2 unAuthorized Assaults in 2 Days

[gr8fuldaniel]

Congress was not consulted before the assault on Somalia yesterday (that missed the mark and only murdered civilians),
and now today

U.S. Forces Raid Iranian Consulate in Iraq, Detain 5 (Update2) By Marc Wolfensberger and Robin Stringer Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. forces in Iraq raided Iran's consulate in the northern city of Arbil and detained five staff members, a state-run Iranian news service said. The U.S. soldiers disarmed guards and broke open the consulate's gate before seizing documents and computers during the operation, which took place today at about 5 a.m. local time, the Islamic Republic News Agency said. There was no immediate information on whether any of those detained are diplomats. The raid follows a warning yesterday to Iran and Syria from President George W. Bush in his address to the American people on a new strategy for Iraq. Bush accused Iran and Syria of aiding the movement of ``terrorists and insurgents'' in and out of Iraq and said the U.S. will ``seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies.'' Coalition forces arrested six people during ``routine security operations'' in the Arbil area, the U.S. military said in an e-mailed statement. The military didn't confirm that the consulate was raided and didn't say whether any of those detained were Iranians. The operation was ``part of an ongoing effort by coalition forces targeting individuals involved in activities aimed at the killing of Iraqi citizens and coalition forces,'' the military said. <snip> cont'd...

A consulate is a sovereignity. That is foreign soil. What country will we attack tomorrow without congressional approval? This is an act of war against America, when the president acts as a monarch. We have only one brach of government with power to declare war and chimpy is the enemy of it.

Is this the neocon srategy for getting out of Iraq? Starting new wars? It worked so well in Afghanistan....

[gr8fuldaniel]

Correction:
The Somalia attack actually happened on Sunday.

I found out yesterday, that it was not approved by Congress.

source White House press secretary Tony Snow said he was not aware of any consultations with Congress before the assault.

...and this, from the same item:

Whitman said the U.S. conducts "all operations with the close cooperation of our allies in the region" but would not say if Somali officials gave permission for the raid.

edit to add:

Junior is going to need a spanking. Censure the warmongers. Its the only way they will learn. The rubber stamp is gone now. He has to stop acting like a dictator. Old habits are hard to break for a junkie.

[PatrickHenry]

There have been several attacks on Somalia. The WoT, you know...

And the raid in Erbil was not authorized with the local Kurdish government either. I hear they weren't happy.

Just the US plowing ahead with its arcane strategy to whip the world into chaos.

[Praxius]

Sounds like a bunch of disparate attempts to make some headway before actually thinking things through, yet again.

I like that term they use a lot "Credible Sources/Informants" ~ Which they cite every time they make an attack and shortly afterwards, find out they killed everything but their targets.

[PatrickHenry]

Here's a little context for the Somalia situation, Daniel.
US Military Aggression in the Horn of Africa: US Launches Two Airstrikes in Somalia
and
Somalia : another war "Made in USA "
I found it a bit confusing at first, in terms of what the US purpose in these military actions could possibly be. Then my longstanding cynicism for the Washington SuitMonsters kicked in and I realized that they are fomenting chaos. The Islamic Courts were bringing an end to the past fifteen years of warlordism in somalia. The Empire can't abide that things would start to settle down there under Islamic leadership...

[Rainbow]

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. forces in Iraq raided Iran's consulate in the northern city of Arbil and detained five staff members, a state-run Iranian news service said. The U.S. soldiers disarmed guards and broke open the consulate's gate before seizing documents and computers during the operation, which took place today at about 5 a.m. local time, the Islamic Republic News Agency said. There was no immediate information on whether any of those detained are diplomats.

A poor executive action.
(I really feel embarrassed. Damn it.)

[gr8fuldaniel]

I agree Patrick.

Hey look at this coincidence.
Imagine the odds of one of our embassys being attacked the very same day as we attacked one.

source U.S. Embassy cordoned off in Athens after explosion heard From Associated Press 10:09 PM PST, January 11, 2007 ATHENS, Greece -- Police cordoned off streets around the U.S. Embassy in Athens early Friday after an explosion inside the embassy compound. Authorities searched nearby apartment buildings and a hospital amid reports that an explosive device may have been fired at the building. The blast smashed glass in the front of the building, near the U.S. emblem of the embassy. "I heard a loud bang I didn't realize what was going on," said Giorgos Yiannoulis, who runs a kiosk near the embassy. Police did not report any injuries and embassy officials could not immediately be reached for comment. more....

I am thinking the only way to put a stop to it, is for the new majority to slap a censure on resident bush. Congress has not signed a war resolution against neither Iran, nor Somalia.

[Osborn F Enready]

Un-congressional approved war from an unconstitutional president, and his unconstitutional administration.....

no surprises, but thanks for the thread Dan.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the Dems to do anything different.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Quote by: Osborn F Enready I wouldn't hold my breath for the Dems to do anything different.

Where have you been? They have only been in power for One Week and they have already done more for America than the indictment party has done in years.

