So, will we wake up one morning and find out the US has bombed Iran?

[TexasLawyer]

Please e-mail and call your elected officials and voice your opposition to this grotesque expansion on the phony "war on terror." It may fall on deaf ears, but at least you'll know you've done something. There are so many arguments to make against war with Iran, especially in light of the quagmire that we've got in Iraq, as well as the recently leaked National Intelligence Estimate.

Another angle is Bush's alleged unilateral power to declare war on Iran. The President does not have that power under the Constitution. The power to declare war belongs to Congress. Apparently Bush believes that the 2001 Congressional Authorization for the Use of Force that preceded the invasion of Afghanistan also authorizes attack on Iran:


War Signals?
By Dave Lindorff
The Nation, Monday 25 September 2006

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092506C.shtml
<snip>

Given the President's assertion that the nation is fighting a "global war on terror" and that he is Commander in Chief of that "war," his prominent linking of the Iran regime with terror has to be seen as a deliberate effort to claim his right to carry the fight there. Bush has repeatedly insisted that the 2001 Congressional Authorization for the Use of Force that preceded the invasion of Afghanistan was also an authorization for an unending "war on terror."<snip>


But if you look at the 2001 Authorization, it is all about September 11. How could that possibly be a legitimate authorization for a Presidentially-declared war against Iran?



http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/terrorism/sjres23.es.html
Authorization for Use of Military Force
September 18, 2001

Public Law 107-40

107th CONGRESS

<snip>

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

(a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

[Marie26]

1. Them & what army?

It seems like the military is fed up with this crowd.

[Brundle_Fly]

18. the military is the military though...

for right or wrong, they will follow orders.

[Marie26]

22. Maybe

But before that happens, I think we'd see a wave of resignations by prominent generals, war plans leaked to the Dems & the press, and some major defiance. It's a little amazing to me how much the military has already done to defy their "commander in chief". If Bush tries to attack Iran, I could honestly see the military turning on Bushco.

[bobbolink]

2. That's what I'm expecting.

Have for many months now.

I'm betting on the "October Surprise"

[Imagevision]

3. Ussia & China won't be pleased with Bush fuckin with their gas supplier

[HereSince1628]

4. Probably not. It'll be happening in the early evening for the US

You know we'll attack in the wee hours of the morning--OVER THERE. So it'll probably be announced during the early evening on CNN.

[Bitwit1234]

5. eMAILED

I have sent emails to my representatives and senators. They all responded that bush needs the approval of congress before he can bomb or invade Iran. At this stage of the game I don't think he will be able to get enough support....But when did getting approval stop King George from doing what he wanted.

You know something. I don't care what people say. TERM LIMITS...TERM LIMITS. My brother says that wouldn't stop them from accepting lobbyist money etc. BUT TERM LIMITS would cut them off from the fact that they think they are entitled to do what they want. After most of them have been in the house and senate they get to think they are in charge of everything. After six years are up and they are out of office who would even remember them.

[catmandu57]

6. What happens then?

After the bombing campaign that in all likelihood will not accomplish the neocon wet dream, these people are not very good at that what comes after.

[kimmerspixelated]

7. I'm afraid something will happen

whether it is MIHOP or LIHOP, and it will change the whole playing field....cancelling elections... all rules like Congress having a say(as if that mattered) will soon be null and void. THAT is a true nightmare world we may live in!

[TexasLawyer]

11. My Senators and Rep. are all Republicans

I have written them many times about Iran, and I do not get the sense AT ALL that the GOP majority intends to abide by the Constitution.

I have gotten very lame/alarming letters back from Cornyn, Hutchison and Culberson saying basically that the President will call the shots and Iran is a danger to America.

Be afraid, guys.

[peacebird]

13. the bush admin have been very very careful to link Iran to terr'ists

in Iraq and to publically blame Iran for thwarting democracy in Iraq. bush will claim bombing Iran is just continuing the "war on terror" authorized by congress pre-Iraq....

[Catherine Vincent]

8. It could be why Bush made the "Iraq war comma" comment.

Maybe what is about to happen, the Iraq war will be but a comma. :scared:

[teryang]

17. Noticed that he almost said Iran and changed in mid syllable to

Iraq in the comma comment. What's he got on his mind, indeed?

[acmejack]

9. Probably, seems to be the way the Empire creates it's new realities.

[and-justice-for-all]

10. Ships have alrerady left port for the Persian Gulf...

...USS Eisenhower and a large fleet of ships and subs.

[whistle]

12. Sadly, I think that's what will happen....it is all outlined in PNAC

...."as it is written, so it shall be done"

[cally]

14. No, they need to build fear in the public. We'll all see it coming

we'll just feel hopeless getting our message across. Yeah, I think we're sending ships to blockade Iran. I just don't know what to do about it.

[Ksec]

15. Id say yes

I dont think there can be a full blown war because of how Bush has killed our military, but Im sure they can afford a few bunker busters. How sad that this country has come to this.

[TexasLawyer]

16. We may not intend a full blown war

but that's exactly what Iran is going to give us-- sooner or later. Iraq shares a long border with Iran and we have lots of potential targets. Time is our enemy. I would be very afraid for our troops in the region, especially knowing that we may have a presence there for decades to come.

We could maybe set back the Iranian nuclear program, such as it is, back a few years, but at what cost?

[Jersey Devil]

19. First we'll blockade them in order to create a Gulf of Tonkin incident

They will provoke the Iranians and as soon as a bullet is fired by Iran all hell will break loose. It's the only way it can be done without prior congressional approval - as an act of "self defense".

[TexasLawyer]

20. very cynical

and probably accurate.

[alcibiades_mystery]

21. No, they always schedule these things for the Nightly News

:-)

[oblivious]

23. It's important that Iran cooperates in this war and fights fair.

When the war starts, Iran must put its troops, jets, tanks, subs, and so forth out in the open so that weapon can be matched against weapon, and man against man. Otherwise they're cowards. I hope they don't go for this asymetrical warfare shit, fighting from tunnels, hiding in the rubble like those cowardly Hezbollah fighters in the most recent mideast war. I mean what's the point of all those hi-tech bombs and missiles if the enemy doesn't cooperate and fight the way we want them to. :sarcasm:

[TexasLawyer]

24. And certainly Iranians would stay in their own country

and not pour over the border to terrorize our service people and military targets in the Middle East!
:sarcasm: