Thaddeus McCotter - Iran

The Valley Patriot

In August of 2011, Congressman McCotter was interviewed by the Valley Patriot in Concord, New Hampshire. He was asked about a nuclear Iran and how that would affect Israel and possible US action.

Tom: When Ron Paul was asked: If Iran dropped a nuclear bomb on Israel would he defend Israel? He said: “No! Why should I?” Your thoughts?

McCotter: The problem with Ron is that if you seek to be liked rather than respected you will be neither. What Ron misses is that our very existence as a free people makes us a target. You have to realize that the tyrants and the terrorists who are oppressing their own people know that the more successful we are here with liberty and self-government, they will have to do something about it there. Because, otherwise their own people will start demanding it. You saw the Soviet Union go into the trash can of history not too long ago. Now, you are seeing the Jasmine revolution in China, the Green revolution in Iran. So, in the age of globalization where you can talk to anyone in the world with a blackberry or a laptop, there’s no fortress America anymore. The people who will kill your allies will eventually kill you! We’ve already seen this. What Iran will do with a nuclear weapon is continue to export terror by using that nuclear deterrent against anyone trying to stop them. That would make for a hellacious world. This will not only impair American security but cost American lives. It will also impair our prosperity because without security there is no free market, our ability to trade with other partners. We will be under a greater threat from these regimes. You can’t just say you don’t care what happens in other countries. The world is getting smaller whether we like it or not. So, to me, you have to defend your allies or you will have no allies. As the United States, we cannot abandon our allies over there or your next.

Tom: So how would you defend Israel?

McCotter: Number one is we have to make clear that the Unite States’ strategic partnership with Israel is solid and strong, and they know that if they are threatened we will have their back. Let’s face it, they are the only real democracy in the Middle East. We have to support with economic and peaceful means, the revolutions in Iran and Syria where they want to get rid of the Assad regime, and the Tehran regime just like Reagan did with the Soviet Union. The way to avoid war and debilitate terrorism is to have free people collapse these rogue regimes that support terror, and govern their own lives with free markets and democracy. Which is an opportunity we blew in Egypt with this administration not being concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood and Imam’s coming in and the precipitous removal Mubarak.

Lincoln said that by expanding liberties for others we ensure our own democracy. I’m not talking about military action in Iran or Syria, we didn’t use that against the Soviet Union.

Tom: If it came to it, would you be willing to use the military to go into Iran as we did in Iraq to depose the Muslim Mullahs?

McCotter: : I don’t like to play hypotheticals because it assumes your policies have failed.

Tom: But, if you win you will be taking over for a president whose policies are failing.

McCotter: Yes, they are failing. But I am talking about the policy I laid out of supporting those freedom movements like in Iran and China and Syria and reversing the direction they are going in because their influence is expanding. If you don’t do that you end up in a very lonely and much more dangerous world. You can’t just turn a blind eye to what is happening in the rest of the world. It won’t work now, any more than it did in the 1930’s. When people were saying “just let Europe go under, it can’t be saved and why should we care?” Think about all the trade and liberty and advancement of freedom because eventually the United States didn’t do that. We had people who understood what we had to do. But there was so much more we could have done earlier, like kick Hitler out of the Rhineland when he was vulnerable. If we had called his bluff, think of all the lives that would have been saved.

Now, in the age of globalization you can’t just sit back and say “this won’t affect us,” of course it will. Remember the first country the Nazi’s invaded was their own.

September 2001 was a wakeup call, it was this generations Pearl Harbor. We were hit at home by people who wanted to kill themselves, willing to kill their children and use any means to kill you and your family. They did it here. It’s not as if they are going to go away if we just bring all our troops home and abandon our allies. You can’t walk away from something that’s going to follow you home. I mean, I like Ron Paul we just have a difference of opinion. He’s a very nice man. The thing I like about Ron is that he is genuine. He sincerely believes what he is saying. He gets raked over the coals all the time, but he is sincere.  

Voting Record

Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act

In June of 2010 the House voted on the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act. The Act passed 408-8. Thaddeus McCotter voted in favor of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act.

Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation

Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2009 - Cosponsor

States that it is the policy of the United States to support the decision of state and local governments and educational institutions to divest from, and to prohibit the investment of assets they control in, persons that have investments of more than $20 million in Iran's energy sector.

Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2009 - Cosponsor

Amends the Iran Freedom Support Act to maintain specified U.S. sanctions with respect to Iran until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that Iran has verifiably dismantled its weapons of mass destruction programs and ceased its support for international terrorism. Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to: (1) include transshipment among sanctionable activities; and (2) exclude from the United States an alien who is a senior government official of a foreign government or a corporate principal or significant shareholder of a foreign person involved in proliferation activities relating to Iran.

Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009 - Cosponsor

To amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by expanding economic sanctions against Iran.

Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority - Cosponsor

Condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights. Calls on the government of Iran to release the seven leaders and all other prisoners held on account of their religion, including: Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, Ms. Raha Sabet, Mr. Sasan Taqva, and Ms. Haleh Roohi. Calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with responsible nations, to condemn Iran's continued violation of human rights and demand the release of prisoners held on account of their religion, including the above-named individuals.

Israel and Iran - Cosponsor

Condemns the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its: (1) threats to annihilate the United States and Israel; (2) support of international terrorism; and (3) incitement of genocide of the Israeli people. Supports using all means to persuade the government of Iran to stop building and acquiring nuclear weapons. Reaffirms the U.S. bond with Israel and pledges to work with the government of Israel and the people of Israel to ensure that their nation receives critical economic and military assistance, including missile defense capabilities, needed to address the Iranian threat. Supports Israel's right to use all means necessary to confront and eliminate nuclear threats posed by Iran.

Iran Human Rights Sanctions Act - Cosponsor

Directs the President to impose visa entry and financial sanctions on a person determined to be complicit in human rights abuses committed against Iranian citizens or their family members on or after June 12, 2009, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Iran. Requires that: (1) the list of such persons required by this Act be made available to the public and posted on the Department of the Treasury and the Department of State websites; and (2) the President consider data obtained by other countries and nongovernmental organizations that monitor Iran's human rights abuses in preparing such list. Terminates sanctions upon presidential certification to Congress that: (1) the sanctioned persons have ceased complicity in human rights abuses; and (2) the government of Iran has released all political prisoners, ceased its killing and abuse of Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity and prosecuted those responsible, committed itself to free elections and respect for human rights, and ceased broadcast interference.

Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 - Cosponsor

To enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by imposing additional economic sanctions against Iran, and for other purposes.

Iran and Nuclear Weapons - Cosponsor

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the threat posed to international peace, stability in the Middle East, and the vital national security interests of the United States by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional hegemony, and for other purposes.

Ahmadinejad and the Destruction of Israel - Cosponsor

Calling on the United Nations Security Council to charge Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and United Nations Charter because of his calls for the destruction of the State of Israel.

Investments in Iran - Cosponsor

To require divestiture of current investments in Iran, to prohibit future investments in Iran, and to require disclosure to investors of information relating to such investments.

Iran Sanctions - Cosponsor

To amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to expand and clarify the entities against which sanctions may be imposed.

Iran Sanctions Enhancement Act of 2007 - Cosponsor

To amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by expanding economic sanctions against Iran to include the importation of refined petroleum.

References

[1] Website: The Valley Patriot Article: An Interview with Presidential Candidate Thaddeus McCotter Author: CHRISTINE MORABITO & TOM DUGGAN Accessed on: 08/30/2011

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