Re: “Angus King, George Mitchell say Iran nuclear deal is better than alternatives” (Aug. 19):

I fully support the Iran nuclear deal. I accept that it’s not the perfect deal, and that we must keep a wary eye on Iran’s nuclear activities.

It was an honor to be able to attend the University of Southern Maine forum where former Sen. George Mitchell, Sen. Angus King and former Ambassador (and current Harvard professor) Nicholas Burns offered their perspectives on the nuclear deal. It is not surprising that all three of these wise leaders assured the overflow audience that they support acceptance of the plan.

Those of us who arrived early were given an opportunity to write questions to be presented to the speakers. I now berate myself that I didn’t ask this question:

“Iran is a partner to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and they do not, at the present time, have a nuclear weapon. However, Israel did not sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the world knows that they do indeed have at least 90 operational nuclear weapons.

“Please explain why we continue to support Israel with one-quarter of its defense budget, or, put another way, $10.2 million each day in military support (2015). On the other hand, we provide no military assistance to the Palestinians, and only minimal humanitarian aid.”

Opponents of the Iran nuclear deal point to the possibility that Iran will use its windfall with the lifting of the sanctions to support terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. Noam Chomsky reminds us in a recent Huffington Post column that both of these organizations emerged in resistance to U.S.-backed Israeli violence and aggression.

I repeat, I fully support the Iran nuclear deal. I’m also reminded of the words from a poem, “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

Sally Breen

Windham