12:08 amBush knows only WARMONGERING and that`s it. He would put the whole world to WAR before he ever sits down and negotiates!!!!
April 28th, 2008 at 12:29 amWhat happened to Hoekstra? He used to be a favorite of the radio wingnuts!
April 28th, 2008 at 3:28 amWhat happened to H? Just speculation but remember when he and that other jackass (Santorum) got suckered into (promoting to the public) not just a FIRST WMD scam but a second?
I think Hoekstra’s righteously pissed about either a) being played OR b) for helping this administration lie and THEN getting cut out. Or a combination of the two.
April 28th, 2008 at 10:59 am