Lieberman: Airstrikes in Iran are ‘a distinct possibility.’
Lieberman: Airstrikes in Iran are ‘a distinct possibility.’
This morning, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where Pat Buchanan asked him whether he believed “the United States states should conduct air strikes on the Iranian Quds force in Iran if they do not stop” interfering in Iraq. Lieberman replied that he “hoped” the U.S. would not have to strike at “the people who are responsible for killing Americans,” but said that the Iranians should “have in mind that it’s a distinct possibility.” Watch it:
Lieberman, one of the most vocal supporters of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has been pushing for war with Iran for a long time. As far back as last June, he said that the U.S. had “to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq.”
Transcript
BUCHANAN: Now, Do you believe that the United States should conduct air strikes on the Iranian quds force in Iran if they do not stop this and do you expect president Bush to do something like that because almost everyone in the administration at a high level, including gates, are saying this hasn’t stopped, it’s going on.
LIEBERMAN: Pat, I hope we don’t have to get to the point of moving in any way into Iran to strike at the base of the people who are responsible for killing Americans. But I hope that the Quds force and the Iranian government has in mind that that is a distinct possibility because let’s be direct about this — and that’s why I asked General Petraeus the question — the Iranians have been equipping to go back and are responsible for the killing of hundreds of American soldiers. This is an outrageous act of the kind of proxy war against us. These people have American blood on their hands and plenty of Iraqi blood as well. I want them to understand that if they don’t stop this, they run the risk having us strike the lines that they are using, the bases, the depots that they have. Pat, you just can’t sit back.
BUCHANAN: I know that, Senator. What I want to ask you is look, I was with Richard Nixon and they doing this from Cambodia and he finally said, Enough, and he bombed the base camps in Cambodia and even went into them. Why is President Bush hesitating to do what should be done, in your judgment, to protect American soldiers from these IEDs, rockets, mortars and other things which are steadily pouring in and they’re using them to fire into the Green Zone?
LIEBERMAN: Yeah, well, obviously President Bush is the only one to answer that question. I’m sure one of the reasons is that he hopes the diplomatic efforts, including now some real strong action by Prime Minister Maliki from Baghdad. Maliki sent a delegation to Tehran about two weeks ago to say to the Iranian government high up, Cut it out. This not only is killing Americans, it’s killing Iraqis. It is a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. He has now appointed a special committee to pull the facts together. I think the best way for a real military conflict to be avoided is for the Iraqis to tell their neighbors, We want to live in peace with you but not going to stand by nor are the Americans if you continue to come in here and basically, through militias and extremists, kill thousands of Iraqis and Americans.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
60 Responses to “Lieberman: Airstrikes in Iran are ‘a distinct possibility.’”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
And if you don’t like it then you are a member of Hamas!
May 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pmDon’t forget the little civil war happening on the streets of Beirut- if that’s not going to be used as a pretext for war with Iran, I don’t know what will.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:38 pmIf there isn’t some form of justification available, they’ll just make it up like they did last time for Iraq.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:41 pmFlag the John Kerry troll. One of the all time most disgusting.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:41 pmand the band plays on…
an eye for an eye
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pma tooth for a tooth..
vote for meee..
and I’ll set you free..
Hey! Hey!”
Lieberman wants to attack Iran so bad he probably gets a stiffy just thinking about it. And then after Iran, let’s go for Syria! And then Lebanon! And let’s not stop until we have the entire ME destabilized! This is necessary to protect Israel!
Except for Saudi Arabia — we’re best buds with them.
/snark off
These warmongers have no idea (or just don’t care) how much each of these invasions does harm to our own country.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pmOf course, Bushco’s come up with no definitive proof that Iran’s “responsible for killing Americans”, but let’s not let that inconvenient fact interfere with a profitable war.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pmLIEBERMAN: Pat, I hope we don’t have to get to the point of moving in any way…to strike at the base of the people who are responsible for killing Americans…
HOLY SH*T! Liebermann wants to strike the White House?
What a lying piece of sh*t:
>>…A plan to show some alleged Iranian-supplied explosives to journalists last week in Karbala and then destroy them was canceled after the United States realized none of them was from Iran. A U.S. military spokesman attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding that emerged after an Iraqi Army general in Karbala erroneously reported the items were of Iranian origin.<<
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ babylonbeyond/ 2008/ 05/ iraq-the-elusiv.html
May 12th, 2008 at 12:43 pmNoOneYouKnow Says
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Of course, Bushco’s come up with no definitive proof that Iran’s “responsible for killing Americans”, but let’s not let that inconvenient fact interfere with a profitable war.
