The current occupant of the White House as thrown lots of exaggeration and bushwah around in his attempt to provoke Iran into some hostile move. (Does anyone else get the sense that a President teetering on the edge of legitimacy is just spoiling for a war with someone, anyone, to boost his poll numbers?) Unfortunately for Donald Trump, the only party who thinks Iran is violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is Donald Trump:
SIEGEL: He, though, would dispute that it’s a successful deal. First, just as a narrow nuclear deal, he would say, no, the Iranians have been violating the terms of the limits on heavy water. They’ve intimidated inspectors. Does he have any case?
NASR: Well, he’s alone in making that allegation. European leaders have all said that Iran is in compliance with what it agreed to. And also, the signatories of the deal at the outset left the charge of verifying the deal to the International Atomic Energy Association (ph) of the United Nations, which has technicians. And they have gone to Iran. They have inspected it. Iran is under the most intrusive inspection system. And to date they have said that Iran has abided by the terms of the deal. So President Trump is making his own judgment based on his own facts [Vali Nasr, interviewed by Robert Siegel, “International Affairs Expert Says Not Recertifying Iran Deal Is a Mistake,” NPR: All Things Considered, 2017.10.13].
Contrary to Trump’s repeated wishful assertions that other nations are starting to respect us, Trump’s noise about Iran further undermines U.S. credibility:
…by undermining a nuclear deal that the United States led to negotiate involved a number of other – of our allies, Russia and China, and has been successful to date, by torpedoing it or arguing that it has to be renegotiated, he has seriously undermined U.S. credibility. It’s going to make it very difficult to have any other deal of this sort with Iran or any other nuclear actor. But also, this now puts Iran – United States on a confrontational path with Iran. And given the instability in the region, given the situation in Syria, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, it’s likely to get the United States more engaged in conflicts in the Middle East and destabilize the region. And I think that’s going to end up being his legacy in the region [Nasr/Siegel, 2017.10.13].
…could drive more countries to acquire nuclear weapons:
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Saturday that Trump’s action increases the threat of war near Europe and risks a spillover effect for other conflicts.
“My big concern is that what is happening in Iran or with Iran from the U.S. perspective will not remain an Iranian issue, but many others in the world will consider whether they themselves should acquire nuclear weapons, too, given that such agreements are being destroyed,” Gabriel said [“Aides Say U.S. Word Still Good After Iran Move,” AP via Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2017.10.16].
…and undermines our ability to reach a diplomatic solution in North Korea:
…Trump’s decertification reduces the chances that the rest of the international community will take the risk of partnering with the U.S. on addressing the North Korean crisis. The co-signers of the Iran agreement – Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany also now view the White House as an unreliable partner. Winning their support and cooperation on any measures regarding North Korea will now be even more difficult. This is particularly problematic in the case of China, North Korea’s biggest trading partner and considered an indispensable partner to any attempt to put pressure on Pyongyang [Allison Kaplan Sommer, “How Trump’s Iran Deal Bombshell Makes North Korea Even More Dangerous,” Haaretz, 2017.10.14].
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said yesterday that staying the Iran deal is in our national interest, but let’s not get too excited about Tillerson as a voice of reason on Iran. Last month, America’s top diplomat used his first meeting with Iran’s foreign minister, with top diplomats from our partners in the Iran deal in a conference room at the United Nations, to blame the nuclear deal for all sorts of Iranian aggression, to suggest his generation can’t improve American–Iranian relations, and then, perhaps redundantly, to declare, “I’m not a diplomat.”
The Iran nuclear deal was the best policy alternative available in 2015, and it is doing exactly what the Obama Administration and our international partners intended: “prevent Iran from acquiring enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon, demonstrate to the Iranian public the benefits of cooperation with the international community, and buy time for potential changes in Iranian politics and foreign policy.” As on domestic policy, Donald Trump is trying to unravel this international agreement, because his ego drives him to undo everything Barack Obama did, even when those Obama policies strengthen the United States of America.
Trump’s move on the Iran nuclear deal, like everything else he does, appears to be made in the spirit of mischief for the purpose of creating chaos. His single decisionmaking criterion seems to be, “what action can I take that will do the most harm?” He uses that one criterion over an over again for every decision he makes.
Our silent senators and congresswoman are enablers. As they did with Obamacare, they whipped their followers into a frenzy about the Iran nuclear deal to score political points against President Obama and the Democrats. And once again they will now have a chance to undo a policy of President Obama – the Iran nuclear deal – but they won’t. Like Obamacare, the GOP Party knows that the Iran nuclear deal is good policy that is working better than any alternative the GOP Party can come up with. The ball is back in the court of the demagogic GOP Party controlled congress. One more chance to keep a President Obama policy and prove to their voters what liars and hypocrites they are.
