Please support our work!

Posts Tagged ‘Iran’

Iran: Lessons Learned

January 27, 2021

It’s not 2015 anymore.

President Biden faces a major challenge in the Middle East. How can the U.S. stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, ensure Middle East stability, and avoid new wars? In the six years since the nuclear agreement was reached between Iran and six world powers, we have learned important lessons about Iranian goals and behavior, about the region, and about international negotiations—lessons that can inform the administration’s decisions and help shape future policies.
Read the rest of this entry »

Warmongering

September 17, 2015

A few weeks ago I challenged the notion that the alternative to the nuclear agreement with Iran is war. The deal, I argued, makes the Iranian regime and the Middle East more dangerous, not safer. In the aftermath of the debate, it is becoming clearer that implementing the nuclear accord will indeed increase the likelihood of violence, military action, and even all-out war, not decrease it. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Senator Cantwell

September 8, 2015

Dear Senator Cantwell,

I have known and admired you for almost two decades, since we were both in high-powered, high-tech business careers. We were at two different companies then, sometimes friendly, sometimes adversarial, but always a respectful relationship.

Your first run for the U.S. Senate was the first political campaign I ever supported, before I was a “pro-Israel” political activist, or any other kind. You took on an incumbent, and you impressed me as being both smart and principled, just the sort of person I wanted to represent me in the “other” Washington. You haven’t disappointed, and I have remained an admirer and supporter ever since. Read the rest of this entry »

Down the Road

September 5, 2015

Many concede that the Iran nuclear agreement is indeed a bad deal, but believe that it nevertheless buys time for a more robust response to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. One friend asked, “Even if it only postpones or delays Iran’s obtaining nuclear weapons, isn’t that still a worthwhile outcome? Can’t we kick the can down the road for a decade or so, and then renegotiate or extend the agreement, with all the same options we have available today?” In a word, No. Even if Iran fully complies with its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and does not cheat—a big “if”!—when its key terms expire in ten to fifteen years, we will be in a worse place: our position will be weaker, and Iran’s will be stronger.  Read the rest of this entry »

A Third Way

August 25, 2015

The decision about the proposed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) does not have to be a binary choice, either accepting the nuclear deal as-is or rejecting it out of hand. Thoughtful commentators, aware of both the potential benefits and the potential risks of the deal, have proposed other courses of action. Read the rest of this entry »

Iran Deal Opponents: Israeli Leaders

Israeli objections to the Iran deal cross the political spectrum. Here are some from leaders of the opposition parties. Read the rest of this entry »

Iran Deal Opponents: Arab Leaders

Arab leaders’ critiques have been mostly private, but a few have gone on the record. Read the rest of this entry »

What If the Deal Is Rejected?

August 10, 2015

Many thoughtful observers have asked, quite reasonably: What will happen if Congress votes down the nuclear deal with Iran—or if the Iranian parliament rejects it? As we debate the merits and flaws of the deal, we must consider the alternatives and potential outcomes, if it does not go through. Read the rest of this entry »

Iran Deal Opponents: Jewish Community

Many mainstream, nonpartisan Jewish community organizations have come out in opposition to the nuclear deal with Iran. Here are links to their statements. Read the rest of this entry »

Iran Deal: Poll Results

What do Americans, American Jews, Israelis, and Iranians think of the Iran nuclear deal? Read the rest of this entry »