Ryan Adviser Calls On Congress To Authorize War With Iran

[maddezmom]

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) isn’t exactly the most sophisticated observer of international politics. As such, he was treated to a crash course in foreign policy by the Romney campaign prior to his selection as the GOP Vice Presidential nominee. Now, one of Ryan’s key advisers during that briefing period is calling for congressional authorization for war with Iran.

Elliott Abrams, a former Bush Administration official who focuses on the Middle East, took to the pages of the Weekly Standard to argue that neither Iranians nor Israelis think the Obama administration is “serious” about attacking Iran, and that the only real way to convince them is having Congress vote for war:
In any event, the debate over a joint resolution will clarify who stands where. At the moment, no one is persuaded that the United States will use force to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. That situation worries Israelis and emboldens Iranians, not the outcome we want. A clear statement now that is backed by the nominees of both parties and elicits widespread support in Congress would demonstrate that, whatever the election results, American policy is set. That is the best (and may be the only) way to avoid an Israeli strike in the near future and the best (and may be the only) way to persuade Iran to negotiate seriously. And if we are unwilling as a nation to state that we will act to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, that conclusion should solidify support for what would then become the inevitable Israeli strike. A refusal by the White House to seek such a joint resolution would itself suggest that, while “all options are on the table,” the likelihood is that that is precisely where they will remain.

The weight of the evidence (according to the Pentagon and the U.N.) suggests that, far from emboldening Iran, the Obama administration’s diplomacy and sanctions policy has significantly slowed Iran’s nuclear policy relative to the baseline left by the Bush administration. Abrams’ claim that Iran is more likely to come to the table if threatened by war is also highly improbable, given that the specter of an American attack is one of the regime’s most effective tools for dealing with its domestic problems. Finally, the Obama administration has already taken a number of steps that credibly establish the possibility of an U.S. strike — having Congress authorize military force would likely add nothing to these steps other than lock the United States down a path that could result in a costly war.


more:http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/08/21/719611/ryan-adviser-abrams-iran-war/

[KansDem]

1. Can't we just wait until the Saudis fly airliners into our tallest buildings?

It worked the last time when BushCo wanted an "authorized war" with Iraq...

[Wellstone ruled]

2. This is the 100 million

payback to Sheldon Adelsen,folks. October surprise,anyone.

[Panasonic]

5. The October Surprise is...

Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson getting arrested for massive fraud (Ponzi scheme?) and in public.

That seals the death of Rmoney, Inc.

As well as massive amount of downticket Republicans

[cpwm17]

6. That's the elephant in the room

It's corruption in Washington DC and people like Sheldon Adelsen that drive US foreign policy, the very same foreign policy that motivated Osama to fly some aircraft into those buildings.

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. Declaring war by authorizing it is not threatening war. It is an act of aggressive warfare.

Obama has been consistent that all options are on the table. That is threatening war. His policy on that account is almost identical to the Bush Administration, differing only in Obama's more vigorous push for sanctions and his policy of reaching out to other countries to push those sanctions.

This, of course, is a blatant attempt to appeal to Jews, that all Republicans know are rabid supporters of Israel and are just misguided in their consistent use of the Jewish vote to vote for Democrats. It supports Israel's blatant attempt to manipulate the election to place a Republican in office. It also puts Ryan as a Neocon.

And it makes me wonder who really is running for President and who wears the Mr. President Pants in their odd relationship.

[superpatriotman]

4. Abrams: Neocon chickenhawk

Grab a gun, Elliott, if you think there's something worth fighting for.

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Elliot Abrams is a war criminal. He should have gone before the Hague...

...for his role in the Contra war against the Sandinistas.

We used to call him the Wicked Witch of the West.

[reformist2]

8. I wonder if Americans realize that an all Republican gov't = War with Iran.