Nuclear Iran hearing in SFRC: 10:30 AM Thurday 3/2

[TayTay]

A Nuclear Iran:
Challenges and Responses
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http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2006/hrg060302a1.html
HEARING
before the

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, March 2, 2006

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Time: 10:30 AM
Place: 419 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Presiding: Senator Lugar

Witnesses:
The Honorable Ronald F. Lehman, II
Director
Center for Global Security Research
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Livermore, CA
Dr. Patrick Clawson
Deputy Director for Research
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Washington, DC
Dr. Ray Takeyh
Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Council on Foreign Relations
Washington, D.C.
****************************

Not the greatest guest list ever, I must say. Aren't there any Bush Admin people find the time to come over and talk about Iran and the nuclear threat? What the hell is up with that. These are all think tank people. Odd. This decreases the chance that JK will show up. (Seriously, to debate this with think tank people? He already knows all the wonky stuff, so what is the point of this.)

Anway, the closed session briefing is before this. That is where all the really scary neo-con sabre rattling bullshit will occur anyway. Sigh! I was so looking forward to a good hearing too!

[TayTay]

1. kick

this is up.

http://foreign.senate.gov/index.html

Audio feed only.

[whometense]

2. Thanks!

Listening. How much did I miss, and who's talking now?

[TayTay]

4. See warning.

I don't know who is there as there is just an audio feed.

However, Santorum testified to the committee as he has read his poll numbers back home and understands that Pennsylvanians hate him and he needs a foolproof issue to run on. He has hit upon the ever trustworty 'attack Iran' thing. (again. Sigh!) Coleman backed him up because weasels stick together. (Now honestly, do they really think this 'security card' will work? I think the Ports issue has blown this out of the water. But Little Ricky doesn't have anything else to run on, so he is pushing the Iran thing.)

[whometense]

5. Has JK said anything yet?

And re: little Ricky: :scared:

Mr. Layton? Leyton?

[TayTay]

6. I don't know if he is there.

He might not be. There was a closed door meeting of SFRC this morning and they were briefed in secrecy by John Negroponte about Iran and the nuclear situation. So, Kerry might have been at the early hearing and then skip this one. (I feel a floor speech coming on soon. This feeling is backed up by nothing (zip, nada, bubkis) but my own kerry-dar.) I just think we are due for a nice floor speech soon. Gawd knows there is enough to talk about.

[whometense]

7. My Kerry-dar is on the fritz,

but I do yearn to hear his voice of reason at this moment in time.

[TayTay]

8. Maybe not today, but soon

There haven't been any floor speeches in a while. (Or this year.) I think (again, based on nothing but intuition) that we will get a speech soon on Iraq and related issues. Maybe not today, as they are still finishing up on The Patriot Act. We shall see.

[whometense]

10. Pardon my language,

but wtf is Biden going on about? God, he irritates me!

[karynnj]

11. There were the 3 Alito ones

The last one, rudely interrupted as it was, was incredible.

[TayTay]

12. I wish that one had been completed

I think Sens Kennedy & Kerry believe the changes to the Patriot Act that came back from the House and the conference committe are the best they are going to get in this Congress. They don't want the Act to expire, so they are voting for it, despite the flaws.

[karynnj]

13. I wish it was too - he spoke later but that seemed more

a summary before the vote.

It's a shame as he clearly was on fire and brilliant - which McConnell never ever will be.

His descriptions of the cases, especially the one involving the VT farmers made me understand why in his early career as a prosecutor there was concern about televising his Grand Jury presentations - per one of the Kerry biographies. It was almost like a very well done movie with an outstanding actor - except it was real and he wasn't acting or reading words written for him.

[Mass]

9. Not today probably. It is about the Patriot Act and I doubt

he (or Kennedy) will speak on that. I really would like them to explain why they support this deal.

[TayTay]

3. Small Business Admin Hearing next week

These are not to be missed affairs. I hope they get a live broadcast feed for this.

10 a.m.
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
To hold hearings to examine the President's
proposed budget request for fiscal year 2007 for
the Small Business Administration, and related
measures.
SR-428A

See Sec. Hector Barreto carved up by Kerry and Snowe and completely reduced to tears for his utter incompetence in Adminstering the SBA loan system. (Honest, these are the best hearings ever.)

[ProSense]

14. Here's something

about India -- Kerry's Jan. trip:

http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr011306.html

[jenndar]

15. Wow, thanks! n/t

[karynnj]

16. To second, Jenndar Wow!

Thanks for posting this.

Comparing this to Bush's incoherent press conference is not even possible. First of all, no one in the press would ask Bush questions of this complexity. I love his answer to the last one - having the self confidence to say you haven't looked into something enough to study it is wonderful.

You sould add this to the GD-P tread that compares their reception in India.