Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, announced Monday that he has come out in favor of the Iran deal, despite having been skeptical of it from the start. Schiff has stated that he believes the deal is good for the United States and Israel.
Following months of personal deliberations as to whether he would support or reject the nuclear accords, Schiff has opted to go the way of party leaders, who say they support this deal because they could not find a better alternative.
In an interview with the Atlantic, Schiff echoed Secretary of State John Kerry, saying, “I am comfortable saying that this deal is in the best interest of Israel, as well as the best interest of the United States.” He also stated that “[t]he risks associated with rejection of the deal are quite a bit higher than the risks associated with going forward.”
Schiff told the Atlantic that if Iran cheats, and “snap-back” sanction fail, he would favor the use of force. “If the sanctions don’t work effectively, then I’m for using force rather then letting [Iran] become a nuclear-weapons state. Before Iran crosses the threshold, we would have to stop them by force.”
By then, however, it might be too late.
A new Quinnipiac poll has found that American voters oppose the nuclear deal with Iran by a two-to-one margin.
Schiff’s personal statement can be read here.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz and on Facebook.