This is different from the repugnants:

SEN. BIDEN: Secretary Rice, do you believe the president has the constitutional authority to pursue across the border into Iraq (sic/Iran) or Syria, the networks in those countries? SEC. RICE: Well, Mr. Chairman, I think I would not like to speculate on the president's constitutional authority or to try and say anything that certainly would abridge his constitutional authority, which is broad as commander in chief. I do think that everyone will understand that -- the American people and I assume the Congress expect the president to do what is necessary to protect our forces. SEN. BIDEN: Madame Secretary, I just want to make it clear, speaking for myself, that if the president concluded he had to invade Iran or Iraq in pursuit of these -- or Syria -- in pursuit of these networks, I believe the present authorization granted the president to use force in Iraq does not cover that, and he does need congressional authority to do that. I just want to set that marker.

emphasis mine
The above and more about Did the President Declare "Secret War" Against Syria and Iran?

The warhawks are trying to draw fire from Iran because if we go in pre-emptively that will start a shitstorm including China and Russia.

[gr8fuldaniel]

2¢ from Sen. Chuck Hagel

The Washington Note When you were engaging Chairman Biden on this issue, on the specific question -- will our troops go into Iran or Syria in pursuit, based on what the president said last night -- you cannot sit here today -- not because you're dishonest or you don't understand, but no one in our government can sit here today and tell Americans that we won't engage the Iranians and the Syrians cross-border. Some of us remember 1970, Madame Secretary, and that was Cambodia, and when our government lied to the American people and said we didn't cross the border going into Cambodia. In fact we did. I happen to know something about that, as do some on this committee. So, Madame Secretary, when you set in motion the kind of policy that the president is talking about here, it's very, very dangerous. Matter of fact, I have to say, Madame Secretary, that I think this speech given last night by this president represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it's carried out. I will resist it -- (interrupted by applause.)

emphasis mine

[ByaKya]

Quote by: gr8fuldaniel I agree Patrick. Hey look at this coincidence. Imagine the odds of one of our embassys being attacked the very same day as we attacked one. I am thinking the only way to put a stop to it, is for the new majority to slap a censure on resident bush. Congress has not signed a war resolution against neither Iran, nor Somalia.

No longer a coincidence

Blast at U.S. embassy called 'terrorism' - Yahoo! News

Blast at U.S. embassy called 'terrorism'

"but mommy, i thought the iraq war could reduce the terrorism"

help explain this rual

[BobbyO]

Quote by: PatrickHenry Here's a little context for the Somalia situation, Daniel. US Military Aggression in the Horn of Africa: US Launches Two Airstrikes in Somalia and Somalia : another war "Made in USA " I found it a bit confusing at first, in terms of what the US purpose in these military actions could possibly be. Then my longstanding cynicism for the Washington SuitMonsters kicked in and I realized that they are fomenting chaos. The Islamic Courts were bringing an end to the past fifteen years of warlordism in somalia. The Empire can't abide that things would start to settle down there under Islamic leadership...

The critics of the Bush Admin policy really need to avoid putting themselves in the position of PRAISING Islamic fundamentalism.

[gr8fuldaniel]

As if "Christian" fundamentalists are any better than Islamic Fundamentalists. A bit biased I see.
Those who murder innocent citizens are the worse examples of humanity.

You can lump the bush admin in with the goatheads and genocidal maniacs.

[Zeebadee]

It's called "fighting terrorism" when we do it, it's called "terrorism" when anybody else does it. I suspect that the world is getting pretty tired of American hypocrisy.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: BobbyO The critics of the Bush Admin policy really need to avoid putting themselves in the position of PRAISING Islamic fundamentalism.

I have nothing against fundamentalism of any stripe if it is not backing torrorism. In this instance, the Islamic courts of Somalia were bringing peace to an area long torn by factionalism and warlords. This benefits no one but those at the top of the local heap.

If these fundamentalists can bring peace in the region, I will not criticize their use of Islamic law to do so.

[PatrickHenry]

Like I said, the Kurds aren't too happy about the arrest of diplomats by Uncle Sam's hired gunsels.
U.S. forces detain 6 Iranian envoys

Iraqi Kurds, among America's staunchest supporters, condemned the detention early Thursday of six Iranian diplomats during a raid by U.S. forces on the Iranian Consulate in the Kurdish city of Irbil. The Kurdish president and the regional government released a statement calling for the release of the six. The U.S. military said one of the diplomats was freed. "The U.S. action does not conform to the policy of attempting to spread security and stability throughout all of Iraq," the Kurdish statement said, adding that the raid was conducted without local approval. "The people of the Kurdistan region protest against and reject this action, which violates our internal sovereignty," the statement said. "We do not accept that disputes with our neighboring countries should be brought onto our soil." The U.S. operation follows detention of Iranian diplomats three weeks ago during raids in Baghdad. The Bush administration has accused Iran of arming and supporting Shiite Muslim militias and meddling in Iraq's affairs.