Obama fails to sign Webb's warning letter to Bush.

[Karmadillo]

I wonder why he didn't sign.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/democrats_warn_bush_iran_vote.html

Democrats warn Bush: Iran vote no runup to war
by David Lerman

Virginia Sen. Jim Webb sent a letter to President Bush today warning against any military action against Iran that lacks the explicit approval of Congress.

The letter, signed by 30 Democratic senators, emphasizes that a Senate amendment passed last month-- designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force as a terrorist organization-- ``should in no way be interpreted as a predicate for the use of military force in Iran."

Webb, an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, has sought legislation that would prohibit funding for any military strike against Iran-- with limited exceptions-- unless Bush obtains the explicit approval of Congress.

The letter comes at a time when the Bush administration has sharpened its rhetoric on Iran and imposed economic sanctions on the Iranian government. Bush has warned publicly of risking ``World War III" if Iran gains the knowledge required to build a nuclear bomb.

``These comments are counterproductive and undermine efforts to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy," the senators wrote in their letter. ``We wish to emphasize that no congressional authority exists for unilateral military action against Iran."

more...

[babylonsister]

1. Was he in DC? nt

[polichick]

2. Biden didn't sign either. Hmmm nt

[WCGreen]

7. Biden didn't vote for the original resolution...

[polichick]

8. Webb didn't either, did he? nt

[TwilightGardener]

9. He's doing this for Hillary.

[polichick]

10. Butt-covering then? I'm not sure...

Webb spoke about this on some show recently ~ he's very worried.

[TwilightGardener]

14. Totally. She's now going to point to this fucking meaningless letter

when it suits her purposes, but the K/L vote is on record for the general election, and she's co-sponsor of the Webb resolution that will never come to a vote--got all her bases covered. I'm disappointed in Webb.

[Think82]

19. Webb wanted to pass legislation to this effect, but if the legislation were defeated, Bush could use

that as a de facto "yes" on war with Iran. Thus, the meaningless letter.

[polichick]

29. Oh. The anti-war people in Congress must be freaking out...

...about that Iran vote even more than I am ~ they probably know it won't be long now.

[MNDemNY]

13. .

:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:

[TwilightGardener]

18. Maybe, but Clinton's Senate Web site made it sound like she and Webb generated

the letter.

[polichick]

30. Are they such good buddies? nt

[TwilightGardener]

33. Webb is hoping for VP, I'll bet. That makes him her buddy.

[polichick]

40. You might have something there...

Interesting power pairing ~ but I doubt she'd choose someone who's as assertive as she is.

[WCGreen]

20. I don't know...

I just know the Biden voted against...

[sandnsea]

Biden didn't either

Why am I so not surprised that tidbit wasn't included.

[Clintonista2]

16. SandNsea, I've noticed you falling into a certain trend...

Lately, I've never seen you post anything more than "CLINTON DID IT TOO!" "BIDEN DID IT TOO!" etc.

[sandnsea]

22. Stop the hypocrisy

Stop bashing one candidate for the partisan benefit of aother. I think you missed the trend.

[Clintonista2]

23. Um. Go look up the word "trend."

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[sandnsea]

24. You have a definite trend

I'm not allowed to say what it is or I'd get booted off of here.

[Clintonista2]

28. You may resume your "So-And-So did it too!" rants now.

That is all.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I'm not getting the purpose of this letter:

Is it cover for Hillary and some of the other Kyl-Lieberman voters? Is it in lieu of legislation? What the hell good will it do? Is Webb sucking up to her highness now too?

[daninthemoon]

17. I think you're right on all counts. This is primarliy a stunt to help

HRC cover herself when der bushler bombs Iran. "Well, I told him not to. Look, I even had some friends sign a letter with me. Did all I could. Oh, well. Now vote for me, mkay?"

[TwilightGardener]

21. Yup.

[2rth2pwr]

4. He never seems to be around when the important

issues come up.

[TwilightGardener]

6. This isn't important. It's a letter, not a bill. Sounds like total political cover

for K/L--which Obama and Biden don't need, since they didn't vote for it.

[Sparkly]

5. I'll wait for an explanation from him and Biden, or their campaigns,

before jumping to any conclusions.

[Bitwit1234]

11. I told you .he sat on the fence and did not vote for about 128 bills

Some were very controversial. One the redeployment of troops from Iraq. He does that so, if there is a Boru ha ha he can say I did or I didn't vote. Which makes him the WAFFLE and not Hillary like the posters on this site try to say.

