El-Sayed declines to rank Iran and Israel as U.S. threats

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed declined to say whether Iran or Israel posed the greater threat to the United States during an Oct. 8 Michigan Senate debate, saying both had shown they could be dangerous. Republican Mike Rogers defended Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, while saying he would withdraw support if it used nuclear weapons. The exchange over the Iran war and U.S. military assistance to Israel was part of a wider, often disorderly debate in Grand Rapids. The candidates also argued about energy costs, immigration, health care and trade, with interruptions and personal attacks prompting moderator Rick Albin to urge them to keep the discussion orderly. El-Sayed said he opposes using U.S. tax dollars to fund foreign militaries and argued that Israel had advocated for U.S. involvement in the war with Iran. He criticized the conflict and said he favored diplomacy, pointing to the Obama-era agreement that limited Iranian uranium enrichment. Those statements were the candidate’s characterizations of the conflict and Israel’s role. Rogers said the war should end, while arguing that Iran’s nuclear program and conventional military had been severely weakened.