Perhaps more important: Ross is Jewish, and has or had positions with or links to several organizations connected to Judaism or to Israel, which sees Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon as a threat. Those connections – and Ross’ membership in groups opposed to a nuclear Iran and past writings that have struck some as hawkish – have left some Democrats wondering how Ross can enact what is anticipated to be a new effort at engaging Iran. Skeptics worry that his appointment heralds a continuation of the Bush-era saber rattling or worse.”They are just extremely worried that he means bad news on the Iranian engagement front,” said Wayne White, a longtime State Department hand now at the Middle East Institute.
