Sure, America’s intelligence agencies concluded last year December that Iran no longer has a nuclear weapons program. But what do they know? Surely the Democratic Party is far more informed about the situation than them, which is why the Democrats refer to Iran’s “nuclear weapons program” in their just-finalized 2008 platform:
Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons
The world must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. That starts with tougher sanctions and aggressive, principled, and direct high-level diplomacy, without preconditions. We will pursue this strengthened diplomacy alongside our European allies, and with no illusions about the Iranian regime. We will present Iran with a clear choice: if you abandon your nuclear weapons program, support for terror, and threats to Israel, you will receive meaningful incentives; so long as you refuse, the United States and the international community will further ratchet up the pressure, with stronger unilateral sanctions; stronger multilateral sanctions inside and outside the U.N. Security Council, and sustained action to isolate the Iranian regime. The Iranian people and the international community must know that it is Iran, not the United States, choosing isolation over cooperation. By going the extra diplomatic mile, while keeping all options on the table, we make it more likely the rest of the world will stand with us to increase pressure on Iran, if diplomacy is failing.
Note also that the Democrats are going to be “keeping all options on the table.” I’ve always wondered whether this phrase includes the possibility of America and Israel giving up all their nuclear weapons. I mean, that’s an option—surely if all options on the table, that means our complete nuclear disarmament is there on the table with all the rest of them.
YUP: According to Steve Clemons, the Democratic platform was mostly written by Obama’s Senate office policy director Karen Kornbluh.
(Thanks to Don Bacon for pointing this out. Also, this would be a good time for you to check out Dennis Perrin’s Savage Mules: The Democrats and Endless War.)