ACTION: Pre-emptive war on Iran and Congressional Auth-Video of Rice

[liveoaktx]

Video from 2005

I'm putting this up here again because I think this is a critical issue. Bush, according to Rice, does not have to go back to Congress to get authorization to strike other countries such as Iran or Syria-according to Rice, the other war auth covers this-Chafee disagrees, but understand that this is the Bush administration position. Coupled with the push TODAY to say that Preemptive Attacks on other countries are fine, more troops in Iraq, and Bolton going on talk shows ratcheting up the fear and attempting to tie to 9/11, it's time to CALL CONGRESS. NOW

CALL EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN CONGRESS AND ASK THEM WHAT THEIR POSITION IS AS TO IRAN? DOES HE/SHE BELIEVE that Bush can go attack Iran without explicit Congressional authority?

Then put what your congress person said here. I want to know. I'm going to call my (useless) Texas Senators, and also my blue-dog congressman, just to ask and I want to see how all of congress responds.

Editing to add: Please KICK AND ADD (and REC) AFTER YOU CALL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON.

[HereSince1628]

1. If we assume they believe they need no further authorization...

then I think we should start paying attention to the forecasts for moonless nights over Iran.

Stealthy, hypersonic technology aside, the attacks will be in the black of night for maximum psychological effect.

[liveoaktx]

3. Yes, ... AND CALL YOUR CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS

You remember when a while back, someone wrote that we, in America, would simply be observers of the Bush adminstration and study to see what they DID?

Well, that might turn out to be true but in the meantime, we must exercise our democratic muscles and CALL CONGRESS.

[liveoaktx]

2. Article from Oct 20, 2005 "Bush Would Not Need to Ask Congress for AUMF"

Boston Globe

''I don't want to try and circumscribe presidential war powers," Rice said in response to a question on whether the administration would have to return to Congress to seek authorization to use military force outside Iraq's borders. ''I think you'll understand fully that the president retains those powers in the war on terrorism and in the war in Iraq."

[harpo]

12. that's a good point...

[liveoaktx]

4. Chet Edwards (D-TX) no position-left a comment and I'll get

back a letter in 2 or 3 weeks. The guy answering the phone talked to me like I had a hole in my head for wanting to talk to someone who might *know* what his position is. I don't want a fegging letter back in several weeks. So I expressed my opinion to pass on, and then called his local Waco office and that person said she will have someone call back.

[liveoaktx]

5. Sen Cornyn-(R-TX) Left message with a Jane for a reply

about what his position is whether Bush would have to go back to Congress to attack and invade Iran.

[liveoaktx]

6. Unreal- KBH(R-TX) Guy answering the phone said KBH has no position

but that the Constitution allows Bush to strike a country for 60-90 days before having to go to Congress to get a declaration. I told him, I never heard that, where in the Constitution is THAT? He said, after looking it up "I misspoke, it's the War Powers Act of 1973" that allows Bush to go attack and invade other countries as long as, within that time frame, he gets a dec.

So now I have more research. Who knows about the War Powers Act of 1973? Has it been modified to include Bush's Pre-emptive Strike policy? Seems like in 1973 we still would have been using the "just war" model that says you don't attack another country without being attacked yourself first.

[liveoaktx]

7. Called Reid's office- guy answering the phone said to give Reid

time to make a public statement, I said, fine, I just want to see him make one. Bush attacking another country without explicit Congressional auth is WRONG.

[liveoaktx]

8. Demmit! Am I the ONLY ONE CALLING CONGRESS ABOUT THIS?

As soon I get done listening to Hadley talk about why it's just fine with God for Bush to go invade other countries.

[harpo]

9. I called both my senators and my house rep...I told them all, so should U

nuclear power is fine...I live right down the road from a nuclear power plant.
Iran has elections...their people elected their president.
Iran supplies oil to China and Russia, do you want to piss them off?
China has a BILLION more people than we do...hello...don't piss off China too much!!!


Bush seems to think he has the inherent right to attack and then tell congress in 60 days...ONLY IF WE ARE UNDER ATTACK...we are NOT under attack...this is a repuke talking point. Make sure you know this...IEDs being sent from Iran does NOT constitute an attack!!!!

[SalviaBlue]

10. This IS a critical issue.

Thanks for posting this. I will call my congress rep (R) to get him on the record later when I can leave work.

[liveoaktx]

11. Called Durbin's office about this-I didn't realize that Durbin was one

of the few senators that actually voted against the Iraq War. I requested that he and other Dem leaders please make very public statements about how Bush has not gotten congressional auth to go to war on Iran.

[Swamp Rat]

13. Kick kick kick!

Thank you Senator Barbara Boxer!

liveoaktx, I recommend chopping off the end of the clip after Boxer is finished. Rice just repeats herself.

[file83]

14. I kicked (vote count only at 3? KICK IT!!)

:kick:

The part about this clip that SPEAKS VOLUMES is when this guy says "What we learned is that we need better intelligence."

:wtf:

If they still need "better intelligence" then how do we know that the FACTUAL BASIS for Pre-Emptive strikes against Iran aren't fundamentally flawed, as the intelligence was flawed for Iraq!!???

This guy just pulled the rug out from under their justifications by putting the current intelligence into question.

(Please Lord, No More Wars.....Puh-leeeeeeeze O8))