John McCain On The Iranian Missile Tests

"It's my understanding that this missile test was conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Obama refused to vote, called it a provocative step. The fact is this is a terrorist organization and should have been branded as such. " -- John McCain

John McCain
Remarks
South Park, PA
July 9, 2008

John McCain: "The missile test indicates a number of things. It means that Iran continues to threaten the security of their neighbors in the region. The President of Iran, President Ahmadinejad, continues to state his nation's dedication to the destruction of the State of Israel. They are continuing mounting evidence that Iran is pursuing the acquisition of nuclear weapons. I am convinced that our European allies and friends are ready to impose significant impactful and meaningful sanctions on the Iranians, especially financial, including trade and including international financial systems and that those sanctions can be effective in modifying Iranian behavior.

"It's my understanding that this missile test was conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Obama refused to vote, called it a provocative step. The fact is this is a terrorist organization and should have been branded as such. I am pleased that President Sarkozy, Prime Minister Brown, Chancellor Merkel and other European leaders have given every indication that they are prepared to join with us in imposing meaningful, impactful sanctions on the Iranians. Their economy is not strong because they have got a bad government, but I think we can have a significant effect joining together, and unfortunately, the United Nations Security Council is unable to impose those meaningful sanctions because of Russian and Chinese resistance in doing so. I have long ago proposed a 'League of Democracies' that w ould join together and act not only in this issue but in other actions to address the issue of situations such as the Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons."

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"We have lines of communications with the Iranians, and there are many. We have urged the Iranians under many different circumstances, including different packages of incentives joined in by our European allies to modify Iranian behavior as well. Their behavior has obviously not changed and their behavior is more and more threatening to the existence of the State of Israel but as important as that, leading to a conflict in the Middle East which could draw the United States of America into that conflict and put brave young Americans' lives at risk. So channels of communication have been open, and they will remain open, but the time has now come for effective sanctions on Iran which will then, I believe, can have a modifying effect on their very aggressive behavior not only rhetorically, but in their pursuit of nuclear weapons as well as this latest missile test. So lines of communication are fine. Action is what's necessary."

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"Diplomacy plays a key role. There have been negotiations. There have been discussions. There have been packages of incentives offered to the Iranians which have been rejected time after time. There has been intense negotiations and diplomacy and there continues to be a role for it, but history shows us that when nations are embarked on paths that can jeopardize the security of the region and the world, then other actions besides diplomacy have to be contemplated and taken. That's why meaningful and impactful sanctions are called for at this time, and again, our European allies are ready to do that. President Sarkozy has indicated that. Prime Minister Brown has indicated that. Chancellor Merkel, and others have clearly indicated that they are ready to act, but it's time for action, and it's time to make the Iranians understand that this kind of violation of international treaties, this kind of threatening of their neighbors, this kind of continued m ilitary activity is not without cost, and those costs I think can be impactful."

Watch John McCain.

This Morning, Barack Obama Called For A Tougher Sanctions Policy On Iran In Response To Today's Missile Tests:

Today, As Part Of Ongoing War Games, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Conducted Several Missile Tests. "Iran test-fired a long-range missile, capable of reaching Israel, to demonstrate the regime's power, the country's Arabic state television Al-Alam reported. ... The test is part of war games being held by the Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Persian Gulf, state television said. Nine missiles 'with improved accuracy' were tested during the exercises, including the Zelzal and the Fateh with a range of 400 kilometers and 170 kilometers respectively, Iran's English- language Press TV reported on its Web site. 'The aim of this maneuver is to show the determination of armed forces in protecting Iran,' Hossein Salami, a revolutionary Guard commander, was quoted as saying by Iran's state television." (Ladane Nasseri, "Iran Test-Fires Missile Capable Of Reaching Israel," Bloomberg, 7/9/08)

In Response, Barack Obama Said The Iranian Missile Tests Underscored The Need For A Sanctions Policy "That Is Putting The Burden On Iran To Change Behavior" And Called For "Working With Our Allies To Apply Tightened Pressure On Iran." "Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday said Iran is a 'great threat' and called for tighter sanctions after it test-fired nine missiles. 'Iran is a great threat. We have to make sure we are working with our allies to apply tightened pressure on Iran,' the Illinois senator, who will face Republican John McCain in the November election, said on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' Iran said it fired the missiles as a warning to the United States and Israel that it was ready to retaliate if they attacked over its disputed nuclear projects. Obama said that if he were president, he would combine more direct diplomacy with the threat of much tougher economic sanctions. 'I think what this underscor es is the need for us to create a kind of policy that is putting the burden on Iran to change behavior, and frankly we just have not been able to do that over the last several years,' Obama said on the CBS 'Early Show.'" (Andy Sullivan And Vicki Allen, "Obama Calls Iran 'Threat,' Says Tighten Pressure," Reuters, 7/9/08)