______________________________________________
Proof wasn’t necessary when invading Iraq — no reason why it should be now.
(yes, I know — today’s just going to be one of those snarky days…)
May 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pmthe misfiring of neurons in his brain are a distinct possibility
May 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pmSo today is Joe LIEberman Day?
(sigh)
May 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pmSpoxLogic Says:
and the band plays on…
an eye for an eye
a tooth for a tooth..
vote for meee..
or I’ll set you free..
Hey! Hey!”
May 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
fixed yer typo
May 12th, 2008 at 12:47 pmYeah, it’s mother uhum day
May 12th, 2008 at 12:47 pmI think this was the original PNAC plan, before BushCo and Reality got in the way. But some of the PNACkers still have their hearts set on it, apparently.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:48 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
Don’t forget the little civil war happening on the streets of Beirut- if that’s not going to be used as a pretext for war with Iran, I don’t know what will.
Hezbollah is playing a very shrewd game. Apparently they returned to their strongholds over the weekend and gave up the swaths of Beirut they had seized. They simply wanted to demonstrate they could do whatever they wanted and the government couldn’t stop them.
I don’t think Hezbollah will allow themselves to be a pretext for striking Iran….I wonder what Iran’s level of involvement in their activities over the last week has been behind the scenes.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:49 pmHappy Mother (cough, cough) Day, everyone!
May 12th, 2008 at 12:50 pmDo these people NOT read that Americans want us out of Iraq and that would include the Middle East? Our military is hanging on by a thread, our economy is walking a tight rope, but Lieberman and McCain want another invasion. Who in their right mind would put this party back into power?
May 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pmlokidog Says:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ babylonbeyond/ 2008/ 05/ iraq-the-elusiv.html
May 12th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Well of course they’re not stamped “Made in Iran” in Farsi. They were probably made in the US and sold to Iran so we could fund the Contras.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pmJoe looks and sounds like he missed his daily bowl of blood.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pmBut some of the PNACkers still have their hearts set on it, apparently.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
when you look at the list of the original founders of the PNAC, you may be struck, as I admit I was, by the number of folks on the list whose loyalties, nation-wise, are arguably equivocal…
May 12th, 2008 at 12:52 pmLieberman is not the only person out there who thinks like this. The bearings are eluding all semblance of sanity or direction. It frightens me.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:53 pmI was watching that silly Mika or whatever her name is (giggle giggle flirt flirt) on MSNBC this morning and when she happily announced that up next they’d be talking with Joe Lieberman I turned the tv off.
Can we start a new tv channel? For Progressives? It couldn’t be all serious or we’d all jump off a bridge - it’d need to have a healthy does of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report so we can laugh at the insanity at times.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:55 pmoh, paleeeez! they don’t even need the excuse of Hezbollah to strike in Iran. It’s real simple. For example: Problem in Afghanistan- solution is Iraq. See? It doesn’t matter that it’s not even the same place on the map. Real easy!
May 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pmKeltoi Says:
I don’t think Hezbollah will allow themselves to be a pretext for striking Iran….I wonder what Iran’s level of involvement in their activities over the last week has been behind the scenes.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
____
Me too. I’ve heard very different accounts from different people. Some say it’s purely an internal political issue involving labor and cost-of-living issues, some say it’s U.S. and French-backed forces against anti-colonialist resistance, and some call it a proxy war between the U.S. and Iran. I really don’t know what to make of it all just yet.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pmFine, you have your children fly the planes dipshit.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pmFor a known coward, Joe Lieberman is sure tough when it comes to fighting a war. He avoided service in Viet Nam and now he’s the toughest guy in Congress, ain’t that a bltch? He needs to sit his turtle looking azzhole down and shut up. He thinks John McCain loves him so much, but you I’ll bet he will not be McShame’s running mate. He’s nothing but a Cowardass traitor.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pmHey, Connecticut - got a little Ned Lamont buyer’s remorse yet?
