Lieberman favors military action against Iran

On CBS' Sunday news show Face the Nation, Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told host Bob Schieffer that he would favor military force against Iran in retaliation for their involvement in Iraq:

"I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military actionagainst the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq,"Lieberman told Bob Schieffer . "And to me, that would include astrike into... over the border into Iran, where we have good evidencethat they have a base at which they are training these people comingback into Iraq to kill our soldiers."

"I think you could probably do a lot of it from the air, but they can'tbelieve that they have immunity for training and equipping people tocome in and kill Americans," Lieberman said.

This is even more hard-line of a position than Condoleezza Rice's approach.  As I reported last month, there is an ongoing debate within the Bush cabinet over how to handle the Iranian situation.  Condoleezza Rice, her State Department and most other Bush cabinet officials favor diplomacy.  Dick Cheney and his allies favor aggressive coercion.  Lieberman appears to be backing the Cheney doctrine.

It might be nice to hear what Lieberman thinks would be the consequences of such military action against Iran.  I can think of a few:

• Wider Iranian involvement in Iraq.
• Reduced reputation in the international community.
• More defense spending in the long run.
• Oil at $85 a barrel.
• More hostility in Lebanon.
• Increased extremism in moderate states like Jordan.

Then again, maybe this is what Lieberman and Cheney want.  After all, the more Iranian aggression against U.S. interests, the more of an excuse they will have to keep the American public in a state of fear.  So this would work out well for them.

Comments

[Project Vote Smart]

Sen. Lieberman’s history of speeches on Iran can be found at: Sen. Lieberman’s Record of Speeches

For more information on Sen. Lieberman’s position on Iran please visit Project Vote Smart or call our hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

[Marian]

Killing Military
Americans in Iraq? Why? What is the big deal?