Sherman makes Iran his mission
By Lisa Friedman, Washington Bureau
LA Daily News
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Even for the ever-shticking Sherman, the threat posed by a nuclear Tehran is no joke. In fact, it has become one of his signature issues, leading a top aide on the House International Relations Committee to dub him "Mr. Iran."
While Congress' fears of Iran's nuclear plans have intensified in recent months, particularly in the wake of President Mahmous Ahmadineiad's call for Israel to be wiped off the map, there remains still just a small cadre of lawmakers - Sherman among them - consistently urging the administration to crack down on Iran.
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Added Bob Einhorn, a veteran diplomat who serves as a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic International Studies in D.C.: "The United States Congress will always play a secondary role (to the administration) on Iran, but a handful of members of Congress who become very knowledgeable can exert a lot of influence on the direction of the administration's thinking.
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He believes Tehran is six to 10 years away from developing a nuclear weapon, and sees that as one of the greatest threats to U.S. security. He accuses President Bush of having an "ostrich policy" on the issue, and criticized the administration both for dropping U.S. objections to Iran joining the World Trade Organization and for allowing the sale of Boeing parts so Iran can repair its aging commercial fleet.
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Lisa Friedman, (202) 662-8731 lisa.friedman@langnews.com
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3348698