May 12th, 2008 at 1:02 pmmary Says:
Can we start a new tv channel? For Progressives? It couldn’t be all serious or we’d all jump off a bridge - it’d need to have a healthy does of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report so we can laugh at the insanity at times.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
_____
It’s a nice idea, until you realize how much it’d cost and how the corporations we’d need to tap for advertising dollars are the ones keeping progressive messages out of the mainstream media.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:03 pmYou know Lieberman’s war mongering wouldn’t be so bad if he would come clean and clearly state the main reason he wants to kill innocent Iranians is to help Israel.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:06 pmhussein toasterhead says:
They were probably made in the US and sold to Iran so we could fund the Contras.
Sadly, that’s probably closer to the truth than we’ll ever know.
Anyone seen Ollie North running around naked lately, flashing a .45 and rambling incoherently?
http://www.airborne-ranger.com/ ranger/ wannabees/ OllieNorth.html
RIP Hack, and thanks for your service……
May 12th, 2008 at 1:06 pm“..if they do not stop” interfering in Iraq. Lieberman replied that he “hoped” the U.S. (citizens) would not have to strike at “the people who are responsible for killing Americans (Bush/Cheney/et al),” but said that…(Bushco)… should “have in mind that it’s a distinct possibility.”
This sounds like treason to me: advocating the overthrow of the American Government (bushco) by violence!
May 12th, 2008 at 1:07 pmAh, yes, and it’s a distinct possibility that air strikes will be necessary to fight against our inner-city gangs, who are also killing Americans, right here on American soil.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:12 pmJoe ‘Elmer Fudd’ LIEberman lies again.
Hi Ho, Geritol! It’s time to bomb again!
Dipshits like Joe are pathetic. He’s an (I-Israel), he’s a (D), he’s an (R). See what I mean? Joe doesn’t even know who he is.
But Joe likes him some attention. Just like Graham & Pence, these guys measure quality be air time length.
Iran has already done more to the peace process in Baghdad than Condi, W, or anyone else. Will the MSM note that? NO.
America, don’t get fooled again. Israel is not our master, and fighting a war by proxy for them will ruin our country.
And by the way, what the hell is LIEberman doing on morning talk? Oh, that’s right, he doesn’t rate high enough for the Sunday shows, so he gets to talk about what the heavy hitters talked about…ad nauseum.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:15 pmI think we should stop preventing Lieberman and all of the other chickenhawks from attacking Iran. Only they have to do it themselves, in person, with their own resources - not ours. Maybe the fundies will buy them flack jackets and such but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were them.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:15 pmBombing Iran for LIEberman would be an anti-Islamofacist wet dream come true.
This man along with Cheney, Chertoff and Rove is one of the most dangerous man in America.
LIEberman wants to kill Iranian grandmothers and children.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:16 pmOkay, all you conservatives lurking out there, here’s your chance to jump in. Conservatives (like Lieberman) believe in “individual freedom, individual responsibility.” If you kill someone, don’t blame everyone in the world except yourself (your parents, society, television). If you do the crime, you face the punishment. Well, then, if that’s how you see the world, then why is the fact that insurgents are going into Iran, receiving training, and then using that training to kill Americans an excuse to attack Iran? It’s the insurgents who are doing the killing, not Iran itself. If you truly believe in individual responsibility, then you can’t blame Iran, you have to blame the terrorists they trained.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:19 pmFirst point, where is the proof that Iran is doing this? According to the Iraqi’s officials there is none at all.
Second point, how would you like WWIII to happen when we do attack Iran? Do you really think Russia and China are just going to let us attack a major oil supplier to them?
Third point, if Russia and China do nothing, then how does 20 dollar a gallon gas sound to you? 10 dollar tomatoes, 4 dollar potatoes?
These nut balls need to be taken out of office before they destroy the world.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:22 pmI regret voting for this man in 2004. This man is dangerous to civilization in general. Right, let’s just bomb Iran. They are just Muslims.
When you meet your maker (along with the entire Bush Admin.) –you will face the consequences for your time here on Planet Earth. I pity you, Mr. Lieberman.
Until that point maybe all of these people will be convicted in an International Court of Law for Crimes Against Humanity.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:24 pmLieberman reminds me more of Droopy Dog than Elmer Fudd.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLlnCYr9tYk
May 12th, 2008 at 1:26 pmHey, Joe, you gigantic horse’s ass, STFU.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:29 pmLiebarman doesn’t remind of any cartoon character. Unfortunately, he’s all too real.
His evil desires may soon turn into all too real actions.
