Does Shrub still need to get authorization from Congress before firing a single shot into Iran?

[RiverStone]

The Lieberman-Kyle amendment allowed Shrub's administration to declare Iran’s 125,000-member Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization. There is also lots of fine print in that bill (thanks Hillary et. al.), which many have suggested makes it easier for Shrub to pull the trigger.

From Think Progress 9/25/07:

In reality, the amendment is a clear call for military action against alleged Iranian agents inside Iraq. From the text of the legislation:

(3) that it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and stop the violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its foreign facilitators such as Lebanese Hezbollah, and its indigenous Iraqi proxies;

(4) to support the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of United States national power in Iraq, including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments, in support of the policy described in paragraph (3) with respect to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/25/kyl-iran-fox/

TWO QUESTIONS:

Does the BushCo war machine need to get unequivocal authorization from Congress before firing a single shot into Iran?
:nuke:
Is there wiggle room for some incident to necessitate an immediate and provocative response that will get Shrub his next war (without going to Congress first)?

[NewJeffCT]

1. recent history suggests no

he can launch an attack for something or other and then go back and get authorization for more military action.

[madokie]

3. after all he is the war presnit

he told us that hisself

[NewJeffCT]

7. Even before that, though

Did Reagan get authorization to go into Grenada?

Or Bush Sr into Panama?

And, even Clinton into Haiti...

[madokie]

2. Isreal doesn't for sure

[lonestarnot]

4. Decider decided he doensn't need no stink'n permission for nutt'n.

[Captain Hilts]

5. No, he doesn't. He doesn't have to account for anything until 90 [?] days have passed. nt

[endarkenment]

6. He never did need authorization BEFORE starting a war.

The War Powers Resolution unfortunately cedes to the executive the power to start a fight, and only demands that, having done so, he consult with congress within 60-90 days. It sort of by-passes the whole declaration of war issue, which issue has been routinely ignored since WW-II anyhow.

[RiverStone]

9. So then we may be down to "beat the clock"

Will we elect a new president before our rogue dictator (decider) fires the first shot?

Guess Iraq never paid the dividends he expected, so he might as well try next door.

This is why I've said for over two years now - IMPEACH!!!!!

[spanone]

8. i don't think junior gives a rats ass about what he's 'supposed' to do....

[HuffleClaw]

10. the bit about 'military instruments' was a blank cheque and everyone on the hill knows it

but when bush acts they'll pretend to be clueless

[CarolNYC]

12. Perhaps that is why they asked that those paragraphs be removed before voting? n/t

[CarolNYC]

11. The argument might make more sense if the two paragraphs cited...

were actually in the Amendment as it passed. But they were not.

Here's screen shot of the stricken paragraphs:
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/kyl-lieberman-amendment/?resultpage=8&

From Thomas, this is Lieberman speaking:

Because some of our colleagues thought paragraphs 3 and 4 of the sense of the Senate may have opened the door to some kind of military action against Iran, Senator Kyl and I have struck them from the amendment. That is not our intention. In fact, our intention is to increase the economic pressure on Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps so that we will never have to consider the use of the military to stop them from what they are doing to kill our soldiers.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r110:1:./temp/~r110U6ik8U:e19685:

[RiverStone]

13. even as I stand corrected, I suggest...

Per the link below that Shrub was and is seeking to justify another war. Remember, he sees himself as anointed by a higher power to make the lame decisions he makes.

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/oct/18/world_war_iii_anyone

I did not read the final text of the bill as passed, so thanks for the correction. :hi: