John McCain just left the stage here at AIPAC to a rousing
standing ovation, after speaking about the importance of strong
ties between the U.S. and Israel, and delivering tough words toward
Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah. The speech also included several
blistering attacks on Barack Obama.
"The Iranians have spent years working toward a nuclear program,
and the idea that they now seek nuclear weapons because we refuse
to engage in presidential-level talks is a serious misreading of
history," McCain said in an obvious reference to the Obama, in a
line that drew applause.
McCain also assailed Obama for opposing the designation of
Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.
"Over three quarters of the Senate supported this obvious step,
but not Senator Obama," McCain said. "He opposed this resolution
because its support for countering Iranian influence in Iraq was,
he said, a 'wrong message not only to the world, but also to the
region.' But here, too, he is mistaken. Holding Iran's influence
in check, and holding a terrorist organization accountable, sends
exactly the right message - to Iran, to the region and to the
world."
This prompted one of several standing ovations that McCain
received during his remarks.
Instead of unconditional talks, McCain called for tougher
political and economic sanctions, as well as a worldwide divestment
campaign.
"If there are ties between America and Israel that critics of
our alliance have never understood, perhaps that is because they do
not fully understand the love of liberty and the pursuit of
justice," McCain said in closing his speech. "But they should know
those ties cannot be broken. We were brought together by shared
ideals and by shared adversity. We have been comrades in struggle,
and trusted partners in the quest for peace. We are the most
natural of allies. And, like Israel itself, that alliance is
forever."
topics:
John McCain, Barack Obama, Iraq, Iran, Israel, NATO, Nuclear Weapons
