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Moderate Jewish Lobby J Street denounces Trump war on Iran
J Street President Jeremy Ben Ami released the following statement from J Street, the moderate and powerful voice of peace and mutual recognition for the Jewish people in America, on the war started by President Donald Trump against Iran
We are appalled by President Trump’s reckless decision to launch a war of choice against Iran explicitly seeking regime change.
The President is starting this war with no clear plan for achieving his goal; without a comprehensive discussion with the American public about the risks and alternatives; and illegally, without first seeking authorization from Congress or a mandate from the international community.
The Iranian government’s nuclear and missile programs, support for proxy groups throughout the Middle East and brutal repression of its own people represent a real national security challenge for the United States and its allies, including Israel. We would be pleased to see this government replaced with one that is a responsible international actor and responsive to the needs and demands of its people.
However, Iran does not present an imminent threat that requires launching a ‘preventive’ war.
President Trump had a number of viable alternatives. With the Islamic Republic at one of the weakest points in its history, he could have continued pressing a combination of sanctions, international isolation and a more limited nuclear agreement, while allowing internal pressure to build, waiting out 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and eventually supporting a managed transition.
He could have pursued a more vigorous diplomatic strategy aimed at preventing further progress on Iran’s nuclear program through realistic proposals rather than absolutist positions that were bound to be rejected. Instead, he is intoxicated with military power – launching strikes impulsively and boxing himself and the United States into a choice between total capitulation from Iran or major military conflict.
Our hope now is that this conflict ends quickly, that the United States pursues a limited and realistic set of objectives that it is able to achieve and that Iran chooses not to escalate dramatically.
But the history of American military interventions, especially in the Middle East, should serve as a warning. We are deeply concerned that even if there is initial success and a ‘mission accomplished’ moment, the United States could find itself maintaining a long-term military presence in the region for years to come at great cost to the American people, to American service members and to our broader national interests.
Even worse, this war could lead to the destabilization of Iran, a country of 90 million people – three times the size of Iraq – leaving the United States with enormous entanglements, triggering mass human suffering inside Iran and producing destabilizing consequences across the Middle East.
For all of these reasons, we believe it is vital that both houses of Congress convene as soon as possible to restrain the President and vote yes on the Kaine-Paul-Schumer-Schiff War Powers Resolution in the Senate and the Khanna-Massie War Powers Resolution in the House.
Our thoughts today are with the American forces in harm’s way and the innocent people in Israel, Iran and across the entire Middle East who may find themselves in danger if this war escalates.
Thank you,
Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street
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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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