Norm Coleman and Iran

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) has repeated the Bush Administration talking points on Iran yet muddled his position enough so that he can take whatever position he wishes. As Vice President Dick Cheney began to ramp up the rhetoric to lay the groundwork for attacking Iran, Norm joined in. Norm's history of supporting whatever policy the Bush Administration wants indicates that if Cheney were to be able to manipulate the US into attacking Iran, Norm would go along and repeat whatever talking points. Of course, Norm employs Norm-speak^TM so that if we eventually do attack Iran and it were to go badly, he can point to his statements that might possibly sound like he wanted sanctions to work despite the danger Iran posed.

“One of the gravest threats facing our country, as well as the Middle East, today is the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran,” Coleman added. “In order to prevent this scenario, they must be stopped from possessing the ability to enrich uranium. If Iran is allowed to possess a weapon of mass destruction not only do I believe Israel will be attacked, but a complete destabilization of the region will ensue. We need China and Russia to recognize the disastrous implications of allowing them to obtain a nuclear weapon.”
[Emphasis mine]
(Norm's press release on 5/24/2006)

It is not just that Iran is meddling in Iraq, wants to destroy Israel, its the mere possibility that Iran could do this that poses the "gravest threats" to America. Wow. That pretty strong rhetoric.

Is Norm calling for regime change with the following statement?

As a United States Senator, I stand in solidarity with the people of Iran. For too long Iranians have been denied basic rights that Americans hold dear. All people have a fundamental right to shape their own governments. All people are entitled to freedom of expression and freedom of religion, freedom from fear and freedom from persecution. I am proud to support those courageous Iranians who have raised their voices to call for these basic human rights.

America supports the people of Iran in your efforts to overcome the darkness of the present regime and emerge into the light of a new future for Iran, a future determined by the will of the Iranian people. May the wisdom of Iran’s proud culture inspire you to look to the New Year with confidence for you and your families, and for the future of Iran.
[Emphasis mine]
(Norm's press release on 3/17/04)

Norm uses Norm-speak^TM to make very strong statements about what the US government will do then backtracks to make it sound more like its just his personal opinion.

"If action is going to be taken, it's not going to be Israel alone," Coleman (R-Minnesota), the ranking member of the Senate foreign relation's Near East subcommittee. "The reality is that Israel would have to have approvals and authorities. If something is taken, the United States is going to be part of that. We have to understand that. There is no saying, 'Israel did it.'

Coleman, noting that he was speaking as one senator and not for the entire US government, talked to the Post after meeting with visiting Knesset members. He also said that while the delegation of MKs - which included Likud's Yuval Steinitz and Meretz's Yossi Beilin - presented a united front, no such unanimity could be found on the American side.

"I think there's a consensus here as to the nature of the threat. I don't think there's consensus yet as to the span of time with which we have to address it," said Coleman, one of only two Jewish Republican senators.
(Jerusalem Post)

What's interesting to note about the everything Norm has said about Iran is how little Norm talks about negotiations of any kind. Since the Bush Administration only tried to hold any Middle East talks in December 2007 (almost 7 years in), Norm plays along. In Norm's conservative worldview, there can be no possibility of talking to Iran. It's clear from all Norm has said that he's most interested in ramping up the rhetoric. If it came to war, Norm would stand strong with the Bush Administration yet would be able to bail quickly if it went poorly ... it is his reelection year after all.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South and Central Asian Affairs, I take a particular interest in the Middle East. I have great concerns regarding the threat Iran poses to America. Iran has long sponsored terrorism that has killed American citizens, and now undermines our efforts in Iraq by fueling the violence there. If Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, the security landscape of the Middle East will change and the security balance of the world will become unstable.

As a member of the Jewish community and strong supporter of Israel, I am concerned about the existential threat Iran poses to Israel. Israel has faced challenges to its existence ever since it was formed, but the danger has never been so great. Iran is intent upon destroying Israel, and it is rapidly acquiring the means to do so.
...
During my tenure in the Senate I have worked to develop and cosponsor legislation that deals with Iran through sanctions and other measures. Last September, Congress passed the Iran Freedom and Support Act. IFSA expanded sanctions that deter investment in Iran, specifically in its energy sector. It also aids civil society groups in Iran that are working to push Iran towards democracy.

I also helped develop a bill introduced in March called the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007. This bill expands sanctions against Iran and pressures countries that assist the Iranian nuclear program. Countries such as Russia and China have economic interests in Iran and have therefore have impeded broader international sanctions at the UN.

In my position as Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East Affairs, I regularly meet with Middle East leaders who also fear a nuclear Iran. For example, the Egyptians feel they face as great of a threat as Israel. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, I also maintain dialogue with the Europeans, who have been cooperative. To succeed, we need to mobilize the entire international community.
...
The Middle East landscape would become very unstable if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon. Iran has ambitions for regional hegemony, and its Sunni Arab neighbors are afraid of this. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt may now decide that they need nuclear weapons to counterbalance the Iranians. The proliferation of nuclear weapons would exponentially destabilize a region that is already highly volatile.

A nuclear Iran presents other threats. A nuclear Iran could seek to dominate the Persian Gulf by attempting to control the commerce that is shipped through there. Also, with its history of meddling in neighboring countries such as Iraq and Lebanon, it would be virtually impossible to exert diplomatic leverage on a nuclear Iran. The same rationale applies to Iran's sponsorship of terrorism, which would likely only increase. Finally, a nuclear Iran would represent an intersection of two of our greatest security threats: terrorism and nuclear weapons. Iran-sponsored terrorists could obtain the technology and materials they need to engage in nuclear terrorism.

The bottom line is that a nuclear Iran is a scenario that we must avoid. If Iran succeeds, we will have to reevaluate our entire political and security policy in the region.
(Jewish Policy Center's inFOCUS, Summer 2007)