Iran Blockade Off (For Now)

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!

Comments

Kolohe | September 26, 2008, 3:27pm | #

I don't particularly care for this bill, but the concerns about it are somewhat exagerated. It is not quite the straight line from passage to blockade to war to armageddon that its critics have been claiming since it was first introduced.

mike | September 26, 2008, 3:27pm | #

I have a letter from my congress critter, Nita the ****** Lowey telling me that my concerns are unfounded, that nothing in the proposal amounts to a blockcade or could lead to a war.

Representative Ben Grimm | September 26, 2008, 3:29pm | #

It's clobberin time!!! Right after a few minor changes to this bill.

Andy Craig | September 26, 2008, 3:30pm | #

I know Ron Paul has been raising Cain over this bill. I wonder if he finally managed to bring to someone's attention what exactly it is the bill says, that no one seems to have been aware of.

Max | September 26, 2008, 3:36pm | #

Can they do this? Did AIPAC give permission?

Taktix® | September 26, 2008, 3:37pm | #

May I claim to the first to coin: The Palin Effect?

Episiarch | September 26, 2008, 3:39pm | #

When Xerxes invades with overwhelming force you'll regret not having the blockade!

Pro Libertate | September 26, 2008, 3:41pm | #

Episiarch,

Are you making a historical reference or a movie reference?

sage | September 26, 2008, 3:43pm | #

Our arrows will block out the sun.

BDB | September 26, 2008, 3:44pm | #

You never know when Xerxes may rear his head in our airspace, Epi.

Episiarch | September 26, 2008, 3:45pm | #

Are you making a historical reference or a movie reference?

I'm not telling! Wildcard, bitches! Yee haw!

Pro Libertate | September 26, 2008, 3:48pm | #

It would be cool if the Achaemenid dynasty would be restored, along with the worship of Ahura Mazda. I think the U.S. could do business with Iran then.

Terry | September 26, 2008, 3:50pm | #

"Well, that's the great thing about starting a war, like suicide: you can always do it later!'

That is what Hilter thought when he demanded the sudenland from Czeckaslovica.
If he invaded for it, the well dug in Czecks would have gutted his army and reveiled Hitler's true intentions to the world.
So in that vein, let's wait until Iran gets a nuclear bomb, then the war will be so much easier.

PS: Actually it would be, all we would need to do is launch the submarine ballistic missiles and wipe out approxiametly 100% of the Iranian population with few, if any American loses.

BDB | September 26, 2008, 3:53pm | #

"PS: Actually it would be, all we would need to do is launch the submarine ballistic missiles and wipe out approxiametly 100% of the Iranian population with few, if any American loses."

And irradiate half of the world in the processes. Brilliant idea!

J sub D | September 26, 2008, 4:24pm | #

And irradiate half of the world in the processes. Brilliant idea!

Don't misunderstand me here. I an NOT advocating nuking our Persian adversaries. Is "half of the world" already "irradiated"?

Nation, # of Above Ground Nuke Tests, Years, Total Yield
United States 216 1945-1962 153.8 mt
USSR, 214, 1949-1962, 281.6 mt
United Kingdom, 21, 1952-1958, 10.8 mt
France, 46, 1960-1974, 11.4 mt
PRC, 23, 1964-1980, 21.5 mt
South Africa, 1, 1979, 0.003 mt

Humans have conducted hundreds of above ground nuclear tests in less than 20 years, and except for the giant glowing crustaceans invading Tonga, the environmental effects have been fairly minor. Surely we could lay 20 or 30 on Iran without ending the human race.

Just sayin'.

Andy Craig | September 26, 2008, 5:46pm | #

Terry-

The Czechs certainly would have put up a better fight that the Poles did, but the idea that they could have actually defeated Hitler is ludicrous, particularly after Anschluss gave the Wermacht access to the much weaker defenses along the Czechoslovak-Austrian border.