Top Democrats in the US House of Representatives retreated today from an attempt to limit President Bush's authority for taking military action against Iran. Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members of the leadership had decided to strip from a major military spending bill a requirement for Bush to gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran. The proposal stemmed from a desire to make sure Bush did not launch an attack without going to Congress for approval, but drew opposition in a series of closed-door sessions last week of conservative and moderate Democrats, who said they feared tying the hands of the administration when dealing with an unpredictable and potentially hostile regime in Tehran. Conservative Democrats as well as lawmakers concerned about the possible impact on Israel had argued for the change in strategy. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said in an interview there is widespread fear in Israel about Iran, which is believed to be seeking nuclear weapons and has expressed unremitting hostility about the Jewish state. "It would take away perhaps the most important negotiating tool that the US has when it comes to Iran," she said of the now-abandoned provision.

David Espo and Matthew Lee, AP, ABC.com
Do you feel that US Democrats were correct in stripping a provision from a military spending bill requiring the President to seek approval from Congress before taking military action against Iran over concerns about Israel's safety?