March 23, 2017
Congress, Trump need a united front to face down Iran
Iran policy has been one of the most divisive foreign policy issues in recent years. The Obama administration’s nuclear deal passed Congress without a single Republican vote, and Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to get tougher on Tehran. And with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference in Washington next week, we may see this issue once again near the top of the agenda as Congress is expected to introduce a slew of new initiatives.
For all the divisions, today it is on Iran policy that Congress can lead, joining forces across parties and even with the new administration.
With Iran now “officially on notice,” President Trump has yet to spell out the precise contours of his more aggressive approach. Given the intense debates on Iran during the Obama administration, many members of Congress have spent more time focusing on this foreign policy issue than any other. As administration officials review their options, Congress should seize the opportunity to articulate an assertive approach that can win the support of both the executive and legislative branches.
Read the full article at The Hill.
More from CNAS
-
VideoIran is trying to score a political win against the US: Expert
By "isolating" the U.S. from the other countries in the nuclear deal, Iran is winning politically but losing economically, says Ilan Goldenberg of Center for a New American Se...
By Ilan Goldenberg
-
CommentarySanctions Alone Won’t Alter Iran’s Behavior in the Middle East
The U.S. Treasury Department recently designated a network of 22 Iranian businesses as supporters of terrorism, including several banks and major commodities companies, imposi...
By Kaleigh Thomas
-
CommentaryJamal Khashoggi’s Murder Hurt American Interests, Not Just American Values
Most observers have seen the murder of Jamal Khashoggi as the latest example of an age-old tension in U.S. foreign policy: the pursuit of national interests versus the defense...
By Richard Fontaine
-
PodcastIlan Goldenberg on Israel Policy Forum Podcast
Ilan Goldenberg, Israel Policy Forum's Policy Adviser and a Senior Fellow and Director at the Center for a New American Security's Middle East Security Program joins Evan Gott...
By Ilan Goldenberg