The Iran deal

[Dill]

(05-08-2018, 08:25 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I was just pointing out some reasons why the deal was flawed, and that it was nothing more than a temporary bandaid that is trying to be made to look like some crowning foreign policy achievement. It wasn't.

But at the same time, pulling out of it could be a critical mistake in dealing with North Korea and getting them to the table. Then again it may not, no one really knows for sure. And as you noted, Iran may just restart their nuke program which could certainly lead to Israeli and the US attacking their sites.

Which would be an international mess, destabilize the region, and greatly decrease US security world wide, not to mention that of US allies who will thank us for any blowback.

The E 3 was easy for the US, but getting China, Russia and Iran to sit down and all agree to terms--that was indeed a great foreign policy achievement.  The world must look outside the US now for a diplomat who could put something like that deal back together.

Unless you think Iran getting the bomb, or remaining within an easy sprint of one, enhanced US security, then surely you must agree the deal served US interests. And you must agree that some deal was better than no deal. 

The goal of this deal was to stop the Iran nuclear program as soon as possible for as long as possible. It did that, and would have continued to do so into the next decade.  And there was every reason to expect the deal could be renewed--especially as it empowered the moderates in Iran.  In addition, Iran did at least PROMISE to never "seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons."
(See iii, page 3 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/245317.pdf)

So claims that the deal was "flawed" because it didn't do what couldn't be done--get Iran to agree to a permanent ban--seems an absurd objection.  Those who argue the deal was flawed are basically saying that a nuclear free Iran led by increasingly powerful and secular moderates is not better than no deal and Iran led by hardliners convinced Iran needs at bomb--simply because the terms will eventually expire and at some future date Iran MAY rev up its nuke program again.