Issues
I will always support our law enforcement and robust public safety efforts. I’ll vocally oppose any effort to defund our police – you can count on it. As Mayor of Mission Viejo, we decreased violent crime by 27%.
I’ll take this proven track record with me to Congress.
Today, these rights are being deteriorated by spineless career politicians.
I will fight to restore the Bill of Rights, and medical freedom of all Americans.
My oath did not end when I left the Marine Corps.
Prospect of a Nuclear Iran
Far and away the greatest issue of our time is the threat of Iran’s nuclear program which has been widely acknowledged to constitute an existential threat to Israel, and a grave threat to the United States and its allies. It is our moral obligation to meet this threat with courage and decisively vanquish it. My position is clear – no deal is better than a bad deal. Period.
Any deal with Iran must focus on essential, and nonnegotiable metrics – and then, and only then should we move forward. Those metrics must include the following:
- a) Random, un-announced inspections of any location, at any time, without haste. Anything less would likely allow Iran to simply hide material or move it to another location. These inspectors must remain in place with no end date.
- b) Iran must also come-clean; Iran must honestly detail its current and previous weaponization attempts. They must abide by the UN Security Council resolutions and comply with what has already been demanded of them.
- c) Immediately dismantle nuclear infrastructure and ensure uranium is turned over to inspectors.
- d) Rewarded only after compliance, not before or during. Period. Sanctions remain in place until 100% verification is achieved.
Iran’s nuclear program first came to light in 2002. Under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, Iran had made a binding pledge never to pursue nuclear weapons capability. When it became clear Iran’s enrichment of uranium was intended for nuclear weapons, economic sanctions were imposed by the UN Security Council. Four times since 2006, the UN Security Council has ordered Iran to cease all uranium enrichment, and it has refused. While continuing enrichment activities, Iran has also pursued long range missile capabilities. Iran’s current missile designs are capable of reaching Israel and Europe, and its space program, which recently placed a monkey in orbit, is designed to develop ICBM capability for reaching America in less than a decade.
The former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, made the Iranian government’s intentions explicitly clear when he threatened to use nuclear weapons to destroy Israel. Ahmadinejad’s threats were motivated by religious fanaticism shared by the ayatollahs who groomed and installed him in power. The ascent of a new president, Hassan Rouhani, in August of 2013 did nothing to change the intention of the power brokers in Iran’s government. Yet, America and the P5+1 group of nations offered Iran sanctions relief without demanding that it cease enrichment, resulting in recovery of Iranian currency in international markets, a 30% increase in Iranian oil exports, a doubling of Iran’s stock market, and a massive increase in international trade according to the organization United Against Nuclear Iran. The Obama/Kerry brokered deal was a huge mistake. It remains to be seen whether a deal can be reached with the current Trump Administration. Any agreement violating the steps outlined above is unacceptable, and I will loudly oppose it at all costs.
I will support Israel’s right to a preemptive strike at its discretion to cripple Iran’s program, and will support a blockade or declaration of war, if necessary, to prevent Iran from fulfilling its nuclear aims. It’s that important to the survival of Israel, and the rest of the Free World.
Hamas: A Terrorist Organization
Hamas has no intention of creating peace with Israel. Hamas is a known terrorist organization. I will work to ensure that Hamas remains on our national and international rosters of terror organizations. Each day that passes, Hamas continues to grow. They have adapted warfare techniques that shake at the very foundation of civilian life through tunnel building and kidnapping plans.
In the past several years, Hamas has been involved in major conflicts in the region. Between each, Hamas is permitted to re-supply and rebuild for its next battle – this is unacceptable. Because of my background in the military and with drug cartels in Mexico, I am all too familiar with techniques used to enter another nation. Hamas is no different – yet their tunnels are not built for human or drug smuggling, but rather to bring terror upon a civilian population. It is only a matter of time when Hamas strikes again, and when they do, America must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel providing all support necessary to one-day defeat Hamas and bring true peace and stability to the region.
Israel: The Jewish Homeland
Israel was established as the Jewish State and must remain the Jewish Homeland. Recognition of Israel’s Jewishness is not only recognition of the Jewish people’s historic attachment to the land and to its holy places, it is affirmation that the “right of return” to Israel applies only to the Jewish people. Any peace negotiations must include recognition of Israel’s right to exist as the Jewish Homeland.
Israel: A Nation Beloved in America
Polls consistently rank Israel among the most popular nations in America, yet these polls don’t tell the whole story. Among Americans who do support Israel, their devotion is greater than to that of any other nation. I have seen the Star of David worn proudly in city council meetings by American veterans, and displayed in the front yards of community leaders. Many Americans who proclaim their support for Israel are not Jewish.
We in America are a constitutional republic that separates church and state, but this is done to preserve the right of citizens to aspire to the highest dictates of their conscience, and for many Americans, particularly Christians and Jews, their conscience leads them to support Israel as a Jewish state, both politically and charitably. As a Christian, I count myself among their number. While I aspire to help Israel in my private life, as a public representative I will work to secure the right of our citizens to contribute to Israel in any way that they can.
The moral case for the state of Israel is drawn from history, and should be comprehensible to any objective person capable of reason, regardless of background. During World War II, Nazi Germany committed the worst crime in human history by murdering over six million Jews. Western nations still have much to learn in light of their failure to prevent this crime, but one thing immediately grasped at the war’s end was that the civilized world could no longer turn a blind eye to the obstruction of Jewish national aspirations. Israel was born in 1948 despite the continued refusal of Arab and British leaders to recognize the civil rights of repatriating Jews. It was the demands of overwhelming justice that won the Jews the right to their sovereignty in Israel, and failure to fully recognize that sovereignty is a failure to embrace that justice.
