Obama losing control of Iran policy

By Ali Gharib
Asia Times
Feb 2, 2010

WASHINGTON – In a surprisingly swift move last Thursday night that could have wide-ranging implications, the United States Senate passed a bill containing broad unilateral sanctions to punish foreign companies that export gasoline to Iran or help expand its domestic refinery capabilities.

The voice vote came at the eleventh hour before the chamber recessed so legislators could go home to campaign. The bill cannot come before the president to be signed into law until a conference procedure combines it with a similar house bill, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, passed in October.

The senate move reveals an administration losing control of even its own party in foreign policy dealings, as US President Barack Obama has tried to maintain engagement with Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear program, which the Islamic Republic insists is for peaceful purposes.

Along with scores of Democrats who favored the bill over the administration’s objections, the effort was supported by Iran hawks, including Republican co-sponsor John Kyl and neo-conservative independent Joe Lieberman, and was characterized by Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell as a shot at Obama.

“If the Obama administration will not take action against this regime, then congress must,â€