[This is a rough draft of a transcript of Wyden's speech.  We thought it was important to get it out there . . .]

AIPAC

Wyden Speech

April 25, 2010

Intro

We are fortunate and honored tonight to be joined by 3 members of Oregon's great congressional delegation. Over the years our members of Congress have played an important role in the strength of the US/Israel relationship. We've asked them to say a few words tonight. Our first speaker is no stranger to this audience. He has joined us for many AIPAC events in Oregon throughout his 30 years in the Congress. Elected to the House of Rep in 1980 and then to the US Senate in 1996 Senator Ron Wyden has consistently been a strong supporter of the Israel/US relationship. He is among the select group of senators leading the effort to insure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon capability. Aas a member of the Senate Intelligence committee sen widen appreciates and understands well the ??? threats facing the US and Israel. Senator Wyden we know you have a busy schedule. we are very grateful to have you here with us tonight. …. We thank you for your friendship and leadership over the last 3 decades. Ladies and gentlemen please help me welcome a great friend of the pro-Israel community, Oregon's Senator Ron Wyden …applause, applause…

Wyden

. . . Introductory small talk and remarks . . .

On the floor of the US senate every once in awhile you get the chance to take a point of personal privilege and I'd just want everybody in our community to know that the Rosenbergs speaking who we know just seeing around town involved in every cause. (noise. ..) No family in the united States has done more to foster a close US/Israel relationship than the Rosenbergs and I ….. applause, applause and more applause

I want to make just 2 points tonight

One is personal, the other is geo-political issue.

i almost didn't make it tonight and I'm not talking about public relations.

I almost wasn't born. My parents fled nazi germany in the 30's --- we lost family ……..

what guides my views in the United States Senate is really very simple and that is -- i think Jewish values are (emphasis) American values. Tthat's why I think I have the opportunity to be an opinion [mischief??] maker in the US Senate. In a lot of years you'd have to count Paul Simon. He's so wonderful -- he loves opinions.

If my grandparents were here tonight, they'd say - how in the world did their grandson a first generation Jewish guy get to with a …. with a face for radio ….

jewish values

2 points

older daughter ???

What i especially appreciate AIPAC for is making the case day after day after day passionately persistently and with specifics that WE MUST NOT ALLOW IRAN TO GET THE BOMB. applause, applause. Many people understand nuclear weapons and existential threat to the US and Isarel and the world from nuclear weapons. But you have to think about this, if iran gets the bomb, I think we'll go down the exactly same path with went with North korea…essentially we'll have to talk containment kind of strategy. The N. Koreans will enter in to an agreement with us which they have done with us in the past and which the Iranians will do as well. They would cheat on the agreement we would try to catch them cheating. When we eventually caught them, they would try to blackmail us in to going along with what we originally agreed to. So we absolutely must not let them get the bomb. What AIPAC has done with respect PARTICULARLY is going after the strongest possible sanctions . . . A bill that in effect says that Lloyd's of London couldn't do business in the US if it would make it impossible for insurance contracts with … petroleum of sales from Iran. That's the policy that in my view is the foundation of eventually a new movement in Iran where the regime is no longer in charge. It will come about to a great extent because of the leadership of AIPAC and ALL Americans ought to appreciate that for the world will be a safer place.

Last point . . . how to proceed with the enormous challenge israel and palestinian peace process. we've all seen in the last few days  continued debate around where to go next. Certainly VP Biden's visit was a source of great tensions and the debate about what Netanayu knew or didn't know. The question is - where do go from here? I would like to offer up what I believe one possibility for proceeding fro this point on getting the focus back on the most promising ideas for bringing together israelis and palestinians. You've go to be Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian and anti Terror as our bedrock principle. With Clintons parameters (Dec 2000) we have support from both Israel and Palestinian leaders i think we need the foundation for a  final status … somewhere a long the way soon we have got to find our way to a new diplomatic offensive. A variety of influential leaders recommend something like this. we ought to be debating this in our community. We ought to be looking for our leaders for concrete ideas for advancing this concept particularly in getting to the final status talks. That's what AIPAC does best promote debate in the community and try to bring together voices in this country that understand the relationship between United States and Israel is about safer mainstream america. That's why this work is so important. I hope you'll support AIPAC with everything you have in the days ahead.

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