[emilyg]

38. Seems that way.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Here's something I don't get--doesn't Chimpy need Congressional authority

anyway, to strike Iran? After all, that's what happened with Iraq. This all seems silly.

[Think82]

15. If Congress alone has the right to declare war, why is this letter necessary? hmmm. If you voted no

on Kyle-Lieberman, there is no reason to sign it. All it does is look like desperation. The only thing Bush MIGHT listen to is legislation, and he even tries to get around that.

[TwilightGardener]

25. Here's a few others who failed to sign:

Russ Feingold, Edward Kennedy, Joe Biden, and also Lugar and Hagel, who voted against K/L--are they secret Chimpy supporters, who want to give him carte blanche against Iran? Don't read too much into this letter, or who signed it.

[maximusveritas]

26. Of course he didn't. This letter is just cover for Hillary and those who voted for Kyl-Lieberman

As if a letter like this will mean anything to King George.

[hisownpetard]

41. Wasn't HRC the only Dem. presidential candidate who voted in favor of the K/L

amendment? If so, why would any of the others need/want to sign this letter?

The fact that she co-authored the letter proves that she now considers her 'Yes" vote to be a mistake.
By writing this letter, she's acknowledging that Bush is more than capable of taking that "Yes" vote and using it
as armor (for himself) and as a bogus authorization to invade Iran.

If she really believed that the K/L amendment in no way gives Bush permission to invade Iraq, then she wouldn't have
found it necessary to sign the letter in question, would she?

Is there any other way to interpret this?

I'm not a Hillary basher. I'm just trying to make sense of it all.

[babylonsister]

27. Reason given for NOT signing it:

http://alternet.org/wire/#66750

Sources knowledgeable with the crafting of the letter said there were two general arguments offered by those who did not sign on in support: that Congress already has the power to declare war, and that the letter text was too vague about defensive and/or covert action against Iran. Notably, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) also declined to attach his name.

[Karmadillo]

31. Obama apparently introduced his own legislation to nullify the amendment

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/11/new_letter_on_iran_lacks_obama.html

<edit>

Obama's campaign just responded that the letter, led by Sen. Jim Webb, is not enough top deal with the situation.

"Senator Obama admires Senator Webb and his sincere and tireless efforts on this issue," the campaign said in a statement. "But it will take more than a letter to prevent this administration from using the language contained within the Kyl-Lieberman resolution to justify military action in Iran. This requires a legislative answer and Senator Obama intends to propose one."

Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt also said the Illinois Democrat on Thursday introduced a binding resolution that would "nullify the vote the Senate took to give the president the benefit of the doubt on Iran."

[TwilightGardener]

32. BWAHHH!!! Gobama!! One-upsmanship!

[Windy]

34. Good for him. n/t

[Grandrose]

37. Excellent way to go! (K&R)

GObama indeed!:headbang: :kick:

[hisownpetard]

42. Terrific. I'm happy to hear that! nt

[Windy]

35. where are the hillary spinners?

No attack comments?

[Lucinda]

36. Here is who DID sign PLUS responses from Obama and Biden

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/01/new-08-iran-rift-obama-_n_70807.html

1. Webb

2. Akaka

3. Baucus

4. Boxer

5. Brown

6. Byrd

7. Cantwell

8. Carper

9. Casey

10. Clinton

11. Dodd

12. Dorgan

13. Durbin

14. Feinstein

15. Harkin

16. Johnson

17. Kerry

18. Klobuchar

19. Kohl

20. Leahy

21. McCaskill

22. Mikulski

23. Murray

24. Reed

25. Rockefeller

26. Sanders

27. Stabenow

28. Tester

29. Whitehouse

30. Wyden


Responses from Obama and Biden campaigns:

"Senator Obama admires Senator Webb and his sincere and tireless efforts on this issue. But it will take more than a letter to prevent this administration from using the language contained within the Kyl-Lieberman resolution to justify military action in Iran. This requires a legislative answer and Senator Obama intends to propose one."
+++

"Sen. Biden voted against the amendment urging the designation of the Iranian Rev. Guard as a terrorist group. He strongly opposed it because he believed it could be used by this President to justify military action against Iran. He has also made clear many times his view that the President lacks the authority to use force against Iran absent authorization from Congress. He didn't need to clarify that position - he's been clear from the start," said Biden spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander.

[Catchawave]

39. He probably didn't respond to Born Fighting either ?

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U.S. Senator