In Case You Missed It: "Preventing a nuclear-armed Iran"

In Case You Missed It: "Preventing a nuclear-armed Iran"   

Preventing a nuclear-armed Iran

By Bob Feferman

South Bend Tribune

January 27, 2012

The November 2011 report on Iran's nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency confirms that Iran continues to work on the development of nuclear weapons in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. Whereas the United States government has imposed tough sanctions on Iran, there is much more that we can do, both at the state level and as individuals, to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. ...

Since we can no longer wait for tougher sanctions on Iran by the United Nations, what more can we do to support the sanctions of the U.S. government?

Leading the American grassroots efforts on Iran is the organization United Against Nuclear Iran. Recently, UANI has sponsored a bold new model for action at the state level called Iran Contract Legislation that we can support here in Indiana.

The adoption of Iran Contract Legislation would require any company signing a contract with the state to certify that it is not engaged in Iran's energy sector. This strategy is based on the fact that most of the revenues of the Iranian regime come from the production and sale of oil and natural gas. Yet, absent the help of foreign companies, Iran is incapable of exploiting its own natural resources.

So far, the state legislatures of California, Florida and New York have passed Iran Contract Legislation. The foreign companies impacted by this legislation will have to make a choice: they can do business in either Iran or the United States -- not both.

Now Indiana will have the opportunity to enact similar legislation.

Thanks to the leadership of state Sens. Tom Wyss of Fort Wayne, John Broden of South Bend and Michael Young of Milltown, an Iran Contract Legislation bill, S.B. 231, has been introduced to the Indiana General Assembly. ...

The residents of Indiana can be proud that our state government is doing its part in confronting the Iranian threat. Now is the time to do our part as individuals. Since U.S. law prohibits American companies from working in Iran's energy sector, we can choose not to invest in foreign companies such as Hyundai and Sinopec that work in Iran's energy sector. And we can demand that the international mutual funds that we invest in do the same.

Although it is not illegal for American citizens to invest in foreign companies working in Iran's energy sector, these investments certainly undermine the sanctions of our own government. By avoiding investment in these companies, we could send a strong message to Iran: No more business as usual with the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism.

By supporting Iran Contract Legislation in our state legislature, and avoiding investment in companies engaged in Iran's energy sector, the residents of Indiana can use nonmilitary means to help prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and make the world a much safer place.

Bob Feferman is the chairman of the community relations committee of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley in South Bend.

Click here to read the full piece.

Click here to read UANI's statement on Indiana's introduction of UANI model legislation.

Click here to visit UANI's model legislation home page.

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