This man should be impeached and locked up.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:30 pmoops! writing too fast.
Lieberman doesn’t remind me of any cartoon character
May 12th, 2008 at 1:32 pmuh, I thought terrorist groups are responsible for killing Americans, not a whole country.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:34 pmDroopy Dog it is, stewarjt…good catch.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:36 pmah yes, crimes against humanity. Why is that so obscure in front of everyone’s eyes? Blood on so many hands so easily washed off. Day in and day out, it’s just another day at the office for these old geezers.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:37 pmand then again we are training terrorist to do terrorist acts and wonder why they’re happening. things that make me go hmmmm. So than sally is not playing fair in the sand box, let’s destroy her, right? Our way or the highway?
May 12th, 2008 at 1:41 pmLieberman is lying and exaggerating with the Bush Administration about the extent to which Iran is running the opposition. Just last week the Pentagon backed off of the Blame Iran PR Push (ThinkProgress missed this):
From LA Times
And this gem:
Lieberman is a warmonger, plain and simple. He is a liar and has no credibility.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:44 pmShouldn’t Joe have to file some papers somewhere to declare that he is a lobbyist for Israel??
May 12th, 2008 at 2:18 pmLieberman claims Hamas supports Obama, but ignores the fact both McCain and the al Qaeda leadership wants the US to stay in Iraq and attack Iran
How is it that al-Qaeda leaders like Zawahiri and neocon warmongers like Lieberman are in such close agreement on US strategy in the Middle East?
May 12th, 2008 at 2:21 pmThe neocon war criminals have decided to go out with a bang not a whimper. The war in the Middle East is about to be widened. Israel wants the deed done before Bush leaves the white house. Joe, the Zionist, is preparing us.
Why All of Our Efforts Won’t Stop an Attack on Iran:
http://www.counterpunch.org/leupp05122008.html
Obama has said that one of his first acts as president will be to investigate the crimes of the Bush Administration. Bush and Cheney are making one last, and very, big mistake.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:34 pmLieberman[Azo-CT]: “Airstrikes in Iran are ‘a distinct possibility.’”
That reminds me of that other work by Joseph Heller: “We Bombed in New Haven”….
Cheers,
May 12th, 2008 at 3:07 pmU.S. (patriots) would not have to strike at “the people who are responsible for killing Americans,” (the republicans)
Fixed.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:16 pmSounds like he’s fishing for the veep nod from McInsane.
I am almost Gore didn’t win in ‘04 with this idiot.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:22 pmI hope Lieberman drops dead!
May 12th, 2008 at 3:37 pmLieberman’s and Roy Blount’s words are heard around the world and then Americans wonder why other nation’s hate us.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:43 pmLieberman has always been rabidly always pro war with Iran. One reason may be that he has a dual citizenship with Israel and US. Is he really looking out for us?, probably not. He’s protecting Israel and surely is being lobbied by the Israeli lobby heavily. He never served, as with most of the chicken hawks. In fact he had two deferments not to serve in the Vietnam War. Yet he is prepared to put our boys in harms way to start another war with an enemy of Israel not us. Iran is not attacking us any time soon. And don’t give me that Iran’s arming the terrorists BS. If we use that excuse we should have attacked Russia a long time ago. They’ve been arming and training our enemies for decades. And if you thought gas prices were high now wait until he starts that war.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:48 pmJoe LIEberman (R-Israel) should attack Iran with the same military forces from the country which he’s loves most — Israel!!
May 12th, 2008 at 3:50 pmAwww poor Lieberman…
The U.S. can dish it, but it can’t take it?
“The United States supported Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War as a counterbalance to post-revolutionary Iran. The support took the form of technological aid, intelligence, the sale of dual-use and military equipment, and direct involvement and warfare against Iran.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ U.S._support_for_Iraq_during_the_Iran-Iraq_war
May 12th, 2008 at 7:08 pmI’m starting to confuse LIEberman with Little Billy Kristol.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:49 pmI don’t know who these two little punks are working for but they sure ain’t working for the American people’s interests.
Two Jews who are bad news.
BrownScaryHusseinChick (ThinkOutsideTheBush) Says:
Sounds like he’s fishing for the veep nod from McInsane.
I am almost Gore didn’t win in ‘04 with this idiot.
Oops, I meant ‘00. I had the wrong year and realized it later!
May 12th, 2008 at 11:15 pm