Washington Post: Dana Milbank: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told the AIPAC gathering on Monday night that Obama needs more of a “clear, declaratory policy” toward Iran. “If Iran at any time begins to enrich the uranium to weapons grade or decides to go forward with a weapons program, then the United States will use overwhelming force to end that program.”
That’s not a controversial statement at the AIPAC conference, where attendees admired an armored personnel carrier, a surface-to-air missile and a model of an Israeli drone. To those who oppose military action against Iran, Netanyahu offered a 1944 exchange of letters between the World Jewish Congress, which pleaded with the United States to bomb Auschwitz but was rebuffed. “My friends, 2012 is not 1944,” the prime minister said. “Never again will the Jewish people be powerless.”
The question at AIPAC seemed to be less about whether a strike would occur than whether the United States would participate, and when it would happen. Lieberman, calling the Iranian threat “more serious than anything faced by the United States and Israel” during his time in office — a claim that would include al-Qaeda and Iraq — pressed for an “iron-clad” resolution: “The United States will prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear-weapons capability — by peaceful means if we can, but with military force if we absolutely must.” The AIPAC participants roared their approval.
Lieberman said that waiting until Iran gets the bomb would be too late: “The despotic regime that now rules Iran must be numbered.”
Categories: Americas, Iran, Israel, United States, War