Foreign Aid:
The United States must continue foreign aid to Israel. These funds are essential to the security of Israel and national security for both our nations, including overall stability in the Middle East. The U.S. has provided Israel with $151 billion in bilateral assistance. Today, the majority of this aid is in the form of military assistance, but there also has been significant economic assistance. I will work to continue to ensure that Israel receives this aid, and that it is done so in a speedy fashion that continues to allow for research and development in the U.S. for “military purchases from Israeli manufactures.”
Current funding levels include $3.3B, plus another $504M for research and development, to include anti-rocket systems in joint coordination with the U.S. I will ensure assistance to Israel remains a top priority. I will also be a vocal advocate of helping to educate the public and my fellow legislators on the importance of this military aid.
Israel: The Smallest of Nations, Forever Unsurpassed in Stature
The book of Deuteronomy states that Israel was not chosen for its size, because it was really the “smallest of nations.” Rather, it was chosen because of God’s love and fidelity. The insight of Moses that justice and love outweigh population is easily forgotten by the mighty nations of our era, thus the United States must remember this. In the interest of embracing a just relationship with the people of Israel, I subscribe to what I call “The Principle of Sovereign Equivalence:” Israel’s sovereignty is morally equivalent to that of the United States. Planning for an eternally free and sovereign Israel is the only option under this principle.
In America’s dealings with Israel, we must not pressure them to sign treaties or dictate how to manage Israeli territory. We must make clear to our partners within the framework of international security and economic organizations that we expect Israel’s sovereignty to be respected. Finally, although our two nations interact closely, we must vigilantly guard against the prospect of American economic, academic, political, or intelligence assets being used to inappropriately influence Israeli internal affairs.
The Principle of Sovereign Equivalence is intended to apply exclusively to Israel, and to safeguard the quality of our relationship as a superpower with that small nation to which we owe a tremendous moral obligation. It will be difficult to fulfill that moral obligation unless the Principle of Sovereign Equivalence is adopted on a bipartisan basis, and I intend to apply this principle as a cornerstone of my work as a representative.
Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel Forever
Jerusalem is the undivided and eternal capital of the nation of Israel. I was pleased to see President Trump finally made that happen on December 6, 2017. The United States started immediately accepting official Israeli correspondence originating from Jerusalem.
The Boycott, Divest, and Sanction Movement (BDS)
I strongly oppose the methods and goals of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, and in response to it I will work for an unfettered exchange of ideas and commerce between Israel, the United States and her allies. Israel’s vibrant, growth-oriented economy and superb institutions of higher learning are an inspiration to Americans. Our two nations must grow together, not apart. The BDS movement has no place in our institutions of higher learning, on Wall Street, on Main Street, or in our politics.
The BDS movement has swept through many institutions in the United States and Europe in the past years. It is the outgrowth of a ruthless Islamist nationalism that seeks to confiscate the territory of Israel through academic and economic warfare, while turning a blind eye to the persecution of Jews and Christians throughout the Middle East. Riddled with self-contradictory hypocrisy and hatred, this movement could never be taken seriously on its own merits, but it must be taken seriously because of the institutions it has influenced.
I will not remain silent when government officials overstep their bounds and threaten Israel in any manner, whether they are members of another party or my own. In Congress, I will also serve as a strong voice reminding our allies that such behavior does not comport with our vision of the future global economy.
Israel and America: Oceans Apart, Standing on Common Ground
The Hebrew tradition is foundational to American culture. Our common understanding of universal human rights and a just rule of law are tenets that make our societies receptive to democratic institutions. As the Middle East’s most well-established democracy, Israel shares with America the common goal of democratizing the region through persuasion and support of forward-thinking initiatives. Coordination is essential if the glimmers of hope we witnessed in past uprisings are to be truly nurtured into regional transformation. Such glimmers will disappoint us if we do not dare to search for partners in the region who can be associates with Israel also, making close cooperation all the more important.
We must also recognize the sobering setbacks that have occurred in recent uprising in Arab states. Security cooperation and intelligence sharing will be ever more vital when the inevitable changes we expect destabilize powers in the region. Beyond our common regional interests in the Middle East, the United States must invite Israel to join it in exploring the frontiers of human knowledge and developing new potential from a deeper understanding of our world.
Studying nature can help us find rest from its forces, and also our enemies. Contributions from American Jewish scientists to American security, from the Cold War to counterterrorism, can’t be overstated. Silicon Valley itself owes much of its genesis to such contributions. Both nations would benefit if such breakthroughs in the future could be achieved by Israeli and American scientists working together. Increasing collaboration between business and academic ventures can be facilitated in the future. For these reasons I support and intend to sponsor additional future legislation which would declare Israel a major strategic partner that will enable greater cooperation in intelligence, security, defense, and energy policy. If possible, I will author an amendment to streamline security requirements for researchers in universities or affiliated national laboratories to collaborate with researchers in Israel.
My Role in Congress as it Relates to Israel
We live in dangerous times. ISIS, al Qaeda, al Shabab, Hamas are on the move and growing. Russia advances in Europe. China ramps up its military capabilities and expands into the South China Sea. North Korea remains highly unstable. Iran has infiltrated the Iraqi government and continues to threaten Israel while covertly growing its nuclear potential.
When elected to Congress, I will use my real-life experiences to guide national defense and foreign affairs legislation. And because of my personal experience combating and studying terrorism, I believe I can convince other members of Congress who may initially feel differently on many issues addressed in this paper, to eventually agree with me, and our coalition of supporters because they trust my guidance, value my opinion and see that my intent is honorable. Peace does not preserve itself. America must lead.
Thank you to my friend Paul Chabot for your assistance in writing this policy paper.