Senators Raise Prospect of US Attack on Iran

McCain Says Israel Won't Attack, Lieberman Says US Will

Senators Joe Lieberman (I – CT), John McCain (R – AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R – SC) are in Israel today discussing as they so often do the prospect of America launching yet another massive, ill-conceived war, this time against Iran.

Sen. McCain opened with comments suggesting he did not believe that Israel, which has repeatedly threatened to launch a military attack on Iran, was close to making any such decision. Sen Lieberman was quick to add that he believes that even if Israel doesn’t attack, the US is prepared to.

Lieberman insisted that one way or another, Iran would be prevented from becoming a “nuclear power,” adding this would be either through “economic sanctions if we possibly can, through military actions if we must.”

Sen. Graham was even more blunt in his support for launching the war on Israel’s behalf, saying that “the Congress has Israel’s back.”

The officials went on to condemn Turkey for its “hostile rhetoric towards Israel,” with Senator McCain calling Turkey’s behavior “disturbing.” Turkey, a long time ally of Israel, was critical of last month’s Israeli attack on a Turkey aid ship, an attack which left eight Turkish aid workers and one American dead.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.