Arguments For The Iran Nuclear Deal

As noted in the post below, the Iran nuclear deal is under heavy fire from well-financed lobbyists representing dead-end Republicans and Likudniks.  But, there's some good reading this morning on why the Iran nuclear deal is the best option for the region and the world.  Here are snippets to whet your appetite:

Vali Nasr, Dean of the School of International Studies, Johns Hopkins University on the deeply flawed thinking of opponents of the deal:

Opponents of the nuclear agreement with Iran see it as a license for Tehran to wreak havoc in the region. Freed from economic pressure and flush with financial resources, the thinking goes, Iran can be expected to unleash its emboldened minions upon Israel and Arab states and undermine U.S. interests. However, contrary to what the critics say, the nuclear deal is far more likely to curb Iran’s regional ambition. It is rather the instability that would follow the failure of the deal that should worry them.

The New York Times on the fact-free assault on the deal by ideologues and dead-enders here and in Israel:

What should be a thoughtful debate has been turned into a vicious battle against Mr. Obama, involving not just the Republicans but Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The unseemly spectacle of lawmakers siding with a foreign leader against their own commander in chief has widened an already dangerous breach between two old allies.

Policy considerations aside, what is most striking about the demagoguery is how ahistorical, if not downright hypocritical, it is. Negotiating with adversaries to advance a more stable world has long been a necessity, and Republican presidents have been among its most eager practitioners.

Suzanne Nossel, Foreign Policy, on the dire consequences that scuttling the deal would lead to for America's strategic and national security interests:

To the extent that the campaign against the agreement goes beyond posturing, though, and aims to actually muster the votes to defeat the agreement, the effort risks doing enduring damage, not just to the drive to defeat Iran’s nuclear program but also to U.S. strategic interests and power writ large. While the administration has rightly focused its case to Congress tightly on the effects of the congressional vote for Iran’s nuclear program, the implications of achieving a veto-proof majority opposed to the deal will reverberate far more widely. Though the prospect may seem relatively remote, the ripple effects of the deal’s defeat — not just for America’s national security, but also its global diplomatic and political clout — are grave enough that they should be weighed by every member of Congress before they cast this historic vote. 

It remains the best bet at this point that the Obama Administration will prevail in saving the agreement.  But with universal Republican opposition, it would only take a handful of spineless Democrats to pass a bill over the President's veto.  Make sure you contact any home-State Democratic Senators who are officially "on the fence" (we're thinking of you, Sens. Cardin and Mikulski), and let them know you'll be taking note of their vote.

UPDATE:  Many former Israeli military and intelligence chiefs are now urging Netanyahu to accept the deal.

Republicans React Predictably To Iran Deal: "Verdict First -Then The Facts" (UPDATED)

Predictably, Republicans were quick to condemn the historic agreement on Iran's nuclear program negotiated with that nation by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the European Union.   As Dana Milbank points out, knowing the details of the agreement (included its technical annexes) wasn't as important to Republicans as was getting out those nasty sound bites:

By about 9 a.m., House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had both reached conclusions. Boehner said that Obama “abandoned his own goals,” that the deal would put Iran on “a break-out threshold to produce a nuclear bomb,” and that it would “only embolden Iran — the world’s largest sponsor of terror.”

“It sounds,” a reporter later said to Boehner, “like you’ve already rejected it.”

“I want to review all the facts,” the speaker replied.

Verdict first — then the facts.

Among the worst offenders was struggling- for- airtime Sen. Lindsey "Huckleberry J. Butchmeup"* Graham (R-SC), who headed to the fainting couch with his hair on fire:

“You have created a possible death sentence for Israel,” he declared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“This is a virtual declaration of war against Sunni Arabs,” he said.

“This is the most dangerous, irresponsible step I have ever seen in the history of watching the Mideast. Barack Obama, John Kerry, have been dangerously naive,” he added.

Of course,when asked if he'd seen the agreement, Huckleberry J. said, "No."

Then there's this reprehensible "moderate."

Would you expect any other response from people who have been reflexively anti- anything President Obama touched for the past 6 years (including, yes, his plan for health insurance reform that was essentially the Republican plan just over a decade ago)?  But, as another op/ ed points out, those voices are more outliers in world opinion than ever before:

In the wake of the agreement, Netanyahu called Tuesday “one of the darkest days in world history.” Republican politicians made similar strident attacks, but the critics appeared to be outliers. The pact has the support of most major nations. Even Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates offered measured comments. Obama seems to have won this round. Netanyahu and his GOP allies are indignant about the deal, but they are taking on the world.

They're also taking on American public opinion, which supports the administration 2 to 1.

For those interested in a readable summary of the historic agreement on Iran's nuclear program, this works pretty well. 

* H/t Charles Pierce.

BONUS:  Andy Borowitz has his special take on conservative outrage.

BONUS II:  Or, as Clay Jones puts it:

(Clay Jones, claytoonz.com)

"Under Mining" Republicans

Jon Stewart has fun with the Republican Party's moronic foreign policy alternate universe (with some patented Stewart both- siderism):

The Daily Show
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Iran-amok Cartoons of the Day

(Click to enlarge)

Politics used to end at the water's edge, but no more.  It's not just Israeli Likudniks, it's the Saudis, Chinese, etc.  It's just played more effectively--and ruthlessly-- by the Likudniks.

(top, Jeff Danziger, bottom, Clay Bennett, via gocomics.com)