· Barack Obama: "There is no doubt that we're seeing rising tensions in the area. ... It's part of the reason why it's so important for us to have a coherent policy with respect to Iran. ... It has to combine much tougher threats of economic sanctions with direct diplomacy, opening up channels of communication, so that we avoid provocation but we give the Iranians strong incentives to change their behavior.'' (NBC's "Today," 7/9/08)

But In 2007, Barack Obama Opposed The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment Which Would Have Imposed Tough Sanctions On Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps The Same Group Conducting Today's Missile Tests

Barack Obama Opposed The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment. "Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran." (Obama For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 1/28/08)

· Senators "Set Aside Partisan Differences" To Approve The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment Calling "On The Administration To Impose Economic Sanctions On Iran." "The Senate approved a resolution on Wednesday urging the Bush administration to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, and lawmakers briefly set aside partisan differences to approve a measure calling for stepped-up diplomacy to forge a political solution in Iraq. ... The Senate resolution, which is not binding, also calls on the administration to impose economic sanctions on Iran." (David M. Herszenhorn, "Senate Urges Bush To Declare Iran Guard A Terrorist Group," The New York Times, 9/27/07)

· "The Senate First Approved A Resolution, Sponsored By Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) And Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.), Urging The State Department To Label Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps A Terrorist Organization, With Associated Economic Sanctions Under The 'Sense Of The Senate' Legislation." (Ashley Roque, "Senate Backs Resolutions To Label Iranian Force A Terrorist Organization And To Back Partition Of Iraq," CongressNow, 9/26/07)

· Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) Underscored The Impact That Designating The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps As A Terrorist Organization Would Have On Its Ability Fund Terrorism. Kyl: "The IRGC doesn't go that far, but they do have a complex network of financing and financial arrangements around the world, partially to fund other proxy terrorist groups like Hezbollah, and they take advantage of these. That's how the imposition of the sanctions that is permitted under the designation as a special terrorist group are going to be effective. And that's why this particular remedy is the one that will have the best effect in stopping their actions against our troops and other terrorist organizations." (Sen. Jon Kyl, Press Conference, 9/25/07)

Barack Obama's Explanations For Opposing Kyl-Lieberman Don't Match The Facts:

In October 2007, Barack Obama Described Kyl-Lieberman As A Justification For Attacking Iran. OBAMA: "[The] Bush administration could use the language in Lieberman-Kyl to justify an attack on Iran as a part of the ongoing war in Iraq." (Sen. Barack Obama, "Five Years After Iraq War Vote, We're Still Foolishly Rattling Our Sabers," Manchester Union-Leader, 10/11/07)

· Yet Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Said The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment Provided No Justification For Attacking Iran. SEN. DURBIN: "If I thought there was any way [Kyl-Lieberman] could be used as a pretense to launch an invasion of Iran, I would have voted no." (Julianna Goldman, "Durbin Says Obama Will Win Iowa Caucus; Disagrees On Iran," Bloomberg, 10/12/07; S.3017, CQ Vote #349: Agreed To, 76-22: R 47-2; D 29-20, 9/26/07, Durbin Voted Yea.)

· Obama's Website Still Describes The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment As A "Reckless" Justification "To Attack Iran." "Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran." (Obama '08, http://www.barackobama.com, Accessed 6/2/08)

In June 2008, The Obama Campaign Said That The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment Would Urge Our Military In Iraq To Actively Counter Iran. "Obama opposed Kyl-Lieberman because its language said the US military in Iraq should be used to counter Iran, while in fact it has strengthened Iran." ("Obama Camp Response to McCain's AIPAC Speech," Time's "The Page," http://thepage.time.com, Accessed 6/2/08)

· Kyl-Lieberman Amendment Does Not Do Anything Of The Kind. AMENDMENT TEXT: "The manner in which the United States transitions and structures its military presence in Iraq will have critical long-term consequences... in particular with regard to the ability of the Government of Iran to pose a threat to the security of the region." (Sec. 1538 of HR 1585 (Engrossed Amendment As Approved To By Senate), 9/26/07)

· Senator Lieberman, The Amendment's Author, Removed Provisions From A Draft Version Specifically To Accommodate This Concern: "Because some of our colleagues thought paragraphs three and four of the Sense of the Senate may have opened the door to some kind of military action against Iran, Senator (Jon) Kyl (R-Ariz) and I have struck them from the amendment. ... That is not our intention. In fact, our intention is to increase the economic pressure on Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps so that we will never have to consider the use of the military to stop them from what they are doing to kill our soldiers." (Jake Tapper, " The Persian Conundrum," ABC News, 10/8/07)