Crucial Kyl/Lieberman Amendment Passes Senate

The Kyl/Lieberman Amendment (S. Amdt. 3017) passed with a majority vote of 76-22, which in essence acknowledges the threat Iran imposes in the Middle East and to the world. This amendment includes strong language about Iran and is an effort to curb the influence they have in Iraq.

In testimony provide by General Petraeus on September 10, 2007, he stated his concerns by stating that, "It is increasingly apparent to both coalition and Iraqi leaders that Iran, through the use of the Iranian Republican Guard Corps Qods Force, seeks to turn the Shi'a militia extremists into a Hezbolla-like force to serve its interests and fight a proxy war against the Iraqi state and coalition forces in Iraq."

Ambassador Ryan Crocker, United States Ambassador to Iraq, echoed this sentiment in his testimony the same day by stating, "Iran plays a harmful role in Iraq. While claiming to support Iraq in its transition, Iran has actively undermined it by providing lethal capabilities to the enemies of the Iraqi state."

In the most up to date National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq, which was published in August 2007, states that "Iran has been intensifying aspects of its lethal support for select groups of Iraqi Shia militants, particularly the Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM), since at least the beginning of 2006. Explosively formed penetrator (EFP) attacks have risen dramatically."

Iran is a true threat to the stability of Iraq and the world as a whole. It has become quite apparent that Iran is fighting a proxy war with the United States already by supplying the militias in Iraq and is preparing for the departure of American forces.

In a recent statement Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinjad is preparing for our departure by saying, "the political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly. Soon we will se a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course we are ready to fill the gap." He only bolstered this position more while addressing the United Nations and was defiant about the nuclear issue as well advising that the nuclear proliferation issue is closed.

In the amendment, it stresses the future of the Middle East especially in consideration of Iran and the threat they create to the region. It goes on further to substantiate the threat of Iran and it plays a vital role in our national security to eliminate the threat.

An important and contentious part of the amendment calls for the use of United States national power inside Iraq, which includes diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments in regards to Iran and its proxies. Some see this as opening the doors to conflict with Iran and the start of another war.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) will now be designated as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The IRGC will also be added to the list of Specially Designated Global terrorists. This amendment addresses the threat of Iran but only time will tell if we can resolve this crisis.

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