Senate passes Lieberman measure on Iran

By a vote of 97-0, the Senate Wednesday passed an amendment to the 2008 defense authorization bill offered by Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) calling for a detailed report on the role Iran plays in equipping and funding terrorists in Iraq.  

The Senate’s rebuke also comes a day after the U.S. Navy announced that it would send a third aircraft carrier to its 5th Fleet area of operations, which includes waters close to Iran, whose dispute with the West over its nuclear plans has stirred regional tensions.

The provision expresses a sense of Congress that the killing of members of the U.S. military is an unacceptable act and that Iran and its agents must take immediate action to end all training, equipping, funding, advising or any other support to Iraqi militias and insurgents that contributes to the destabilization of Iraq.

{mosads}Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, supported the amendment and offered to be a cosponsor, but wanted to ensure that the amendment was modified so that it not be construed as an authorization of use of force against Iran.

Some Democrats have been trying for months to rein in the presidential war-making powers and ensure that the Bush administration seeks congressional authorization for any preemptive strike against Iran, but those attempts have failed in part because of divisions among Democrats. Some are concerned that restricting Bush’s war powers could endanger Israel’s security in the Middle East.

Lieberman recently generated controversy when he said that Iran, by its actions in Iraq, has declared war on the U.S. and that the U.S. government should keep open the possibility of using military force against Iran.

Lieberman stopped short of advocating a military strike, but said that "while I sincerely hope that diplomacy alone can convince the Iranian government to stop these attacks, our diplomatic efforts are only likely to succeed if backed by a credible threat of force."

The provision requires the commander of the multinational forces in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq to issue to Congress an unclassified report on Iranian support of insurgents in Iraq and to detail efforts by the government to counter Iranian activities. The first report is due to Congress no later than 30 days after the defense authorization bill is enacted and every 60 days thereafter.  

At the recommendation of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the amendment also calls for the director of national intelligence to issue the promised National Intelligence estimate on Iran without delay.

The House did not include similar language in its version of the defense bill. The House, however, passed an amendment by Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) that would prevent funds authorized for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from being obligated or expended to plan a contingency operation in Iran.