WASHINGTON — Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski will support the Iran nuclear deal saying that the agreement is the best option to ensure long-term that the Middle Eastern nation doesn’t develop a nuclear weapon.
The Democrat, who plans to retire at the end of next year, became the 34th vote in favor of the deal, ensuring the measure survives in Congress and providing a political victory to President Barack Obama.
In a lengthy statement outlining her reasons for supporting the deal and the research she undertook to evaluate its merits, Mikulski says military action should be considered only as a last resort and that airstrikes would only deter the Iranians temporarily.
“No deal is perfect, especially one negotiated with the Iranian regime. I have concluded that this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb. For these reasons, I will vote in favor of this deal,” her statement reads.
She also says that more sanctions by the U.S. won’t help to contain Iran either.
“Maintaining or stepping up sanctions will only work if the sanction coalition holds together. It’s unclear if the European Union, Russia, China, India and others would continue sanctions if Congress rejects this deal,” she says.
Despite her support, Mikulski believes that Congress must continue to support and protect Israel. She considered both the security of the United States as well as the Jewish nation when making her decision, which she described as among the most serious of her political career.
“This vote has monumental and enduring consequences,” she says.
She noted that she traveled to Austria to meet with international inspectors, met with diplomats, listened to her constituents including Jewish leaders, and that she also “actually read the deal, both the classified and the unclassified” details.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine announced his support for the deal in early August but his colleague and fellow Democrat Mark Warner has yet to weigh in. Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, who is the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, remained undecided as of Tuesday.
