Posted on 06/19/2009 10:24:56 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WASHINGTON (AP) - In the strongest message yet from the U.S. government, the House voted 405-1 Friday to condemn Tehran's crackdown on demonstrators and the government's interference with Internet and cell phone communications.
The resolution was initiated by Republicans as a veiled criticism of President Barack Obama, who has been reluctant to criticize Tehran's handling of disputed elections that left hard-liner President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power.
Rep. Mike Pence, who co-sponsored the resolution, said he disagrees with the administration that it must not meddle in Iran's affairs.
"When Ronald Reagan went before the Brandenburg Gate, he did not say Mr. (Mikhail) Gorbachev, that wall is none of our business," said Pence, R-Ind., of President Reagan's famous exhortation to the Soviet leader to "tear down that wall."
Democrats, who are quick to voice their support for Israel anytime the Jewish state is seen as under siege, easily agreed to push through the mildly worded resolution.
Rep. Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-sponsor of the resolution, said "it is not for us to decide who should run Iran, much less determine the real winner of the June 12 election.
"But we must reaffirm our strong belief that the Iranian people have a fundamental right to express their views about the future of their country freely and without intimidation," added Berman, D-Calif.
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., have proposed a similar measure in the Senate, although a vote was not certain.
The policy statement expresses support for "all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties and rule of law" and affirms "the importance of democratic and fair elections."
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
That is a good comment from Pence.
Hey Obama, that Crisis has arrived. Now is the time to act accordingly and like a President, not as someone who says “It is above my pay grade”.
I know perfectly well why we are there. I supported the removal of Saddam and his sons. They were evil sadistic tyrants.
It does not change the fact that our government is violating the constitution and the war powers act.
Going to war without an official declaration by congress is a blatant circumvention of the constitution.
Remaining on Afghan and Iraqi soil without an official declaration of war is a violation of the constitution.
Like it or not........it is about the constitution.
This was within the framework of the constitution.
Paul wasn’t in Congress in 1989.
He didn’t want to give false hopes to Iranian Democrats. Some Hungarians thought Dwight D. Eiaenhower would help them in 1956 too.
The French did precious little in terms of real fighting. They FINALLY came for once on time. They did much more in terms of money and supplies after “Saratoga”, Brandywine and Germantown.
Few are aware that the war did NOT end at Yorktown - 1781. It ended 2 years later. There was still skirmishing and threats of real battles almost to the end.
It is very possible, after 8 years of trying, the war would’ve eventually concluded similarly without the Frenchie’s paltry troops.
So your saying that voting a legislative condemnation of an Iranian tyranny that directly threatens America and her allies is not within the bounds of the Constitution?
We went in with no intention of leaving.
This was a strategic move to gain a foothold one either side of Iran.
This is not a defensive positioning, rather a offensively strategic positioning.
Either way, this was never the intent of the constitution.
The constitution allows for the defense of this nation and her borders, not a fifteen year long maneuvering against another nation state.
Sorry, but I think it's time to bring our troops home. We can no longer afford the globe trotting.
We have over seven hundred bases around the world costing the American taxpayer billions upon billions.
The American people are taxed to the hilt and it's fixin to get even worse.
Maybe you guys believe in big government, but this fella is flat damn tired of supporting the world.
While America is spending billions to support illegal alien benefits, sending billions to support other nations around the world, the Indian / Chinese are using their resources to pump out thousands of highly educated people with masters and phd’s to work in corporate America.
We are so dumb in this country. We sit idle while our country is being slowly picked apart.
Don't you people get it......our government is broke!!!
We can't afford all this world beat cop stuff any longer. Whether you support it or not, the national check book is empty.
Isn't it time to take care of America for a change.
The French government was totally different a few years after the RevWar - butchers overthrew nobility ruthlessly. Frankly, I find it galling (gaulling) that the French acted so proud of their efforts of the distant past when it was the allegedly hated royalty and nobility that pushed forward any support.
>>So your saying that voting a legislative condemnation of an Iranian tyranny that directly threatens America and her allies is not within the bounds of the Constitution?<<
No, your attempting to say that this is what I’m saying.
This is not addressed in the constitution.
LOL. Ron Paul is always ready to be critical of Israel, he has no problem condemning them...so I don’t see why he would oppose condemning Iran
This reminds me of the complete lack of understanding Ron Paul and many of his disciples have with regard to the position (and thereby the vulnerability) of the United States in the world.
NOW is the time to destablize our enemies, to disrupt their economy, to AID the millions who want their LIBERTY. This would kill two birds with one stone - cut off their nuclear ambitions and replace the Mullahs with a regime more amenable to peace, liberty and stability.
And if you think mine is a “Neo-Con” notion, you neither understand history NOR the true EVIL, hatred and danger represented by the Mullahocracy in Iran.
Not casting a vote against the Ahmadinejad’s terrorist exporting dictatorship, responsible for murdering American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, is the same as voting in favour.
The American people are taxed to the hilt and it's fixin to get even worse
America is spending billions to support illegal alien benefits
......our government is broke!!!
the national check book is empty.
You seem to have a lot of rage towards our presence in Iraq, yet no comments on the other issues you brought up as comparisons. So it's OK with you that we support the illeagal aliens. It;s OK to bail out the banking and auto industries. It's OK to spend money that will not only tax you and I to death, but our grandchildren as well ????
The true defense of America does not start at the Jersey shoreline. This great country needs to be defended not only from inside it's borders, but outside it's borders as well. The sooner you understand that, the sooner you will see the bigger picture.
This article was a slap-down of Jewish members of Congress, i.e. it was anti-semitic. Read between the lines. Not all Democrats support Israel (which also has a million Moslems and Christians as citizens). John Conyers is certainly anti-Israel. Ignore the fact for the moment that he is a communist and anti-America as a standard practice. The same for Maxine Waters, Keith Ellison, etc. However, one single group was picked out of many. Wonder why?
The writer quoted Howard Berman, one of the biggest nuts in Congress because his part of his quote was the Obama don’t interfer line, while the second part supported freedom of speech (an Obama Fairness Doctrine for Irans which would be used to suppress the conservative media at home?)
Nobody in their right mind would quote Berman.
Ron Paul - another nut!
Oooh!! A Congressional Condemnation! /sarc
BFD. that’s about as useless as a sternly-worded UN letter. Wake me up when Congress actually does something.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.