White House: Can't rule out attack on Iran

[Enchante]

Several senators have voiced opposition to the idea of the United States entering Iran.

Last week, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a hearing on Iraq, "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."

Rice did not rule out entering Iran or give a position on whether the Bush administration would need congressional approval.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, told Rice, "No one in our government can sit here today and tell Americans that we won't engage the Iranians and the Syrians cross-border." Comparisons to Vietnam war

"When our government lied to the American people and said, 'We didn't cross the border going into Cambodia,' in fact, we did," Hagel said, referring to the Vietnam war. "So, Madam Secretary, when you set in motion the kind of policy that the president is talking about here, it's very, very dangerous."

[Turborules]

Thanks to you too...if left to the Freepers here we could get this over with and begin taking on the other corrupts in the world...Bush has nothing to loss but to win!

[FreeReign]

"When our government lied to the American people and said, 'We didn't cross the border going into Cambodia,' in fact, we did," Hagel said, referring to the Vietnam war. "So, Madam Secretary, when you set in motion the kind of policy that the president is talking about here, it's very, very dangerous."

What?

So Nixon's secret mission to Cambodia 35 years ago makes the current President's speech dangerous??

These people are really stuck back around 1970.

[nj26]

"We should have the will to simply crush Iranian forces from the air in a massive assault, but I suspect anything we do will be half-assed and not get the job done right. That is the only reason I hesitate, not because it should not really be done, and done soon."

You can't win a war with political correctness. We are forcing our troops in Iraq to fight a war using a rulebook written by a bunch of pencil-pushing bureaucrats.

Unless that changes and we actually fight with overwhelming force (and the realization that civilians may die), then we might as well not bother with Iran. For that matter, I don't see much hope in Iraq unless we start aggressively targeting the enemy.

[nj26]

"This nation building stuff is just hog-warsh."

Couldn't agree more. Reminds of all those nonsense excuses about not being able to secure the Mexican border, as well.

We need to fight the Islamofascists with overwhelming force. Some innocent civilians may die, but that's war. This isn't a Girl Scout cookie party.

[Enchante]

"Invasion of Iran is a non-starter. The plan has to be to cut off their proxies in Iraq, foment unrest in Iran, and, if needed, hit them with an air campaign directed at their nuclear installations, Revolutionary Guard facilities, and regime leadership."

I agree! Not sure #9 meant ground invasion ala Iraq, but I do agree that we can crush the Iranian regime without a ground invasion --though I do think a massive air and cruise missile campaign will be necessary, to take out all possible military targets related to their nuke programs, Revolutionary Guards, regime leadership, air force (to block counter-strikes attempted against our troops, ships, or Persian Gulf oil and gas facilities), etc. We may not be able to get 100% of everything we'd like to hit, but we sure could degrade their regime very badly. Then they would try to resort to more terrorism as their only remaining weapon, and we'd have to wreck what remains of their oil-based economy until the Mullahs are overthrown. Now is the time to do it, as the soft world oil market removes much of the leverage they might have over the US and world economy.

[JSteff]

You are right, TOO many Americans.. and most of the Congress and Senate... need to retake 4th grade history and civics.

The President only needs to contact congress 90 days AFTER he make a decision to use military force. Until then it is his ball game that they basically are out of.

Congress is just trying to usurp the power of the executive branch... as if those 300+ idiots could make a decision in any sort of realistic time.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

We should have attacked Iran long ago with overwhelming force.

I agree, and this is what frustrates me about Bush. Immediately after 9/11 we should have initiated an all-out assault on Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Syria and gave notice to the other Arab countries.

[JSteff]

"...from the air....I suspect anything we do will be half-assed and not get the job done right."

I don't know. One thing we are good at is utterly destroying any spot we decide to. It is after when the press can spin us baby killers and torturers of innocent noncombatants.

That is where we go wrong. No balance to the press and the lower intelligence and curiosity of the average voter.

[petercooper]

bttt

[Enchante]

I did not mean to question the ability of our forces to destroy just about any target they choose..... I am questioning the political will and determination of just about all of our political leadership, Congressional 'Rats and RINOs most of all.... but I think the WH and Pentagon, too, are much too cowed by all the assaults from the MSM and political class, Euro-trash, etc. and may not order the kind of all-out air and cruise missile assault that would do the job right. That's all I meant, that the orders may be to attack a very limited set of targets as yet another "message" when sometimes the best message of all is simply to obliterate your enemies ala 1944-45.

[FreedomNeocon]

Old Murtha Mgoo was on Stephy's show today saying how not only does the president have no such power to go to war with Iran, but he also couldn't have it even if he wanted.

[TimeLord]

Bush Administration: "We do not refuse to deny that we will not contemplate not entering Iran."

[RobbyS]

I hope we do have sf in Iran, as some have reported. Given the number of Kurds that is quite possible. Perople forget that Iran is as much multiethnic as Iraq.

[353FMG]

"..cannot stop the USA forces if we decide to kick their asses.."


When was the last time that the USA decided to kick anybody's ass? December 7, 1941?

[BusterBear]

This isn't the first time Hagel has run interference for Iran. What's with Hagel and Iran?

[KellyAdmirer]

These people are really stuck back around 1970.

Of course they are. Just picture that every time a military issue arises in the Senate, you have John "Seared in my memory" Kerry and Hillary "I helped knife Dick Nixon in the back" Clinton in the hallways outside the Senate, telling everyone who will listen how the current situation - whatever it is - is exactly like that time in February 1970, or July 1969, or whatever. Those were Glory Days for the liberals, Glory days, when they could throw that anti-war speedball right by you.

[blondee123]

MESSAGE TO SENATOR BIDEN: We should not sit and wait to be nuked by some religious fanatic nut in Iran....Please provide a better idea, if you have one.

Maybe they can send Jimmah Cahter to talk to the Iranians (again)!!!!

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Hit em now.

[blondee123]

You can't win a war with political correctness. We are forcing our troops in Iraq to fight a war using a rulebook written by a bunch of pencil-pushing bureaucrats.

Heck, we're not fighting a war, we're babysitting the terrorists in Iraq! Who started all this PC crap anyway????

No country can win a war with so many rules attached to the players, plus the terrorists have NO rules, that's why they are winning!

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

How about aug 6 and aug 9 of 45? Now that was an ass whoopin!