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US Lawmakers Demand Bush Ask Congress Before Invading Iran
Washington (AFP) Jan 18, 2007 A resolution introduced Thursday in the US House of Representatives calls on President George W. Bush to obtain approval from Congress before using military force against Iran. The bill, introduced by longtime Iraq war critic Walter Jones, a Republican, and five other US lawmakers calls on the president obtain authorization for an attack on Iran, unless the United States or US interests are attacked first. Supporters said the legislation would prevent the United States from becoming embroiled in another intractable war like the one raging in Iraq. "Congress will not stand by idly -- it won't be railroaded into another war that will only make America and the world less safe," Democratic Representative Martin Meehan said at a press conference Thursday. He said recent administration statements and military maneuvers point to an imminent attack on Iran. "The indications of the initial saber-rattling are everywhere," Meehan said. "I'm not here to tell you that I trust Iran, but I am here to say that I don't trust the administration," Meehan said. Bush announced last week he had ordered a second US aircraft carrier battle group to the Gulf and announced the deployment of a Patriot missile defense battalion to the region to protect allies against potential Iranian missile strikes. And in a speech unveiling his new strategy for Iraq, the US president also vowed to "seek out and destroy" any networks funneling weapons or fighters from Syria or Iran into Iraq. Those moves have fed speculation that a US attack might be imminent, despite the administration's repeated denials. "There is a growing concern -- justified or not -- that some US officials are contemplating military action against Iran," Jones said, adding that an invasion of Iran would flout the US Constitution. "If the President is contemplating committing our blood and treasure in another war, then he and his administration must make the case to Congress and the American people why it would be in the national security interests of the United States to engage militarily in Iran," Jones said.
Source: Agence France-Presse
Gates tells Saudi, Gulf rulers Iranians 'overplaying their hand'Manama (AFP) Jan 18 - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he had told Saudi and Gulf rulers that the Iranians are "overplaying their hand" and are raising "real concern" about their intentions. Speaking to reporters here, he also said he believed the United States needs to gain more leverage before it engages Iran diplomatically. Gates met with Saudi King Abdullah Wednesday night and with the emir of Qatar on Thursday during a swing through the Gulf aimed in part at rallying Arab allies against Iran. Gates, describing his message in those meetings, said the Iranians were being "very aggressive" and "believe they have the United States at some disadvantage because of the situation in Iraq." "In fact, to be precise, I told them both the Iranians were overplaying their hand, and one of the consequences of that was that they raise real concern in the region and beyond about their intentions," Gates said. He said the Iranians had grown bolder since 2004 "when I think they were very concerned about having us on both their eastern and western borders and weren't sure what might come next." Gates acknowledged that US difficulties in Iraq since then have given the Iranians "a tactical opportunity. But the United States is a very powerful country," he added. Asked whether Washington should try to engage Iran diplomatically, Gates said the United States should not open a dialogue with Tehran without first strengthening its position. "And, frankly, right now there is nothing the Iranians need from us," he said. "So in any negotiation right now, we would be the supplicant: 'We want you to stop doing x,y and z'." Gates quoted Frederick the Great who said, "Negotiations without arms are like notes without instruments." "We need some leverage, it seems to me, before we engage with the Iranians," he said. "I think until the Iranians have some sense that the United States is in fact a formidable adversary, that there's not much advantage for us for engagement." Asked if that explained President George W. Bush's decision to send a second aircraft carrier battle group to the region, Gates nodded and said: "We intend to be here for a long time." However, Gates said the United States did not want a conflict with Iran, and there were many other courses of action it could take short of force. "There is no need for that," he said. "I don't think anyone wants another military conflict in this region, but there clearly is concern about Iranian ambitions, and they certainly expect the United States to play a role in containing those ambitions," he said. During his Manama stopover, Gates held talks with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa who spoke of his concerns about the regional situation, according to BNA state news agency. The talks focused on ways of boosting ties between their two countries and of improving cooperation "to enhance regional security and peace," BNA said. The two men expressed support for a joint statement issued after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Arab states, Egypt and Jordan in Kuwait Tuesday, according to BNA. King Hamad "hailed the constructive US role aimed at enhancing security and stability in the Middle East," it added.
Source: Agence France-Presse Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
IAEA Suspends Some Technical Aid To Iran
Vienna (AFP) Jan 18, 2007The International Atomic Energy Agency has halted some of its technical aid to Iran following the United Nations' sanctions against Tehran's nuclear programme, the chairman of the agency's board of governors said Thursday. "The (IAEA) secretariat has put on hold, suspended, some projects which are prima facie under the sanctions" imposed in December by the UN Security Council, Slovenian ambassador Ernest Petric, who this year heads the agency's 35-member board of governors, told AFP. |
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