RSS
Kamala Harris Says Iran Is America’s ‘Greatest Adversary’
US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as part of the US-ASEAN Special Summit, in Washington, DC, May 13, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
US Vice President Kamala Harris said that Iran was the “greatest adversary” of the United States during an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
During a wide-ranging discussion on the storied news program with journalist Bill Whitaker, Harris was asked which country she perceived to be the “greatest adversary” to the United States. Harris argued that the “obvious” answer was Iran, citing the regime’s targeting of American troops stationed overseas and attacks against Israel.
“Iran has American blood on their hands, OK. This attack on Israel, 200 ballistic missiles. What we need to do to ensure that Iran never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power, that is one of my highest priorities,” Harris said, referring in part to Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel.
Whitaker pressed Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, on whether she would be willing to take military action against Iran if it were to break out toward nuclear weapons. Harris declined to answer.
Harris’s comments raised eyebrows among some critics, who noted the Biden administration renewed billions of dollars in US sanctions waivers against Iran, which had the effect of unlocking frozen funds and allowing the country to access previously inaccessible hard currency. Some foreign policy experts have claimed the administration’s decisions on sanctions allowed Iran to inject more funding into terrorist groups seeking Israel’s destruction.
The US intelligence community has consistently labeled the Islamist regime in Iran, the chief international backer of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as the world’s foremost sponsor of terrorism. Iranian leaders have long declared their goal of destroying Israel and often chant “death to America.”
In July, US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines released a statement arguing that Iran has sought to expand its “influence efforts” with the objective of sowing distrust in American institutions. According to the US intelligence chief, Iran has deployed online influencers to push narratives that advance their goals of undermining the United States and fomenting hatred against Israel. Haines argued that Iranian agents, pretending to be social media influencers, are allegedly encouraging and financing protests against Israel.
Iran’s support for anti-Israel demonstrations in the United States is well documented. The regime’s so-called “supreme leader,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has repeatedly heaped praise on anti-Israel protesters on college campuses, referring to the demonstrations as a “courageous, humane resistance movement.”
The post Kamala Harris Says Iran Is America’s ‘Greatest Adversary’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
A new wave of Jewish security groups reflect Toronto community concerns—while raising charges of vigilantism
Who’s behind Shomrim Toronto, Magen Herut Canada and JForce Security?
The post A new wave of Jewish security groups reflect Toronto community concerns—while raising charges of vigilantism appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.
RSS
Treasure Trove remembers a Portuguese diplomat who was severely punished for saving Jews during the Holocaust
Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral e Abranches (1885-1954) was the Portuguese consul stationed in Bordeaux, France who in May and June 1940 issued visas to thousands of desperate Jews […]
The post Treasure Trove remembers a Portuguese diplomat who was severely punished for saving Jews during the Holocaust appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.
RSS
Harris Says Won’t Give Up Pushing for End to Israel-Gaza War
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks before participating in a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House in Washington, U.S., May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday repeated her call for a ceasefire in Israel’s war in Gaza and said it was important to seize the opportunity provided by the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a mastermind of the Oct. 7 attack.
Harris acknowledged challenges ahead but told reporters she would continue to push for an end to the conflict.
“This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of – to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home,” she said.
“As it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy. But that doesn’t mean we give up. It’s always going to be difficult. We can’t give up.”
Harris dodged a question on whether Arab American and Muslim anger over US support for Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza and more recently in Lebanon could cost her the election in the battleground state of Michigan, but said she would continue speaking out about the tragic loss of innocent lives.
“I speak publicly all the time about the fact that there are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza,” Harris said, also referencing the initial Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
“What’s critically important as we look at this moment, is … acknowledging the tragedy of what has happened in Gaza, in terms of the extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians that have been killed, and taking that seriously and speaking truth about that,” she said.
Harris and Trump are essentially tied in the most competitive states like Michigan, with just 17 days until the Nov. 5 election.
Harris will need strong results in the majority non-white cities of Detroit and Atlanta and their surrounding suburbs – both of which have large Arab American and Muslim populations – to repeat US President Joe Biden’s 2020 wins in Michigan and Georgia. Trump won Michigan by 11,000 votes in 2016. In 2020, Biden beat Trump by 155,000 votes.
Harris on Friday won the endorsements of 50 prominent Lebanese-Americans, who said the US had been “unrelenting” in its support for Lebanon under the Biden administration and that they expect additional backing if Harris wins in November.
The endorsement came amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have killed at least 2,350 people over the last year, according to the Lebanese health ministry, with more than 1.2 million people displaced. Hezbollah attacks have killed 50 Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to Israel.
The post Harris Says Won’t Give Up Pushing for End to Israel-Gaza War first appeared on Algemeiner.com.