Together with Indiana University, Crane is undoubtedly the best source of skilled jobs in the region. At a time when good jobs have a way of disappearing, it is no surprise that Indiana officials, editorial writers, and citizens appreciate Crane.

The more we need Crane, the more committed we become to staying on good terms with the Pentagon – supporting everything on the military’s wish list to win its generosity to us. Senator Donnelly recently sent me a generic letter assuring me he’s doing everything he can to ensure the Pentagon receives adequate funding. The U.S. spends more on the military than the next eight nations combined.

As Chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Senator Donnelly may be the most important of all Senators in evaluating a new generation of nuclear weapons. Former Defense Secretary William Perry, Senator Diane Feinstein, and others strongly oppose a new air-launched nuclear cruise missile as seductively usable, possibly tempting a President across the fateful nuclear threshold.

If Crane leads Hoosiers to look away from the risks of new nuclear weapons, that will be a very high price to pay, not only for us but also for the world.

Yet hardliners in Congress are preparing a new sanctions bill. President Obama has vowed to veto it. Whether Congress reaches the two-thirds majority to override his veto depends on whether some Democrats – notably Indiana’s Senator Joe Donnelly – join the Republicans pushing this legislation.

Hawks claim that their bill would mean increased leverage, pushing Iran to make further concessions. But the bill is an ultimatum imposing increased sanctions if Iran does not accept what many experts believe are unnecessarily humiliating terms for a final agreement. The President and global diplomats believe the bill would instead lead Iran to break off negotiations. Iranian hardliners, who have also opposed negotiations, would be vindicated, and Iran would likely step up nuclear activities. That in turn would set the stage for Israel to attack Iran and unleash a new war in the Middle East, almost surely involving the United States.

The last thing the world needs is another war, which would increase the risks of global terrorism as well, ironically, as the chances Iran would actually build a bomb.

Sources:

https://www.armscontrol.org/issue-briefs/2015-01-15/Congress-Should-Support-Negotiations-Not-New-Iran-Sanctions

https://www.rollcall.com/news/let_the_diplomats_do_the_driving_with_iran_commentary-232362-1.html

https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000003454696/obama-urges-against-new-iran-sanctions.html

https://fcnl.org/issues/iran/israeli_us_security_experts_support_first_step_deal/