Clark, Lieberman Spar Over Iran

Hartford Courant | David Lightman | June 12, 2007

Joe Lieberman has triggered a war of words over Iran.

The senator told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday that the U.S. should be prepared to strike Iran if necessary. He repeated that view Monday on the Fox News Network, saying, "It's time to understand we're prepared to take military action" to "take out" the bases where Iranians are training extremists to kill U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark had heard enough.

"Sen. Lieberman's saber rattling does nothing to help dissuade Iran from aiding Shia militias in Iraq, or trying to obtain nuclear capabilities," said Clark, who in 2004 was one of Lieberman's rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"In fact," said Clark, "it's highly irresponsible and counter-productive, and I would urge him to stop."

Lieberman wasn't stopping.

Asked about Clark's remarks, he said, "We've got some enemies out there ... we're not going to defeat them with a lot of talk and warm embraces."

Clark took further aim at Lieberman: "Only someone who never wore the uniform or thought seriously about national security would make threats at this point."

Lieberman got military deferments during the Vietnam era because first he was in college and was later married with children.