By David Ogul
SAN DIEGO — From conversations among a San Diego contingent of delegates to speeches by Secretary of State John Kerry, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Arizona Sen. John McCain and others, Iran was front and center at last week’s annual AIPAC conference in Washington, D.C.
And for good reason. AIPAC, America’s largest pro-Israel lobbying group, recently lost a battle – and perhaps some prestige – with the White House when the Obama administration blocked its efforts to get Congress to approve additional sanctions against Iran.
Some 14,000 AIPAC delegates wrapped up a three-day annual Policy Conference on Wednesday, March 5, a conference that delivered a who’s who of the nation’s political power elite to address the lobbying group.
The messages were similar.
“We will not allow a nuclear Iran,” Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said.
“Any deal with Iran must dismantle its nuclear infrastructure,” said Rep. Eric Cantor, the House minority leader.
“There is no way the world is safer, anywhere in the world, with a nuclear weapon in Iran, and we are not going to let it happen, period. End of story,” Kerry said.
Many of those at the conference, however, say the United States may have erred by easing up on sanctions while talks with the Islamic republic are underway. They argue Tehran will use the time to further develop a nuclear bomb while getting desperately needed economic relief.
Lew, who delivered the keynote address to tepid applause on Sunday, was among those defending the move.
“We now have in place the most sweeping, the most powerful, most innovative and most comprehensive sanctions in history, and because of the impact of these unprecedented international sanctions Iran finally came to the negotiating table seeking relief and fully aware that to get the relief they had to take concrete steps to curtail its nuclear program.”
Sanctions, he emphasized, are not being eliminated. “Make no mistake even as we pursue diplomacy, even as we deliver on our commitments to provide limited sanctions relief, the vast majority of sanctions remain firmly in place,” said Lew, who as treasury secretary is responsible for ensuring sanctions are enforced.
He detailed $7 billion in relief under the 6-month agreement, including allowing Iranian government access to $4.2 billion of more than $100 billion frozen funds worldwide. “Oil and financial sanctions remain in effect fully,” Lew said.
“We’ve sent very clear signals to the leadership in Tehran that if these talks do not succeed that we are prepared to propose additional sanctions on Iran and that all options remain on the table. We are under no illusions about who we are dealing with.”
The bill favored by AIPAC, Lew said, would be damaging to administration strategy.
“Passing new sanctions now can derail the talks that are underway and splinter the international cooperation that are making the sanctions succeed.”
San Diego residents attending the conference were not convinced.
“The content of the speeches are good,” said Steven Blum, a 60-year-old doctor in Carmel Valley. “But as you get older, you get a little more cynical. I question our ability to really monitor, to really know what’s going on in Iran.”
His son, Brandon Blum, who founded a management and investment company, agrees.
“You have to look at their track record,” Brandon Blum said of Iran. “And their track record is not very good. I think the issue is as simple as that. And the risk is potentially catastrophic.”
Mara Glen of La Jolla said the United States is making a mistake if it dares to trust Iran.
“I support new sanctions before the six months are up,” she said. “I don’t trust Iran.”
She said the Middle East power “Not only threatens Israel, but it threatens our other allies in the region, like Saudi Arabia.”
Jeffrey Goldberg, a reporter who writes for The Atlantic and Bloomberg news, explained the administration’s thinking during a panel discussion on Middle East politics the first day of the conference.
“The Obama Administration believes there is a chance that Iran has moderate elements that are susceptible to logic and reason,” and that the possibility needs to be explored.
“Maybe these guys are different and we should check out that opening,” he said of the Administration’s logic. “I’m just reporting the viewpoint that I’ve heard.”
But Dr. Robert Satloff, who sat on the same panel, was cynical. “There is no evidence that the Iranians are willing, eager or even capable” of reaching a nuclear agreement. “A bet is being made that this crowd is different.”
Kerry, though, said, “It is crucial that we seize what might be the last best chance to be able to have diplomacy work, and maybe the last chance in a long time.”
For those who don’t trust the Iranian government, he added this: “Let me sum up President Obama’s policy in 10 simple, clear, words – unequivocal. We will not permit Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Period. I added an 11th word just for punctuation.”
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David Ogul is a freelance writer and active member of Tifereth Israel Synagogue of San Diego. He may be contacted via ogulcommunications@gmail.com