41116....."' I Opinion PRESIDENTIAL SWEEPSTAKES Obama: Israel's Security Sacrosanct Washington S ince the birth of the State of Israel 60 years ago, the United States has stood as its strongest ally. This partnership has been supported by Democrats and Republicans. The bipartisan tradition goes back to President Truman, who in 1948 made the United States the first nation to officially recognize Israel. Since that day, America's relation- ship with Israel has never been just a dip- lomatic relationship or a military alliance. Sen. Carl It has always been a Levin fundamental part- Special nership to protect Commentary our shared values — a commitment to democracy, freedom and liberty. After 60 years of friendship, the United States and Israel must continue to stand together, to protect our shared values and priorities — to continue to strive for our shared goal of a peaceful Middle East. And that is what Barack Obama will do as president of the United States. I have had the opportunity to work side by side with him in the U.S. Senate, and I know he is commit- ted to maintaining the strong and special relationship between the United States and Israel. As president, Barack Obama will do every- thing he can to help Israel protect itself from outside threats, whether they come from as nearby as Gaza or as far away as Tehran. The defense cooperation between the United States and Israel has been a model of suc- cess, and Sen. Obama believes in its preser- vation. Sen. Obama believes that the United States and Israel must stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism because terror- ism threatens our shared values, our way of life and our right to live without fear. Sen. Obama will add a crucial element that has been missing in the fight against terrorism and the effort to advance the search for peace in the Middle East. He will end America's unilateral style — its isola- tion from allies who have been put off by the Bush administration's go-it-alone, "you're with us or with the terrorists" approach. Example number one: Iran, the great- est source of terror in the region. President Bush's Iraq policy has led to a stronger, more adventurous Iran. The best way to prevent Iran from going nuclear with its uranium program without the use of military force is to unite the world against Iran's activity. Because no country wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon, it should be possible to rally the world, includ- ing Russia, against Iran's effort to obtain a nuclear weapon. But we can succeed only if we reach out to other countries in a way that avoids the domination and often bullying rhetoric that has marked the Bush years. Unified efforts by the world community employing strong sanctions and Congress enacting Sen. Obama's legislation to make it easier for pension funds to divest from com- panies investing in Iran are useful ways of pressuring Iran to change their behavior. There are many other issues where Senators Obama and McCain have different views, which I believe should attract our community to Sen. Obama. These include separation of church and state, women's reproductive rights and health care. But when it comes to support of Israel, Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain agree. As Sen. Sen. Obama Obama puts it,"Israel's security is sacro- sanct. I will also carry with me an unshak- able commitment to the security of Israel and the friendship between the United States and Israel." This election will truly mark a pivotal moment in our history. Working together with others who share our values, we can be strong, we can protect our freedoms and we can secure a lasting peace for ourselves, for Israel and for all nations seeking peace. ❑ U.S. Sen. Carl Levin is a Michigan Democrat. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978. McCain: Israel Support Steadfast Washington A s I travel across the country cam- paigning for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for president, people often express surprise that a senator who was once the Democratic vice- presidential nominee is campaigning for the Republican nom- inee for president. I know that it is unusual for someone who is a Democrat to endorse a Republican candidate for presi- dent. But as I tell Sen. Joe people I meet: This Lieberman is no ordinary time, Special and this is no ordi- Commentary nary election —and my good friend of 20 years, John McCain, is no ordinary candidate. In this critical election, no one should let party lines stop them from choosing the best-qualified person to lead our nation. The problems that confront us are too great, the threats are too real and the opportunities are A68 September 25 • 2008 iN too exciting to play partisan politics. We need our next president to break through the reflexive partisanship that is poi- soning our politics and preventing progress. We need a president who can reunite our country, restore faith in our government and rebuild confidence in America's future. I have worked closely with Sen. McCain for more than 20 years on many issues — from stopping genocide in the Balkans to combating global warming to creating the 9-11 Commission and enacting its recom- mendations into law. I have seen him, time and again, rise above the negativism and pettiness of our politics to deliver results for the American people. And I have watched him, time and again, work across party lines to make our country safer and stronger. There are many important issues in this campaign, but the central issue is national security and the war against Islamist extremism. And I know with absolute cer- tainty that the most-qualified candidate to be commander-in-chief is John McCain. Islamist extremism is a totalitarian ideol- ogy every bit as fanatical and vicious as the fascism and communism we fought and defeated in the 20th century. And the out- come of this war will determine the future of freedom for hundreds of millions of people, including here at home. From the moment the next president steps into the Oval Office, he will face life-and-death decisions in this war. We must have a president who is ready on day one to make these decisions. John has always been a steadfast, prin- cipled and unwavering supporter of Israel. He understands, as he put it just a few weeks before 9-11, that "America's unequivocal support for Israel — not evenhandedness, not moral equivalence, not winking at Palestinian violence — is the best guarantor of peace in the Middle East" Sen. McCain is the best-qualified candi- date to confront the threat we face from the Islamic Republic of Iran. He knows that it is the terrorist-supporting theocracy itself that is the problem, and until the Iranian people are free we are not safe. John doesn't just talk; he acts. He sup- ported an amendment I offered with Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard — which has mur- dered our troops in Iraq, supports Hamas Sen. McCain and Hezbollah, and carried out the bloody attack on the Argentinean Jewish center that killed 85 people — as a terrorist organiza- tion. Unfortunately, Senators Obama and his vice-presidential candidate, Joe Biden, opposed the amendment. When it comes to keeping America, Israel and all our allies safe in this time of war, John McCain has proven that he has the experience, the strength, the judgment and the character to be our commander-in-chief from day one. And that why I'm working so hard for him as our next president. ❑ Sen. Joe Lieberman is a Connecticut Independent. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1988.