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Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Pat Buchanan :: Townhall.com Columnist
Mr. Bush: Meet Walter Jones
by Pat Buchanan
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Biden sputters that should Bush attack Iran, a constitutional crisis would ensue.

I don't believe it. If tomorrow Bush took out Iran's nuclear facilities, would a Senate that lacks the courage to cut funds for an unpopular war really impeach him for denying a nuclear capability to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Bush's lawyers would make the same case Nixon made for the 1970 "incursion" into Cambodia -- and even a Nixon-hating Democratic House did not dare to impeach him for that.

Bush's contempt for Congress is manifest and, frankly, justified.

Asked if Congress could stop him from surging 21,500 troops into Iraq, Bush on "60 Minutes" brushed aside Congress as irrelevant.

"I fully understand (the Congress) could try to stop me from doing it. But I've made my decision. And we're going forward." Asked if he had sole authority "to put the troops in there no matter what the Congress wants to do," Bush replied, "In this situation I do, yeah."

Is Congress then impotent, if it does not want war on Iran?

Enter Rep. Walter Jones, Republican of North Carolina.

The day after Bush's threat to Iran, Jones introduced a Joint Resolution, "Concerning the Use of Military Force by the United States Against Iran." Under HJR 14, "Absent a national emergency created by attack by Iran, or a demonstrably imminent attack by Iran, upon the United States, its territories, possessions or its armed forces, the president shall consult with Congress, and receive specific authorization pursuant to law from Congress, prior to initiating any use of force on Iran."

Jones' resolution further declares, "No provision of law enacted before the date of the enactment of this joint resolution shall be construed to authorize the use of military force by the United States against Iran."

If we are going to war on Iran, Jones is saying, we must follow the Constitution and Congress must authorize it.

If Biden, Kerry, Clinton and Obama refuse to sign on to the Jones resolution, they will be silently conceding that Bush indeed does have the power to start a war on Iran. And America should pay no further attention to the Democrats' wailing about being misled on the Iraq war.

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About The Author
Pat Buchanan is a founding editor of The American Conservative magazine, and the author of many books including State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America .
 
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Reply # 1
Date: Jan 26, 2007 - 3:48 PM EST
Short memory of America
Few seem to recall that Under President Reagan, Saddam Hussein was seen as an ally for our interests in the Middle East. We seem to have actually picked the worst target over there. Have people so soon forgotten where the Baath Party got so many of its conventional weapons?
Now, with Iraq out of the way, Iran is flexing its muscles, and do we have a better strategy for dealing with Iraq than Saddam Hussein? This is not touchy feely cultural diversity. It won't work here, and is sure isn't working there.
Secular Americans don't understand that many people have priorities beyond creature comforts and benign self indulgence. I believe if we are going to remain any longer in Iraq, we ought to let our Military act like Soldiers and not bobby cops. It is putting too many young American ( and Mexican wanna be American's ) in harm's way.
Either get tough or get out.
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Reply # 2
Date: Jan 26, 2007 - 3:47 PM EST
Short memory of America
Few seem to recall that Under President Reagan, Saddam Hussein was seem as an ally for our interests in the Middle East. We seem to have actually picked the worst target over there. Have people so soon forgotten where the Baath Party got so many of its conventional firepower?
Now, with Iraq out of the way, Iran is flexing its muscles, and do we have a better strategy for dealing with Iraq than Saddam Hussein? This is not touchy feely cultural diversity. It won't work here, and is sure isn't working there.
Secular Americans don't understand that many people have priorities beyond creature comforts and benign self indulgence. I believe if we are going to remain any longer in Iraq, we ought to let our Military act like Soldiers and not bobby cops. It is putting too many young American ( and Mexican wanna be American's ) in harm's way.
Either get tough or get out.
Flag as Offensive
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