HOUSE ACTION AGAINST IRAN - AT 6:31 P.M. ET:  The House, actually acting intelligently, passed major Iran sanctions legislation today:

WASHINGTON — The House voted Tuesday to impose new economic sanctions on Iran as lawmakers cast doubt on Iran's willingness to respond to diplomatic efforts to curtail its purported nuclear arms program.

The legislation, approved 412-12, would end access to U.S. markets for foreign companies selling refined petroleum products to Iran or helping that country develop its petroleum capacity. While Iran is a major crude oil producer, its lack of ability to produce enough gasoline and other refined petroleum products is a major economic vulnerability.

With no Senate action on the legislation expected this year, the House vote was for the time being mainly a warning that the United States is ready to act on its own if the Tehran government doesn't respond to current international efforts to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.

The reason for the lack of Senate action, according to news reports, is John Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, who's holding things up.  Surprise.

I'm always interested in who's on the losing end of these lopsided votes.  I'll try to get the names of the Iran 12, those who voted against sanctions.  The "no" bloc was led, naturally, by Dennis Kucinich, and also contained Ron Paul.  Paul tends to be lionized by some conservatives.  But on foreign policy he's pretty dismal, and more radical left than right. 

The first actual step toward stiffer sanctions will apparently be taken by the Obama administration in January, as it tries to line up support in the UN Security Council.  China and Russia, both members of the Council, are already signalling opposition to any sanctions that actually have a chance of working.

December 15, 2009