I'll let you borrow my pistol:
Posted on 01/11/2007 5:13:27 PM PST by Flavius
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic and Republican senators voiced strong concern on Thursday that the Iraq war could spread to neighboring Iran and Syria if the U.S. military were to chase militants across the border.
President Bush, who accuses Iran and Syria of fomenting the violence in Iraq, on Wednesday proposed sending 21,500 more U.S. troops to try to restore security nearly four years after the U.S.-led invasion.
Bush sparked worries that the conflict may widen by his comment that "we'll interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq."
U.S. officials said their plan was to disrupt such networks while staying inside Iraq, but their comments did not appear to mollify senior U.S. lawmakers.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden bluntly told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice he did not think Bush had the authority to launch attacks to stamp out militant networks in Iran and Syria.
"If the president concluded he had to invade Iran ... or Syria in pursuit of these networks, I believe the present authorization granted the president to use force in Iraq does not cover that and he does need congressional authority to do that," said Biden.
"I just want to set that marker," added the Delaware Democrat, who later wrote Bush a letter asking for an "authoritative answer" on whether he believed U.S. forces could cross into Iran or Syria without congressional authorization.
In a testy hearing about Bush's new plan for Iraq, Rice said she did not want to speculate on the president's constitutional authority for such action.
NOTHING RULED OUT
"Obviously, the president isn't going to rule anything out to protect our troops, but the plan is to take down these networks in Iraq," she said.
Earlier on Thursday, U.S. forces stormed an Iranian government representative's office in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil and arrested five people, including diplomats.
We will continue to work with the Iraqis and use all of our power to limit and counter the activities of Iranian agents who are attacking our people and innocent civilians in Iraq," Rice said in a prepared statement given to the committee.
Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska also expressed concern about potential future U.S. action in Iran or Syria.
"You cannot sit here today -- not because you're dishonest or you don't understand -- but no one in our government can sit here today and tell Americans that we won't engage the Iranians and the Syrians cross-border," said Hagel, a Vietnam veteran and possible 2008 presidential candidate.
Several Republican and Democratic senators pressured the Bush administration to talk directly to Iran, but Rice repeated the administration's reluctance to do so unless Iran abandons sensitive atomic work, a step Tehran has so far rejected.
Rice suggested Iran might use a dialogue about Iraq to extort U.S. concessions on its nuclear program, a trade-off U.S. officials have rejected. The United States believes the program is aimed at building weapons, while Tehran says it is for generating electricity.
The United States has sought to pressure Iran over its nuclear program through a unanimous U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution that passed in December, but the top U.S. intelligence official suggested Iran's economy was resilient.
"Record oil revenues and manageable debt suggest that Iran is capable, for now, of weathering shocks to the economy," U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte said in written testimony submitted to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Separately, key lawmakers warned they would insist that the Bush administration impose sanctions on China if Beijing pursues an agreement to develop Iranian gas fields.
The two countries in December announced a preliminary deal, believed worth $16 billion, for China to invest in Iran's north Pars gas field and to construct plants to produce liquefied natural gas.
(Additional reporting Sue Pleming)
© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved
I have honestly never seen or heard one person say they are even considering this guy for anything, have you?
U.S. Democratic and Republican senators voiced strong concern on Thursday that the Iraq war could spread to neighboring Iran and Syria if the U.S. military were to chase militants across the border.
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So, what's the problem
No, he has no fans where I hang out. To be honets they guys I spend most of my time with like McCain despite my entreaties that he is a nut. But he may end up being our nut in 08. Life is a beach.
> I hope it "spills over" and we handle the spill entirely from the air.
Speak softly, but carry a big MOAB.
FR should start running ads against these snobs, that's it you know, they like their cushy jobs and refuse to make decisions that will make them uncomfortable.
It would be interesting to see who his major supporters are, from whom he gets funding. Maybe the same ones who demanded from Chaffee that he oppose John Bolton, on the grounds that Bolton "supported Israel too much"?
> I think we may need drugs.
As in "drugged to the woodshed?"
You think?
"If the president concluded he had to invade Iran ... or Syria in pursuit of these networks, I believe the present authorization granted the president to use force in Iraq does not cover that and he does need congressional authority to do that," said Biden."
Aren't these the same Senators that complained when Bush would not go into Pakistan when it came to catching OBL? I remember hearing them scoff on all the talking head shows that we should go into Pakistan to get OBL!!!
A detestable bunch...the lot of them!!
I'll let you borrow my pistol:
You got that right Howlin!
Fine by me. Let's trade Hagel for Lieberman.
Lanny Davis just defined Pelosi/Reid plan. Take the troops out of Iraq and put them in other countries close by! What a plan!!
ROFLMAO!!!!
What countries close by would ever agree to have US troops stationed in them after we cut and run from Iraq? They would just be making themselves the next target and couldn't depend on the US to stay there once things got tough.
It is also interesting to note that no one is calling for us to leave Afghanistan, which is the "good war." The MSM scarcely mentions the casualty figures, 357 dead and over 1,000 wounded. Why aren't they calling for an exit strategy?
No problem senator! Just have one of your little get togethers where you all slap each other's backs and vote on this issue to show the American people just where everyone stands? As you vote, keep in mind that the soldiers that are protecting your sorry ass are being attacked and killed by weapons that are being provided by Iran!!! Ordinary folks would consider that a declaration of war on the United States. What is your take senator?
"Why aren't they calling for an exit strategy?"
They will in time, you can bet on it!! They are pacified for now because NATO is there. The MSM also never reports on the Iraqi Army casualties either. Someone posted yesterday that over 6000 have died fighting for their country!
The Dem and Rino Senators act like none of them are 'stepping up'...blahblahblah!!! I have nothing but pure contempt for the Democrats/Liberals/Rinos and the Media!
LOL...you are so good!
Hagel is an ASS and must be defeated the next time he runs
That has been the plan from the beginning, let's roll.
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