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Obama warns Bush not to engage Iran without public support

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, January 23, 2007

WASHINGTON — Congress has warned the Bush administration against leading the United States in a war with Iran.

"What I think many of us are concerned about is that we stumble into active hostilities with Iran without having aggressively pursued diplomatic approaches, without the American people understanding exactly what's taking place," Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat, said.

The warnings were voiced by Democratic and Republican senators, who instead called on the administration to engage with Teheran. The senators, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cited the administration's information campaign that led to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The warnings came during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Jan. 30 to examine the nomination of John Negroponte as deputy secretary of state. Bush has transferred Negroponte from director of national intelligence to the No. 2 post in the State Department.

During the hearing, Negroponte was asked whether the United States was heading toward a war with Iran. Negroponte said President George Bush preferred a diplomatic solution, but added "We don't rule out other possibilities."

Officials said the Bush administration has ordered a more aggressive policy toward Iran both along the border with Iraq as well as in the Gulf. They said the U.S. military plans to increase air reconnaissance along the Iranian border as well as naval patrols near the Iranian coast.

"We have picked up individuals who we believe are giving very sophisticated explosive technology to Shia insurgent groups who then use that technology to target and kill American soldiers," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in a radio interview. "It's a very serious situation. And the message from the United States is, Iran should cease and desist."

Bush has also appointed Adm. William Fallon as chief of the U.S. military's Central Command. Fallon would become the first admiral to head Central Command in a move that analysts said could signal U.S. strategy in any confrontation with Teheran.

"They have not been helpful in Iraq," Fallon told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "It seems to me that in the region, as they grow their military capabilities, we're going to have to pay close attention to what they do and what they may bring to the table."

But committee members urged the administration to reconcile with Iran and its ally Syria. They included Senators Chuck Hagel, George Voinovich and committee chairman Joseph Biden.

Negroponte said both Iran and Syria continued to contribute to the insurgency war in Iraq. He said U.S. efforts to persuade Syria to halt the flow of insurgents have failed.

"I would never want to say never with respect to initiating a high-level dialogue with either of these two countries," Negroponte said. "But that's the position, as I understand it, at this time."

On Wednesday, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis have not succeeded. But Kissinger told the Senate committee that he doubted that Bush would launch war against Teheran.

"Military action by the United States is extremely improbable in the final two years of a presidency facing a hostile Congress -- though it may be taken more seriously in Teheran," Kissinger said. "Teheran surely cannot ignore the possibility of a unilateral Israeli strike if all negotiation options close."


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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