Washington, DC – J Street welcomes yesterday’s clear and sobering statement from senior Senate Democrats – including those in the leadership and on the key national security committees – urging President Trump to avoid further escalation with Iran, protect Israel, prioritize diplomacy and seek congressional approval in advance of any military intervention. J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement:
“The Democratic leadership in the Senate is right to sound the alarm about the unpredictable and far-reaching risks of direct US involvement in this escalation – a move that could ignite a broader regional war, put thousands of Americans in harm’s way and backfire in efforts to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.
Iran is a clear threat to Israel, and we share the goal of permanently closing off Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon. We also wholeheartedly support continued American actions to protect Israel from Iranian missile strikes.
The United States has learned the hard way that military action rarely delivers quick, clean, or predictable results. As the senators make clear, Americans deserve answers to fundamental questions before the country is drawn further into yet another open-ended Middle East conflict – particularly one with no clear plan or endgame.
The risks of American engagement are high and the possibility of ending up worse off is real. Airstrikes alone are unlikely to permanently block Iran’s path to a bomb. In fact, there is a real chance that they instead lead Iran to accelerate a covert race for weaponization in the coming years, deeper underground and beyond the reach of inspectors.
We strongly support the senators’ call for President Trump to prioritize diplomacy. Now is the time to press for a verifiable, enforceable agreement to end Iran’s nuclear program and stop this war. If serious diplomatic efforts fail, military options still remain on the table.
The Constitution grants Congress alone the power to declare war. Against the backdrop of such a monumental decision, we strongly support Senator Kaine’s War Powers Resolution and an imminent vote to reassert that authority, ensure this debate happens in the open, and prevent President Trump from launching unauthorized military action against Iran.”