Dear Editor,

After 20 months of negotiations the biggest congressional vote on war and peace is coming this month.  We urge our elected representatives to side with peace and vote in favor of the Iran deal.  We urge our fellow citizens to recognize that this agreement is the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and protect the United States from another devastating war in the Middle East.  And war brings no assurance of success but does guarantee mayhem and destruction as we have seen in our recent forays in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Iran deal dramatically shrinks Iran's nuclear program, gives international inspectors unprecedented access, and could open diplomatic channels for the U.S. and other countries to finally end enduring conflicts in the region.  

We sincerely and prayerfully urge everyone to give diplomacy a chance and support the Iran deal.

Charles Hardy

Clerk, Peace and Social Concerns of the Trenton Friends Meeting (Quakers)