Sen. Joe Biden just informed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that, should the Bush administration attempt to cross over into Iran without Congressional approval, such action will provoke a "constitutional confrontation."
Sen. Biden is the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
(I was just listening to the Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on Iraq, via C-Span3. It just concluded. I thought his remark so significant you needed to know right away, rather than wait for a news story to appear.)
Posted originally at No Quarter.
FYI: C-Span3 has now gone to the House Armed Services Committee hearing with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who is about to speak, and Gen. Peter Pace.
You can listen to C-Span 3 via the link above.
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Sen. Biden further told Secretary Rice that Bush's escalation plan is a "tragic mistake." And he implied, best I could tell, that Bush's unilateral (unitary executive) escalation of the Iraq War was done without consultation and approval of the U.S. Congress. As Biden was speaking, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) inserted a remark that the Marines have already been told that their stays in Iraq will be extended. Sen. Biden reiterated that every senator supports the troops and is amazed by the "overwhelming commitment" of the troops.
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UPDATE:
I'm adding the contact info I posted a few days ago. You know the drill.
SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Chair: Joe Biden (D-DE)
Phones: 202-224-3953 (majority) | 202-224-4651 (minority)
Faxes: 202-224-5011 (majority) | 202-224-0836 (minority)
Dirksen Senate Office Building 450, Washington, D.C. 20510
Via VISI.COM: A full list of all current members of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, and their contact information, including e-mail forms.
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UPDATE #2:
From the NYT story, "White House Pushes Hard on Iraq Plan":
The region’s potential explosiveness was underscored as General Pace said it was essential to go after those Iranians who supply weapons to insurgents in Iraq.
“Are you going after them in Iran?” the general was asked at the news conference. “Why not go to the source?”
The general said the security of American troops could be protected “by doing the business we need to do inside of Iraq,” and that there were non-military means to pressure Iran.
“Has anyone in the military recommended operations inside Iran?” the questioner persisted.
“No,” the general replied.
Ms. Rice said she is ready to meet “anytime, anywhere” with her Iranian counterpart and end 27 years of estrangement between Washington and Tehran, once Iran forsakes its nuclear ambitions.