 McCain, Lieberman see end to Iran regime
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Sunday that the Iranian leadership, embroiled in protests from anti-government citizens throughout Iran, is at the "beginning of the end" of its reign.
Lieberman suggested continuing to seek economic sanctions against Iran while simultaneously supporting the Iranians who are challenging the government.
"We have to do everything we can not just to put economic sanctions on Iran because of their development of nuclear weapons but to support the people of Iran, to cry out against the human rights abuses, the terrible repression of the demonstrators and just the freedom of average citizens in Iran," said Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security committee.
McCain added that the Iranian regime very well may "try to divert the attention of the people from their domestic situation to increasing confrontation with Israel [as] a real threat." He said he is optimistic of a return to peace talks among Israelis and Palestinians this year, in light of a "heightened understanding" of the stakes and threats of instability in the region.
Lieberman said any activity the U.S. takes in regard to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is going through the Yemeni government, and the U.S. should continue its vigilance in restricting al-Qaeda from developing a sanctuary there.
"Just have got to look at the three cases in which our homeland defenses were broken through this year, Arkansas, Fort Hood and the Detroit bomber," Lieberman said. "They all three of those have a connection to al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula, which is headquartered in Yemen."
Both senators agreed that there must be accountability for those that missed intelligence connections that allowed Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board an airliner headed for Detroit on Christmas.
"If human errors were made, I think some of the humans who made those errors have to be disciplined so that they never happen again," Lieberman said, indicating he thought a review would make clear just who would be held responsible.
McCain again lamented the Obama administration's decision to try Abdulmutallab in U.S. civilian courts, although terrorist suspects have tried in civilian courts long before Obama came to office.
"I don't think the president's action matched his rhetoric when we send this individual to a civilian court," McCain said when asked about Obama's statement on Thursday that "We are at war." "That person should be tried as an enemy combatant, he's a terrorist. And if we are at war, then we certainly should not be trying that individual in a court other than a military trial."
Romer: December jobs report a 'disappointment' Following a jobs report that showed a loss of 85,000 positions in December, White House economic adviser Christina Romer maintained that unemployment numbers will start to turn around by this spring.
"An important fact is GDP not only needs to grow, it needs to grow at about a normal rate, like at 2.5 percent to actually bring down the unemployment rate," Romer said. "So the thing we're going to be looking for is, do you see that kind of robust GDP growth?"
In the meantime, targeted actions like tax incentives and encouraging at least temporary hiring must be in place now, Romer says, to assuage the economic impact.
As bonus season emerges for financial institutions that received government assistance to stay afloat amid crisis, Romer said the administration knows the American public is keeping an eye on how firms compensate employees.
"We have had to take these extraordinary actions," Romer said. "And you would certainly think that the financial institutions that are now doing a little bit better would have some sense. And this big bonus season of course is going to offend the American people. It offends me."
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