NIAC deplores Senator Lindsey Graham’s dangerous rhetoric calling for the US to “neuter” Iran through military action For Immediate Release NIAC Policy Director Jamal Abdi released the following statement addressing Senator Lindsey Graham’s saber rattling on Iran: “Now is not the time for political games that undercut US interests and hurt Iranians fighting for the rule of law, it is time to get serious. Lindsey Graham’s reckless willingness to engage in hypotheticals about military action against Iran is dangerous and irresponsible.” “Graham’s confrontational war rhetoric sets back America’s opportunities to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue peacefully and prevent a third costly and destabilizing US war in the Middle East. His approach endangers human rights defenders in Iran, undermines Iranian democracy activists, and places American troops in the region at greater risk.” “The Obama Administration should stand against such counterproductive, confrontational rhetoric and instead make the serious investment in engagement necessary for success.” “A return to the failed approach of the Bush Administration, which prioritized saber rattling and war rhetoric over serious efforts to resolve our problems with the Iranian government, would be a disastrous mistake. The Obama Administration must push back against efforts such as those of Senator Graham that risk dragging us back to the Bush approach.” “Instead of allowing the US to remain on a trajectory for yet a third war in the Middle East, the President must commit seriously to active, sustained diplomacy that can resolve our concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program, address the human rights crisis in Iran, and provide space for those in Iran fighting for the rule of law.” |
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