Updated at 11:55 a.m., Friday, November 16, 2007
Abercrombie moves to block U.S. military action in Iran
By DENNIS CAMIRE
Advertiser Washington Bureau
"We have learned how adept the Bush administration is at interpreting and twisting language to justify military adventure," said Abercrombie, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee who also voted against the 2002 war resolution.
Abercrombie, who has consistently supported pulling troops out of Iraq, introduced a resolution Wednesday to prevent Bush from using the 2002 war resolution or any previous legislation to justify or authorize military action against Iran.
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., introduced an identical resolution in the Senate on Nov. 1.
The resolutions, which have no co-sponsors yet, are partly in response to Senate passage on Sept. 26 of an resolution sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., that urged the State Department to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
Kyl and Lieberman said their resolution encourages the U.S. to find ways to cut off financial support for Iran and does not authorize military force.
On Oct. 25, the State Department labeled the Revolutionary Guard and Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics as "proliferators of weapons of mass destruction."
On Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on ABC's "This Week" that she doesn't believe the resolution gives Bush the authority to use military force.
"With Senate passage of the Kyl-Lieberman amendment supporting the use of our military to roll back Iran's influence in Iraq, and given President Bush's evident belief in an 'imperial presidency,' defining terms is certainly prudent," Abercrombie said. "Immediate action is needed that leaves no room for the administration to use military force against Iran without the specific authorization of Congress."
