Howard Berman Quotes

It is in the U.S. interest to engage Iran in serious negotiations - on both regional security and the nuclear challenge it poses.

The Bush administration actually started out with an open mind towards Iran, by all indications. In fact, early in the administration, the White House tasked the various agencies of government to do an inter-agency review of Iran policy, as it did with Iraq policy and most of the big areas of the world.

America needs a sensible, sustainable Iran policy that can meet U.S. security and economic interests, command international support and withstand the shifting Middle Eastern sands.

Ending Iran's nuclear threat and bringing it into the international community of law-abiding nations is one of the most pressing U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Ever since Barack Obama had become president, the main policy of the U.S. government toward Russia had been one of appeasement.

We can pursue peaceful diplomacy with the Iranian regime while also continuing our maximum economic pressure campaign, while also defending ourselves... To say that it's a war with Iran or nothing is just a fundamental misunderstanding of how foreign policy actually works.

The U.S. along with China, Japan, South Korea and Russia has an important role to play in containing North Korea's nuclear ambitions and exerting all the influence we can possibly exert.

There is very little hope that the United States or anyone else can do much to stabilize Iraq, Libya, Syria or Egypt. Stabilizing Iran, and bringing it back into the family of nations, is much more possible. That would be a 'win' for both sides.

The U.S. engages with North Korea, so I don't see why they can't engage with Iran.

When Prime Minister Erdogan came to Washington in 2009, he sounded almost like the ambassador from Iran.

No step the United States could take anywhere in the world would bring strategic benefits as great as detente with Iran.

I'm in favor of dealing with Iran and dealing with the nuclear issue, but I'm not in favor of a bad deal.

I believe President Obama means everything he says about sticking to the unprecedented backing of Israel and keeping all options on the table against Tehran, as well as countering its adventures in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.

Russia has demonstrated it is not committed to genuine partnership with the United States.

The administration has taken its inexcusable apathy a step further, declaring that even abiding by the few token sanctions in place isn't truly necessary, as evidenced by the now 20 countries to which the Obama administration has granted waivers to continue doing business with Iran.

I think we can be confident that U.S. policy toward Poland and thus also our relations will not deteriorate, that at least they will not become weaker.

Iran is central to our foreign policy in the Middle East, a major player in global energy markets, and a key country in terms of our interaction with the Muslim world.

No one wants to abandon the Israelis. But I think the perception is, and I think it's probably an accurate perception, that the tail is leading the dog - that we are giving the Israelis carte blanche ability to exercise whatever they want to do in their area.

American official policy is that Egypt is an ally of the United States.

China pays a great deal of attention to the Korean nuclear issue. We stand for achieving denuclearization of the peninsula in a peaceful way through dialogue and consultation to maintain peace and stability of the peninsula and Northeast Asia.

It is wrong to say the U.S. should 'not take sides' in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

If I correctly understand the goal of American policy, one wishes Russia to be a partner.

I would not suggest the U.S. should sit down with the North Koreans bilaterally immediately after they've fired missiles - because the appearance is that you reward bad behavior. But if North Korea behaves for some period of time, I would pretty much favor direct talks.

The United States already has in place comprehensive trade sanctions against Sudan, imposed because of the regime's support for terrorism. While we maintain diplomatic relations, we do not staff our embassy there.

Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both good politics and good policy.