Four Dem Senators Ask Bush About His Iran Intentions

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/05/24/senators-ask-bush-about-his-iran-strategy/

Reflecting deepening befuddlement over the administration’s Iran policy, four top Democratic senators have asked President Bush to provide a written report laying out “your policy objectives and strategy regarding Iran.”

In a letter sent to the White House on Tuesday, Majority Leader Harry Reid, Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden, Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin and Senate Intelligence Chairman John Rockefeller said that a detailed report is needed “as soon as possible” to address “questions that have been raised” about the overall drift of the White House’s approach toward Iran.

The letter comes just days before the Bush administration plans to begin ambassador-level talks with Iran in Baghdad over Iraq, but at the same time as President Bush and others in the administration are expressing increasing alarm over Iran’s nuclear advances. Vice President Dick Cheney recently warned Iran that the U.S. would do whatever it took to defend shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf.

“There is a concern that their strategy isn’t entirely clear,” said one senior Democratic staffer. “We’ve got so many things going on with Iran that it would be nice to see what the administration’s view is on dealing with all the intertwining problems.”

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The Democrats don’t want to leave any topic untouched. In their letter, the senators asked the president to report back on “your strategy of U.S. diplomatic, financial, intelligence, military and other activities, and development, public diplomacy, democracy, education, cultural and other programs relating to Iran.”