Thread-Friends in Maryland, I just wrote to our senator @ChrisVanHollen to voice my frustration over his bias toward #Iran. Today, he participated in a bash #Saudi Arabia panel. While I support human rights, I think that either America does it everywhere, or not do it anywhere.
When human rights is not part of our calculus, then Saudi Arabia is our ally, and Iran is our enemy. Otherwise, the senator is being unfair, and probably beholden to invisible special interests. Feel free to copy my letter to him and use the attached page to send it.
Dear Senator Van Hallon,
I understand that you stand up for human rights around the world and support the spread of democracy. What I do not understand is your selective manner in doing so. This morning, you made sure to bash Saudi Arabia for its domestic policy,
but in February you introduced a legislation in which you said: “Since President Trump took office he has drastically elevated tensions with Iran and brought us to the brink of war. President Trump’s so-called campaign of ‘maximum pressure,’ has resulted only in maximum failure.”
So why pressure Saudi Arabia, our ally, but not Iran, our enemy? Either America is in the business of defending human rights everywhere, or we sit back and deal with regimes regardless of their human rights record.
When human rights is not part of our calculus, we should be nice to governments that seek our friendship, like Saudi Arabia, and we should be nasty to governments with American blood on their hands, like Iran.
As a citizen of the State of Maryland, I'm unsettled by your bias toward Iran, and should your bias persist, I will make sure to look for an alternative senator who can be fairer and impartial on foreign policy. --
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