An Update from CUFI Action Fund
This edition of the Update could be titled the good, the bad, and the ugly, just not that in order. But no matter what the news, we offer it, straightforward, unvarnished and without hesitation.
Colin Kahl Nomination Survives
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working to connect West Virginia voters with Sen. Joe Manchin in an effort to convince Sen. Manchin to vote against the nomination of Colin Kahl to serve as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy in the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Kahl’s hyperbolic predictions about events in the Middle East have been consistently off base. He is a partisan who supports policies that have been proven wrong time and again. He remains a serial Iran appeaser and antagonistic towards Israel. That is why thousands of West Virginians contacted Sen. Manchin and asked him to oppose Kahl’s nomination.
Unfortunately, in the end, Sen. Manchin elected to support Kahl’s nomination in committee – resulting in a 13-13 vote. This is indeed disappointing. When elites (who were Kahl’s backers) and the people disagree, the people should win out.
But that is not what took place. Nonetheless, we are extremely proud of our effort. It was worthwhile. And rest assured, the next time Sen. Manchin, or any other elected official needs to hear from their pro-Israel constituents, we’ll be there to facilitate their interactions. We do not limit our efforts to those where victory is guaranteed. We fight when our mandate to support Israel demands it.
Still
the Same Old Iran
One of the reasons we are so opposed to Kahl’s nomination is that he has never truly understood the Middle East. He overestimates the flexibility of our adversaries and underestimates the importance of our allies.
Case in point, this week we learned that intelligence reports indicate that Iran continues to engage in subterfuge to conceal elements of its nuclear program. The latest reports show that Iran is hiding key elements of its program in 75 shipping containers that are constantly moved around the country. Those who support reengagement with the Islamic Republic would do well to consider the lengths to which Tehran is going in order to hide its nuclear program.
Reports out this week also tell us that Iran is seeking to expand its submarine fleet. This is of particular import given Iran’s seizure
of ships in the Strait of Hormuz and its constant threat to cutoff oil traversing this narrow waterway. The news of the submarine fleet expansion comes almost exactly at the same time as reports that Iran’s economy continues to falter.
The Islamic Republic continues to be more focused on fighting with the West and her Sunni neighbors than feeding her people. That’s the regime which some in Washington believe just needs an outstretched hand to rejoin the community of nations. Pro Tip: If you hold this view, please see the oft cited definition of insanity…
Some Good News!
Keeping with our weeks old tradition of ending on a positive note, we wanted to share with you that the Governor of Utah recently signed CUFI-backed anti-BDS legislation in that state, making Utah the 31st
state in the union to advance such a measure. We are currently working to advance similar measures in several other states and will keep you updated as our efforts progress.
Until next week, we thank each and every one of you for taking the time to review this week’s alert and for your steadfast commitment to standing up for the US-Israel relationship.
Sincerely,
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