If Congress is serious about reining in Iran's destabilizing influence in the Middle East, it must end its saber-rattling approach towards the country. Rather, Congress must encourage constructive engagement with Iran, which includes both carrots and sticks, as well as support active diplomacy towards a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Brit Tzedek v'Shalom recognizes that Iran already poses a serious strategic threat to both the U.S. and Israel, due in large part to its support for Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria. The level of this threat would increase significantly if Iran were to become a nuclear power.  Israel would be made particularly vulnerable to retaliation, were the United States to take pre-emptive military action.

The Iraq Study Group called for a diplomatic approach to Iran, involving direct talks without preconditions.  History reveals that sanctions, separated from a wider comprehensive strategy, are ineffective in the region (e.g. the situation with Hamas). Therefore, it is vital to oppose legislation in the House and Senate, which calls for a sanctions-only approach towards Iran: H.Con.Res 362, S.Res 580, HR1400, and S 970.

Secondly, U.S. involvement in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would strengthen other regional actors vis-à-vis Iran, giving them a stronger hand to deal with Iran's destabilizing behavior within their own borders such as in Lebanon and Syria.

The U.S. should pursue direct diplomacy with Iran without preconditions.  It should use economic incentives and sanctions to persuade Iran to stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons capacity and agree to meaningful international oversight and inspection of its nuclear program.  The U.S. should also pursue more vigorously a diplomatic resolution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, which would diminish Iran's influence in the region altogether.
Please ask your Representative to sign on to H.Res.143 today!

Additional links:

Will We Pay the Price if Israel Hits Iran? by M.J. Rosenberg.  IPF Friday: M.J. Rosenberg’s Weekly Opinion Column: Issue# 379. August 22, 2008.

Israel’s Supporters Should Push for Talks With Iran, by Daniel Levy. JTA. August 14, 2008.

Treasury Expands Iran Sanctions.  Reuters.  August 12, 2008. 

Iran Resolution Must Change, by Rep. Robert Wexler. Huffington Post. August 8, 2008.

Iran Issues New Warnings After Defying a Deadline, by Nazila Fathi. New York Times. August 5, 2008.

Israel’s Allies, Iran’s Trading Partners. by Yossi Melman. Haaretz. May 15, 2008.

Iran Nuclear Watch

Vote No on H.Con.Res 362. Council for a Livable World.