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Politics & Government

Dold, Democrats Agree on Iran

All insist American military action must remain an option.

 

When it comes to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, said Friday in Lake Forest he would not rule out military force from the United States as a way to keep an atomic bomb out of Iranian hands.

“Israel is preparing now (for a preemptive strike),” Dold said. “The United States must keep all opportunities on the table. There must be a credible threat from the United States that sends a clear signal.”

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Dold gets no argument on this issue from the four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination in the March 20 primary to oppose him in the Nov. 6 general election.

Deerfield management consultant , Long Grove business owner , Mundelein attorney and Waukegan community organizer will not rule out military action, but insist it must be a last resort.

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"Military options are always on the table,” Sheyman said.  “They must always be a last resort after all diplomatic options have been exhausted."

Bavda goes into a deeper explanation. "While the military option should be a last resort, the U.S. should prevent a nuclear Iran for three reasons,” he said. “A nuclear Iran would create an existential threat to Israel, realign the balance of power in favor of Iran in the region and start a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region in the world."

Schneider is willing to use force as a last resort because he sees Iran as a multi pronged threat. It enables groups labeled by the United States as terrorists. It must realize the Americans will stop at nothing to keep nuclear weapons out of Iranian hands.

“Iran is a state sponsor of global terrorism and supplier of weapons to terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah,” Schneider said. “Iran therefore cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons capabilities. The U.S. must keep all options on the table so that Iranian leadership must take all options into account in their strategic assessment.”

Dold also sees Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a person who will destroy Israel and try to harm the United States.

“Their president, Ahmadinejad, wants to erase Israel from the map,” Dold told a class at Friday. “He calls Israel the little Satan. Do you know who the big Satan is? We are. They tried to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in the United States. They are not a people who are afraid of us.”

Tree is not concerned whether Iran fears the United States as long as Ahmadinejad believes America will do what is necessary to keep nuclear weapons out of his hands.

“Iran’s leadership needs to understand our American resolve to keep them from getting nuclear weapons,” Tree said. “I don’t believe it’s a matter of whether Iran fears us or not.  It’s a question of credible deterrence.”

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