metro
The Jewish Community Relations Counci
is pleased to invite you to jo
as we present the
Putting The Pinch
On Iran's Plans
e
Sen. Carl Levin discusses the U.S.
battle against the nuclearization of
Israel's sworn enemy.
Harry Kirsbaum
Contributing Writer
T
he issue of a nuclear-armed
Iran was front and center
earlier this month as Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
visited Washington, D.C., where he
met with President Barack Obama and
addressed the AIPAC policy confer-
ence.
As the fear of a warlike nuclear
power in the Middle East grows,
the Jewish News posed questions to
Michigan's longtime senior states-
man, Carl Levin, chairman of the
Armed Services Committee in the
Democratic-controlled Senate.
Tuesday,
May 29, 2012 • 7:00 p.m.
Adat Shalom Synagogu
Farmington Hi I
H on. Debb
Wasserman Schu
U.S. Representative, Flor
Congressional District
Chair, Democratic Nationa
Committee
Retep ton following meetin
Kosher dietary laws observed
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ibute to Michelle Passon, please contact the
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Patillffron, Doreen Hermelin &
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Media Relations
Israel Advocacy • Community Activism
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18
March 29 - 2012
tightening international economic,
political and diplomatic pressure.
That, backed by the military options
that President Obama and the Israelis
have said are on the table, is the best
bet to get Iran to see that abandoning
the goal of having nuclear weapons is
its only viable option.
IN: Do you think the economic
sanctions that will be imposed in
the sununer will work before Iran
has the capability to enrich the ura-
nium in the Fordow underground
facility?
CL: Our intelligence community
is watching that Iranian facility very
closely, and I and the rest of the Senate
will pay careful attention to their find-
ings and analysis.
IN: The president and the prime
minister have different views on
the situation in Iran. Obama said
earlier that diplomacy should con-
tinue and sanctions should be given
time to work — but Netanyahu told
AIPAC that time is running out. The
president also said that Israel has
the right to defend itself. How wor-
ried should we be?
CL: We should be very concerned
about Iran's nuclear program and
its refusal to abide by the will of the
international community. But the
United States and Israel are united
in confronting this threat. President
Obama has said as clearly as possible
that he has Israel's back and that all
options are on the table. I believe him,
and if the Iranians doubt him, they do
so at their peril.
IN: If Iran is attacked, will we face
terrorist attacks?
CL: Many analysts believe that ter-
rorist attacks are one possible Iranian
response. The Iranians would have
to very carefully consider the conse-
quences of launching such attacks
because militarily tangling with the
United States would be a high-risk
course of action for Iran.
IN: What do you think Iran has to
do to satisfy the United States and
the U.N.? What do they have to do to
satisfy Israel?
CL: The U.N. has passed six
resolutions requiring Iran to end its
enrichment of uranium. It should do
so immediately and demonstrate to
the satisfaction of the International
Atomic Energy Agency that its nuclear
program is exclusively for peaceful
purposes.
IN: Do you agree with Sen. Mitch
McConnell's proposal for a U.S
attack on Iran if intelligence shows
that Iran has enriched uranium to
weapons-grade level, or has started
a weapons program?
CL: Congress will act at an appro-
priate time and in an appropriate
manner, and in the meantime should
show firm resolve with the president
to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear
weapon.
IN: What is the next step to solve
the problem and get Iran to back
down?
CL: We need to apply continuously
1N: How do you answer the
critics who say that the Obama
administration isn't supporting
Israel enough in this matter?
IN: How long do you think it will
take for sanctions to start working?
CL: They are already having signifi-
cant impact on the Iranian economy,
and the impact is only going to grow
as the bank sanctions we just passed
in my defense authorization bill kick
in.