McClatchy's Matt Stearns on the debate surrounding U.S. policy towards Iran:

Taking military action against Iran could put President Bush on a collision course with Congress, leading Democrats and a Republican lawmaker cautioned Friday following Bush's threat of unspecified consequences for alleged Iranian meddling in Iraq.

It's been the consensus for months among the Democrats who hold the majority that Bush must get congressional authorization before any military strike.

But the authorization would be no easy sell. Two knowledgeable U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because intelligence on Iran is highly classified, said that the administration so far doesn't have "smoking-gun" evidence that could be used publicly to justify an air attack.

Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), the vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he expects the administration to request authorization before taking action.

"I doubt the President could or would do so without coming to Congress," he said.

Right, because if there's one thing we've seen from the Bush gang, it's a willingness to respect congressional authorization, confirmation, and notification, particularly on matters of foreign policy and national security.