Speaking in Lawrenceville, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman said he does not rule out military action in containing Iran's nuclear threat.

"I really believe that Iran is a very serious threat to the Middle East, to Israel, to a lot of established Arab countries, and, of course, to the United States of America," Lieberman told the crowd gathered at the Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville on the evening of Oct. 14.

"How do we stop them? I think there are two paths," he said. "Obviously, we have to do whatever we can with economic pressure and diplomatic pressure. We're applying economic sanctions, and they're beginning to work. But if that doesn't work, we have to think of military action."

Lieberman, the Connecticut Independent who is serving his fourth term in the Senate, brought his tough talk to Lawrenceville as keynote speaker for the kickoff dinner of the 2008 Annual Campaign of United Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks.

The event also included remarks by Joel Alperson, immediate past national campaign chair for United Jewish Communities, the umbrella organization representing North America's Jewish federations (see sidebar).

Some 285 community members were on hand to hear Lieberman and Alperson and to help launch the campaign.

"It's a special night, when enthusiastic supporters of federation come together and take joy and pleasure in supporting federation's worthy endeavors," said federation president Daniel Brent in an interview before the dinner. "This is one of the most successful turnouts for a kickoff dinner we've ever had. It's a combination of the occasion, the speaker, and the cause."

Lisa Smukler, the federation's campaign vice president, also expressed pleasure at the turnout. "It means the community is getting involved," said Smukler as she surveyed the scene. "I see a lot of new, young faces, which is a good thing.

"It's the kickoff event, so it's the event that starts the momentum for the campaign," she added.

Keeping up that momentum is crucial, according to associate campaign chair Emily Josephson, especially since federation fell short of its campaign goals last year.

"We're very pleased with the number of people," Josephson said. "It's important, because it's the initial building of excitement for the year. We really want to build on that excitement — especially this year, so that the agencies that need our help get our help."

Linda Cohen, associate executive director/campaign, agreed. "This is our opportunity to go forward with renewed energy and strength so that, following a year when we did not reach our goals, we ensure that we accomplish what we need to accomplish," she said.
Federation executive director Andrew Frank credited the large turnout to the prominence of Lieberman and the enthusiasm of the dinner cochairs — Gail and Lonny Kaplan and Ruth and Rob Davidson, all of Princeton.

"To get a turnout like this at the beginning of the campaign year…means we're on people's minds and they have an understanding of what we're all about," said Frank.

During his keynote address, Lieberman said he was both optimistic and pessimistic as a Jew and a Jewish-American.

"This generation of Jews is blessed to live at an extraordinary moment in Jewish history — a moment unparalleled because of the existence of the State of Israel and because of the powerful place Jews have come to in the Diaspora, particularly in this remarkable country, the United States of America," he said.
"I think we can say that Jews have never lived anywhere with more freedom, respect, and opportunity, nor have Jews contributed more to any other country."

Despite that good news, Lieberman said, Israel and America are today threatened by a common enemy — Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. "This international ideology is as inhumane, as murderous, and as ambitious as the fascists and communists we faced in the last century," he said.

During a question session after his remarks, Lieberman gave his opinions on the push for energy independence, the war in Iraq, and Israel's Sept. 6 air strike against what is alleged to have been a partially constructed nuclear reactor in Syria.

Asked what he could say about the bombing, Lieberman replied dryly, "Nothing." He added, "What's remarkable is the relative quiet after that event. The only country that complained was Iran — and that's something to talk about."

Lieberman, who has drawn flak from many Democrats and praise from many Republicans for his support of the war in Iraq, called the Bush administration's surge "a totally new strategy" that seems to be working.

"The Sunnis have turned against Al Qaida, and the Shi'as are now beginning to turn against the militias of Muqtada al-Sadr, because they've decided they're a bunch of thugs," he said.

"So, we've got a chance to create some stability there," he said. "If we can do that, it will be an immediate victory over Al Qaida in Iran and open up a whole new path in the Middle East. That's why I support the surge."

As for the role that oil plays, he said both Democrats and Republicans should essentially lock arms and commit themselves to energy independence for our national security and economic strength. "We ought to just push for this with moon-shot intensity," Lieberman said.

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