Iran Blockade Off (For Now)

Brian Doherty | September 26, 2008

A little good news in a bad week on the foreign policy front, via the Washington Times:

The House Democratic leadership has effectively shelved a resolution calling for what critics say would amount to a naval blockade of Iran because of concerns that it could provoke another war, officials on Capitol Hill said.

.......

Howard L. Berman, California Democrat and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has concerns about the current text and will not bring it before the committee until those issues are addressed. That, in effect, blocks the document from reaching the floor.

.....

The draft "demands that the president initiate an international effort" that would impose "stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains and cargo entering or departing Iran." It would also ban "the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products."

A version of the proposal will come back around, its backers promise. Well, that's the great thing about starting a war, like suicide: you can always do it later!