U.S. House passes new red line bill on Iran

Even as a second round of talks with Iran is slated about its nuclear program the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that threatens an attack when Iran obtains " nuclear weapons capability."

The present U.S. policy is that Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. At present U.S. intelligence believes that Iran has no nuclear weapons program. The new red line that Iran cannot cross is that even the capability to produce nuclear weapons is unacceptable. "Nuclear weapons capability" is undefined and by some interpretations could already apply to Iran.

The vote on the bill passed overwhelmingly by 401-11. In spite of denials by both U.S. military and intelligence officials hawks continue to claim that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

That Iran simply has the capability of building nuclear weapons is itself a reasonable ground for a preventative attack according to the new hawkish doctrine.. However, there would be no imminent threat and any attack would not be self defense but a war of aggression. This means nothing to U.S. policy makers since they believe they determine the rules on such issues.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson who was formerly chief of staff for Colin Powell said: “This resolution reads like the same sheet of music that got us into the Iraq war, and could be the precursor for a war with Iran….it’s effectively a thinly-disguised effort to bless war.” Ironically, the U.S. resolution would provide Iran a good reason for an attack on the U.S. since it is an imminent threat to Iran. For more see this article.