So says David Sanger in the New York Times today, echoing reports late last week from Ha'aretz that the administration is weighing throwing its support behind Joe Lieberman's bill (S. 908) that would impose gasoline sanctions against Iran:
The Obama administration is talking with allies and Congress about the possibility of imposing an extreme economic sanction against Iran if it fails to respond to President Obama's offer to negotiate on its nuclear program: cutting off the country's imports of gasoline and other refined oil products.
The option of acting against companies around the world that supply Iran with 40 percent of its gasoline has been broached with European allies and Israel, officials from those countries said. Legislation that would give Mr. Obama that authority already has 71 sponsors in the Senate and similar legislation is expected to sail through the House.
Classy as always, the New York Times -- while reporting on the bill -- somehow neglects to acknowledge by name either Lieberman or either of his two main cosponsors -- Evan Bayh and Jon Kyl. It does, however, find room to quote its old buddy Chris Dodd -- one of the handful of Senators who has yet to cosponsor S. 908, and who -- despite chairing the Banking Committee -- didn't actually show up at the hearing held there last week on Iran sanctions.
