Washington Watch

A House Divided

Jews in Congress split on Bush's Iraq legislation.

father of 17 — can," he said. "But ...
if the costs of war are great, the costs
of inaction and appeasement are
greater still."
ith Congress set to pass
Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., and
a sweeping resolution
Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., were among 19
authorizing the
House Democrats who came
use of military
together to speak out against
force against Iraq, Jewish law-
the president's war plans.
makers are pretty much where
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-
the Jewish community is: united
Ill., has been vocal in opposi-
in concern about Saddam
tion to "unilateral and pre-
Hussein, but divided about the
emptive" U.S. action. "I have
best way to eliminate the threat
he poses.
no question that Saddam and
his deadly arsenal have to go,"
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.,
Rep. Lantos she said in an interview. "But
who chairs the Senate Armed
it would be wrong to lead the
Services Committee, has
nation into a unilateral, preemptive
emerged as an important advocate of
war until we have exhausted all the
caution and has promoted alternative
opportunities for international and
legislation that would narrow the
U.N. action."
terms of the congressional endorse-
ment.
She said her opposition takes Israel's
needs into account. She said Israel
But Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-
"would be put at greater risk" if
Conn., has become the administra-
Washington wages a unilateral war.
tion's Democratic point man in the
"Saddam iS someone who would use
Senate. While stressing that it would
his chemical and biological weapons;
be preferable to have allies in any
he doesn't have the capability of get-
attack, the lawmaker and former
Democratic vice-presidential candidate ting them to the United States, but he
probably could get them to Israel. If
has said that the longer America waits,
the United States makes a decision to
the more dangerous Saddam becomes.
go it virtually alone, we will destroy
Lieberman has also argued that the
administration must give greater atten- the anti-terror coalition we have creat-
ed after 9-11 and put ourselves and
tion now to building a more demo-
Israel at greater risk."
cratic, post-Saddam Iraq.
Early this week, Sen. Arlen Specter,
Other Jewish lawmakers run the
R-Pa., the only Jewish Republican in
gamut from strong support for the
the Senate, had not committed to sup-
administration demand for sweeping
porting the resolution, although con-
war powers to outright opposition.
gressional sources say that when the
Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., sup-
vote is taken he will probably back the
ports the administration's demand for
president. So will Sen. Chuck
an unequivocal resolution, even
Schumer, D-N.Y.
though constituent mail is "running
Rep. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said most
150-1 against going to war. And many
Jewish lawmakers are in the middle —
other members are hearing the same
supporting strong action against Iraq,
thing." Ackerman said the resolutions
but unsure about the best course of
under consideration "could be made
action and unwilling to grant the pres-
better," but that, in the end, most
Jewish congressional members will "be ident unlimited powers.
"My personal preference is for the
supportive."
Rep. Howard Berman and Rep. Tom Biden-Lugar resolution," he said,
"which limits the authority to enforc-
Lantos, both California Democrats,
ing the elimination of weapons of
are strong backers of the resolution.
mass destruction and requires the
During House debate on the adminis-
administration to work internationally,
tration resolution, Lantos referred to
but allowing us to take action when
his own past as a refugee from the
there is great risk to our country."
Nazis.
But Cardin said alternative measures
"I abhor war in the way only a
"just aren't going to happen in this cli-
[Holocaust] survivor — and a grand-

JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent

IV

-

,

10/11

2002

34

mate." An additional factor for Jewish
lawmakers has been the potential
impact on Israel of a U.S. strike
against Iraq.
"In conversations we've had with the
Israeli government, they've been very
neutral on this," Cardin said. "We
haven't gotten any signals from Israel;
it's a matter for the U.S. to decide."

wavering, can carry serious repercus-
sions. The ADL and the AJC must
come out publicly, and must do it
now, while the goals are still hot."

Christian Rally

Many Jewish groups were uncomfort-
able with the big pro-Israel rally
planned for Oct. 11 by the Christian
Coalition as part of its biennial Road
Community Split
to Victory conference.
.
The jockeying in Congress came as
That discomfort mushroomed with
Jewish organizations were still strug-
controversial' comments on Islam by
gling to develop positions on the ques- the Rev. Jerry Falwell — a keynote
tion of war with Iraq.
speaker at the conference and, accord-
This week, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-
ing to early press releases, a speaker at
Pa., was trying to convene several
the pro-Israel rally.
Jewish groups to publicly back the
But this week, Rev. Falwell's name
administration's call for broad
disappeared from the Christian
war-making authority, but at
Coalition's materials promoting
press time only a handful
the event, and a spokesman for
seemed ready to jump into the
the group denied that Rev.
fray.
Falwell was on the program.
Last week, the board of the
But last week, Michael
Jewish Council for Public
Brown, a top Christian
Affairs voted overwhelmingly
Coalition official, listed Rev.
to table a resolution calling for
Falwell as one of the confirmed
support of Bush's war powers • Rev. .F' dwell speakers for the rally,
y, an earli-
request.
er press announcements high-
This week, the Conference of
lighted his presence.
Presidents of Major American Jewish
Rev. Falwell, always a controversial
Organizations was polling members
figure, created a firestorm when he
on a draft resolution expressing sup-
appeared on the CBS news program
port for the administration's effort to
Sixty Minutes and called the Prophet
disarm Hussein, but stopping short of
Mohammed a "violent man, a man of
endorsing any specific legislation.
war ... Jesus set the example for love,
In the draft statement, the
as did Moses; I think Muhammad set
Conference "reiterates its support of
an opposite example."
President Bush and the government of
Rev. Falwell went on to say that "I
the United States in the war against
think Muhammad was a terrorist."
global terrorism." The statement cites
That prompted an outcry from
the ."unique dangers" posed by Iraq
Muslim groups around the world and
and states that the umbrella group
unease among Jewish leaders, who
supports "the measures necessary to
worried that the pro-Israel cause
insure Iraqi disarmament, including
would be tainted by Rev. Falwell's
the consequences for Iraq if it fails to
defense of the Jewish state.
meet its obligations." Still, the draft
The Anti-Defamation League quick-
falls short of an endorsement of the
ly blasted the talkative televangelist.
president's proposal.
"The Rev. Jerry Falwell has once again
Last week, the American Jewish
demonstrated his intolerance by his
Congress issued a statement blasting
outrageous charge about the Prophet
the American Jewish Committee and
Mohammed," the group's leaders said
the Anti-Defamation League for not
in a statement. "He owes an apology
endorsing the pending legislation.
to the millions of good people who
"Public support from Jewish groups is
follow the Muslim faith."
too important right now," said the
But ADL Director Abraham
group's president, Jack Rosen. "To be
Foxman declined to criticize the
viewed as dragging their feet, or
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