Acting on the premise that Iran would pose a great threat to the world if they obtained a nuclear bomb, the U.S., Russia, China, France, United Kingdom and Germany, have held lengthy and sometimes agonizing negotiations with Iran to reach an agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. That was the sole purpose of the negotiations.
The deal cuts off every path for Iran to a nuclear weapon for at least 15 years according to the parties to the agreement. I have read a detailed summary of the agreement. Many of the agreement’s critics haven‘t read it at all. According to those who have read it, it basically cuts Iran off from plutonium, reduces their stockpile of uranium by ninety-eight percent and subjects Iran to inspections by the U.N. Security Council in perpetuity, anytime it is suspected that Iran may be in violation of the agreement. It provides for 24/7 monitoring of Iran’s nuclear facilities. In return, the current, very affective sanctions against Iran, will be lifted.
To quote President Obama, “The agreement makes our country and the world safer. It will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.”
Is the deal perfect? Of course not. Is it the best the negotiators could get? Yes. Is it better than another war in the Middle East? Absolutely. Not everyone agrees with that. They would rather go to war. Frankly, I think they are out of their minds.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a loud critic of the diplomatic negotiations, but offers no alternative other than the invasion and destruction of all of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, even for peaceful uses. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C.,is soundly in bed with Netanyahu. Another war hawk is Senator John McCain, R-Ariz. He will want to bomb, bomb, bomb Iran, until the day he dies.
Many other Republicans are critical of the agreement which most have never seen. They also offer no alternative other than another Middle East war. Didn‘t they learn anything from the Iraq war? Much of the criticism is purely political in this election year. Heaven forbid they would support Obama on anything and have to face tea partiers back home.
President Obama made it clear from the beginning that the “only” purpose of the agreement was to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. Still, Republican front-runner Donald Trump, when not blasting all Mexican immigrants as murderers, rapist and such, wanted the negotiators to force Iran to free four American prisoners they hold. Trump would actually risk a nuclear holocaust if Iran doesn’t agree to free the four Americans.
That’s absurd. Like all the other critics he also offers no alternative other than war.
Many opposing the agreement decry the revenue Iran will realize as a result of lifting the sanctions. They don’t understand. This will happen even if Congress disapproves of the agreement and we are no longer a party to the deal. Russia, China and the other nation have been a party to the sanctions now imposed on Iran. That’s why they have worked. It’s over folks. Sanctions can not be effective unless the rest of the world
goes along, and they will no longer, unless the Iranians cheat on the deal. The U..S. acting alone will have no impact on Iran. Therefore, it makes absolutely no sense for the U.S. to reject this deal. It is of no
benefit to Israel or any other country to reject a diplomatic solution to a very real problem.
Make no mistake, Iran is a rotten apple in the region. It is a bad actor, supplying arms to terrorists and spreading it’s troops all over the Middle East. It is exploiting rifts between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Yemen. This is just not acceptable. As Obama pointed out, quite forcefully, in his press conference the other day, we will continue to vigorously seek the release of the Americans now being held by Iran. That is a separate issue. Hopefully, the current agreement will open up opportunities in the future. In the meantime we must make it clear to Iran that their bad acts in the region must end.
Again, let me make it clear, any benefit which may befall Iran is certain in any case. Sanctions are over unless they cheat.
I applaud President Obama and our relentless negotiators, including Secretary of State John Kerry. They may just have prevented a holocaust of unfathomable dimensions.
Glen McAdoo, a Fallon resident, may be contacted at glynn@phonewave.net.