House committee OKs new penalties against Iran

AP/Seattle Post Intelligencer ^ | Nov 2, 2011 | DONNA CASSATA

[markomalley]

A House panel on Wednesday unanimously approved harsher penalties against Iran, arguing that an economically weak Tehran will struggle in its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

By voice vote, Republicans and Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee pushed forward two bills that would strengthen current sanctions while expanding the list of companies and individuals subject to penalties. Lawmakers cited recent allegations of an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States and insisted that such brazen behavior demands consequences.

The legislation builds on sanctions that Congress overwhelmingly passed — and President Barack Obama signed — last year. Those penalties targeted exports of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to Iran and banned U.S. banks from doing business with foreign banks providing services to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The United Nations and the European Union have also imposed sanctions on Iran.

The latest legislation "is designed to clamp new and tougher sanctions on Iran's energy sector, threatening the regime's existence if it refuses to halt its nuclear weapons program," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the committee chairwoman. She called Iran's energy sector the country's Achilles heel.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I heard some folks say that Iran does have nuke bombs now. I say we “penalize” Iran by taking every nuclear device and facility away, either the easy or hard way, their choice.