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New CENTCOM Chief: Stop All This War Talk
Just so he didn't feel left out, Admiral Bill Fallon, the incoming head of U.S. Central Command, gave an interview to the Associated Press telling the press to stop talking about a possible war with Iran:
“Some in the world are talking some fear of alleged imminent attack by the U.S. on Iran,” Fallon said. It “serves no good purpose, (is) unhelpful, distracting and just serving to up the ante of fear and uncertainty.” ...Fallon reiterated U.S. allegations that Iran is responsible for supporting some of the violence in Iraq. But he expressed hope Tehran would change course and start to play a constructive role.
“Of significant note, I believe, is the role that Iran is playing directly or indirectly, in fomenting, perpetuating, instability inside Iraq,” Fallon said.
Fallon said he believed Iran could help lower violence in Iraq and Afghanistan – countries on either side of Tehran's borders – but he hadn't yet seen any sign Iran was willing to lend its assistance.
“I believe that Iran could and should be playing a significant part. How that comes about remains to be seen,” Fallon said. “But the idea that we have yet another conflict in this region strikes me as not where we want to go, and not what we want to be engaged in.”
Comments (9)
Steve wrote on February 14, 2007 5:52 PM:Apparently Admiral Fallon didn't see the newsflash that Iran DID help the US in Afghanistan after 9/11. After Bush's speech writer labeled them as one of the "Axis of Evil," in 2003 they requested talks with the White House and offered to stop funding Hezbollah and Hamas. They also said they would suspend their Nuclear Power program if they had assurances we would not attack them. Oh, that's right. The mainstream media didn't cover it.
Robin Boerner wrote on February 14, 2007 6:06 PM:Of course, Bush and Cheney rejected the offer so they could keep the war drums beating. Are we ready for WWIII with Nukes? Ralph Nader is the only one who has had the balls to say if Bush bombs Iran, he should be impeached. He said it on a local news interview in Seattle earlier this week. Personally, I don't think we can risk waiting for Bush to plunge the entire Mid-East region into war. It's becoming ever more apparent. Impeachment NOW is the only solution.
It's kind of hard to believe a kid caught with his hand in the cookie and and his face smeared with chocolate....but...I'll try.
grandpa john wrote on February 14, 2007 6:13 PM:Hmmm may be he and mr. burns from the post below should get their stories together, just exactly WHO is spreading inflammatory talk?????
Sven wrote on February 14, 2007 7:05 PM:unhelpful, distracting and just serving to up the ante of fear and uncertainty
...unlike the three carrier groups dispatched to deliver 321 million flat soccer balls to Iraqi youths.
BW wrote on February 14, 2007 7:32 PM:If Bush wants to order an air campaign against Iran, presumably their nuclear sites, does he not have all the authority he needs to unilaterally do so without consulting Congress until after the fact?
Am I reading this wrong?
Constitution of the United States
The Power of Congress to Control the President's Discretion
"... the President's power to commit United States troops into hostilities, or into situations of imminent involvement in hostilities, is limited to instances of (1) a declaration of war, (2) a specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by an attack on the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.[174] In the absence of a declaration of war, a President must within 48 hours report to Congress whenever he introduces troops (1) into hostilities or situations of imminent hostilities, (2) into a foreign nation while equipped for combat, except in certain nonhostile situations, or (3) in numbers which substantially enlarge United States troops equipped for combat already located in a foreign nation.[175] The President is required to terminate the use of troops in the reported situation within 60 days of reporting, unless Congress (1) has declared war, (2) has extended the period, or (3) is unable to meet as a result of an attack on the United States, but the period can be extended another 30 days by the President's certification to Congress of unavoidable military necessity respecting the safety of the troops.[176] ..."
http://tinyurl.com/28qnpk
It sure seems to me that he has the Constitutional authority and that there is plenty of precedent for him to act unilaterally and order air strikes.
" Recent presidents, however, have taken advantage of several loopholes in the WAR POWERS ACT, most notably a clause that allows presidentially declared wars lasting 60 days or less. Ronald Reagan's interventions in Lebanon (1982) and Libya (1986) lacked congressional approval, and while George H. W. Bush received authorization for the Persian Gulf War (1991), he ordered the invasion of Panama (1989) while Congress was out of session. Bill Clinton acted unilaterally in Iraq (1993, 1998), Haiti (1994), and Bosnia (1995). "
http://www.answers.com/topic/war-powers-1
Can anyone stop him? How?
Jim Houston wrote on February 14, 2007 7:35 PM:So it was o.k. for the U.S. to give weapons and money to Iraq when they were fighting Iran,it was o.k. for the U.S. to give money and weapons to Afghanistan in their war with Russia.Both countries were thousands of miles from the U.S.,but when one country that borders another tries to help the citizens of that border country in their fight to establish their brand of government its considered interferance by the U.S. government. Bullshit!
oldtree wrote on February 14, 2007 8:51 PM:sounds like he was bitch slapped by cheney of command with a feather when he mouthed off yesterday that the nonsense line the honkey in chief was peddling was not factual
what pussies we have. easy to kill, hard to tell an insane hitler type to back down
when are the joint chiefs going to the speaker of the house to end this national nightmare?
stlounick wrote on February 14, 2007 9:54 PM:BW, Bush could order a military air strike. There's plenty of precedence for it.
libra wrote on February 15, 2007 12:50 AM:Admiral Fallon,
We,as a country, may not want to attack Iran... But can you vouch for the intentions of the power-mad Chimperor-in-Chief?