Ensuring War, and on Worse Terms, Too

In the pages of the Providence Journal, Richmond, RI, resident Rod Driver encourages Rep. Jim Langevin to seal our fate and ensure war — perhaps with a nuclear component — with Iran (at least):

On that date the House voted on an amendment offered by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D.-Ore.) to prohibit the administration from initiating military operations against Iran, Syria, North Korea or other nations without authorization from Congress. This, of course, is exactly what the U.S. Constitution requires.

But Rhode Island's representatives, Langevin and Patrick Kennedy, voted with Tom DeLay (R.-Texas) and almost all other Republicans to defeat the amendment. See 2005 Roll Call No. 285.

Unless this vote is reversed, President Bush is likely to regard it as authorization to attack Iran.

It's stunning that some people — who don't give any indication of being drooling morons — can be so un-forward-thinking in their advocacy. To ask a question that Driver doesn't seem to have considered is to answer it: What is likely to be Iran's reaction were the United States to tie its own hands when it comes to war?

I fear we're heading into an unimaginably dangerous era.