Posted on 02/15/2007 2:06:19 AM PST by XR7
WASHINGTON | President Bush on Wednesday accused Iran of contributing to American deaths in Iraq and said, “I intend to do something about it.”
But he insisted that he wasn’t looking for another war in the Middle East.
Bush also acknowledged that he doesn’t know whether Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or other top Iranian officials have authorized the shipment of sophisticated roadside bombs to Iraq. The munitions, known as “explosively formed penetrators,” are one of the deadliest weapons used by Iraqi insurgents.
Bush outlined the circumstantial evidence against Iran at a White House news conference dominated by questions on Iraq. He defended his handling of the war as about a dozen House Republicans spoke out against his plan for more troops.
The president’s recent focus on Iranian involvement in Iraq has raised new concerns that the Iraq conflict could spread.
When he announced a troop increase in Iraq on Jan. 10, Bush warned Iran and Syria that U.S. forces would “seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.”
Some members of Congress have pushed back against that remark, warning that Bush could be posturing ahead of planned attacks against Iran.
Bush rejected that assertion Wednesday. He said he lacked the authority to order such attacks, and insisted that he would have to first consult Congress before launching strikes against Iran.
Bush has butted heads for months with Ahmadinejad over Iran’s alleged efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. After praising diplomatic efforts that have secured a preliminary agreement through which North Korea would abandon its nuclear weapons program, Bush said he intended to press similar multilateral diplomacy with Tehran.
But he said he saw no benefit in one-on-one talks with Iran, as were recommended in December by a congressional study group headed by former Secretary of State James Baker and former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Lee Hamilton.
“If I thought we could achieve success, I would sit down,” Bush said. “But I don’t think we can achieve success right now and, therefore, we’ll want to work with other nations.”
Some Bush critics have warned that the same kind of intelligence failures that preceded the war with Iraq — no stockpiles have been found of its alleged chemical and biological weapons — could be leading to a new confrontation with Iran.
Bush lashed out against such charges.
“The idea that somehow we’re manufacturing the idea that the Iranians are providing IEDs (improvised explosive devices, or roadside bombs) is preposterous,” Bush said. “My job is to protect our troops. And when we find devices that are in that country that are hurting our troops, we’re going to do something about it, pure and simple.”
U.S. officials have been trying for days to tamp down fears of war with Iran even as they pressure Tehran to behave, but Bush’s comments Wednesday left ambiguity about his intentions.
Although he said he favors a peaceful resolution and isn’t trying to provoke Iran, he didn’t rule out military action.
He also seemed to shrug off the lack of evidence tying top Iranian officials to the weapons shipments. Bush said the munitions were sent to Iraq by the Quds Force, an elite unit with close ties to the top levels of the Iranian government.
“What’s worse: that the government knew or that the government didn’t know?” Bush asked.
“Whether Ahmadinejad ordered the Quds Force to do this, I don’t think we know. But we know that they’re there.”
Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee emerged from a classified briefing Wednesday and said they wanted more information about Iran. The committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said it was unclear to him precisely what the administration knew about the Tehran government’s ties to the weapons found in Iraq.
Bush’s first news conference of the year came as House lawmakers debated a nonbinding resolution denouncing his plans to send more troops to Iraq. The president said that lawmakers “have every right” to criticize his strategy as long as they continue to fund it.
Backers of the resolution opposing the troop increase predicted that about two dozen House Republicans would support the measure when it came to a vote Friday. Almost all Democrats support it, ensuring its passage.
With the resolution headed for passage, Bush focused his attention on the next flash point: his request for $174 billion to fund the war through 2008. The additional funding would push the war’s total cost to more than $500 billion.
Congress will consider the next installment for Iraq next month when it takes up Bush’s request for $99.6 billion in emergency funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. The rest of the Iraq money is in the president’s proposed 2008 budget, which probably won’t face votes until summer.
Although Bush seemed resigned to the likelihood of a rhetorical rebuke from the House, he warned against any effort to restrict war funding. Congressional Democrats have said that funding restrictions could be the next step.
“They have every right to express their opinion … I think you can be against my decision and support the troops, absolutely. But the proof will be whether or not you provide them the money necessary,” Bush said.
YO!
LOL! So true...agree.
immediately started leaking and spinning.
.
NEVER FORGET
The Words
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~ALOHARONNIE
The Pictures
http://www.RickRescorla.com/The%20Statue.htm
The Heroism
http://www.ArmchairGeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24361
NEVER FORGET
.
I want to see what the President really said regarding his authority to launch attacks against Iran. I doubt that he phrased as the above.
They make decisions based on the next elections even when they know in their heart these decisions are wrong.
Yup. Their number one enemy is always political opponents.
No, unfortunately the RINO's (except Leach Ia.) are still with us in the House. It's 20 good conservatives we lost in November.
Please let people know when you're making a joke.
Otherwise they might thing you're serious, and then YOU become the joke.
"But he insisted that he wasn’t looking for another war in the Middle East"
he doesn't have to, we already have it
So, what are we doing about this? Faster, Please, indeed.
I think that's exactly what I would do. If it crosses the border into Iraq from Iran or Syria without permission, I would vaporize it. Having denied that obvious link, Iran and Syria couldn't even acknowledge the action. That gives us political cover, I would use it...
Kaboom!
Can't disagree!
Iran has sh*t on us for almost 30 years and we've done nothing. I dont expect that to change anytime soon.
Good post!
I hear Dems saying "Stop this war."
Sure......be glad to.....
RIGHT AFTER WE WIN THIS WAR!
Time to bring back this "Oldie but Goodie" :
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, BOMB IRAN!
Let's take a stand, bomb Iran.
Our country's got a feelin'
Really hit the ceilin', bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Went to a mosque, gonna throw some rocks.
Tell the Ayatollah..."Gonna put you in a box!"
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Our country's got a feelin'
Really hit the ceilin', bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Ol' Uncle Sam's gettin' pretty hot.
Time to turn Iran into a parking lot. Bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Call the volunteers; call the bombadiers;
Call the financiers, better get their ass in gear.
Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Our country's got a feelin'
Really hit the ceilin', bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Call on our allies to cut off their supplies,
Get our hands untied, and bring em' back alive. Bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Our country's got a feelin'
Really hit the ceilin', bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, BOMB IRAN!
Let's take a stand, bomb Iran.
Our people you been stealin'
Now it's time for keelin', bomb Iran.
Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
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