As six presidential candidates prepare to take the debate stage in Iowa tonight, the recent escalation between the United States and Iran will likely be thrust into the spotlight.
Last week, the Trump administration brought the US to the brink of war with Iran through the targeted assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander. This reckless move, taken without congressional authorization, was a disastrous step in President Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Iran after he unilaterally violated the JCPOA nuclear deal in 2018.
The six candidates debating tonight — Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Senator Elizabeth Warren — have condemned President Trump’s provocations against Iran, spoken out in support of the Iran nuclear deal and urged a return to diplomatic negotiations.
Recent polling suggests that the candidates’ opposition toward Trump’s handling of Iran reflects American popular opinion:
Additional polling indicates that the majority of Americans support re-entering the JCPOA nuclear deal:
More broadly, Americans favor a diplomacy-first approach:
We at J Street will be watching tonight’s debate closely. We hope that the candidates take the opportunity to amplify the voices of the American people and state their opposition to another disastrous war of choice in the Middle East.
Call your senators and tell them to support war powers legislation and oppose another disastrous war of choice in the Middle East.