But our senators and congresswoman must remain silent about how bad Trump’s actions are because of their own prior demagoguery against the Iran nuclear deal. They’ll keep the deal, enraging their base voters. But they won’t talk about what kind of a maniac Trump is because he’s actually trying to do what they claimed they wanted to do all along.
When you look at how Russia, Iran, and the baby boy trump are in bed together in Syria, it is more just filling of the diaper at the adult day care for trump. trump said that Obama was more focused on the nuclear part of the deal than anything else, ya think. The diaper carriers called Rounds, Thune and NOem too, are very busy spraying much air freshener to try cover the stench. Clean up, aisle 3!
Why Trumps actions on Iran makes sense: Because you can’t befriend a wolf. What rational person honestly thinks it is in the world’s best benefit to provide Iran, a country that has just recently sworn to destroy our Nation, supplied Shaped Charge IEDs that resulted in thousands of maimed and killed US Americans in Iraq, provided sniper rifles to the Iraqis, paid Taliban fighters $1,000 for every US soldier they killed. They will kill you, your country and your family. The Iranian past history is no better. When our forces and the French were in Beirut as a “PEACE KEEPING FORCE” Iran bombed our soldiers killing 241 men and women. I guess this last one bothers me now because I sit across from a lady who was in Khobar Towers that day in 1996 and was blown out of her bunk. Now she is the mom of twin girls and lives a pretty quiet life here in South Dakota. Another friend was blown off the front steps of his dorm that day. He now works in a local hospital here. These neighbors of yours are who Iran tried to kill. They volunteered to go being that it was a “peace mission” but Iran sees no peace. Iran only sees death, for you. I was a Black Hills living in Thomas Hall when the Mullahs took over the government in Iran and they ordered all their students to return home. One of the guys who was in the room next to me already had an ashen face. His father had already been assassinated by the very Mullahs he had pictures of on his walls in Thomas Hall. They still went home, my bet, to their deaths. The real craziness of all of this is you people that “think” you can just make peace with these animals. Your greatest stupidity is you think they “love” their family, kids, work, church and country like you . Most of you honestly think Iranian Mullahs think like you do. You are naïve, unknowing, foolish and soon to condemn your children to death at their hands. This “agreement” Obama put in place was without question the biggest blunder in international negotiations bar none! It prevents NOTHING but it did guarantee a path to a nuclear armed Iran and when they get that weapon do you think they are not going to use it? They are not “reasonable” people. You cannot count on the Iranians to not work to kill American around the world such as attacking our Embassy in Tehran or like bombing our French/US peace mission in Beirut in 83, or like blowing up a van in front of our Embassy in Beirut in 83 killing another 58 Americans, in 84 the US Embassy annex in Lebanon, hijacking TWA flight 847 and killing a US sailor on the flight in 85, 1,100 US troops in Iraq and the list around the world goes on and on. You make the claims that Trump this or Trump that, he is a fool, an imbecilic moron, and you all sit here in your little world not knowing anything about the real world. You do not know poverty. You do not know what no medical care means. You do not know they very enemy that is going to kill you and they will kill you. You are letting the wolves in and you are the sheep that hold the gate open. Trump is a fool? I say Trump stood up and took a rational thought out stand to defend your sorry cowardly asses and you don’t have the fortitude to even say thanks. Not surprised. . .
“Because you can’t befriend a wolf.” That is what everybody finds out who tries to befriend Trump. Those who are smart and savvy enough to figure out that Trump cannot be trusted and that his word is sh!t will keep their distance and not be devoured by the Trump wolf. Anyone who is stupid enough to do any kind of business with Trump or put any kind of trust in him is going to get eaten by that wolf eventually. He’s throwing his own staff under the bus, and he’s throwing his supporters under the bus. He threw two wives under the bus, and the third one is going there some time after he lines up the fourth one.
And you know what, OldSarg? Trump doesn’t know anything about Iran.
Iran had nothing to do with the Beirut bombings. Raygun disarmed the Marine sentries and Democrats controlling Congress (like real adults) blamed Islamic terrorists, not phony Raygun.
Compare that to Benghazi where wingnuts blamed Obama and HRC and not the terrorists, even though every single one of their right wing witch hunts ended with the same conclusion-those four people that were killed could not have been saved.
Raygun went on to trade and sell US arms to both Iran and Iraq-both terrorist nations and Raygun should have been shot at sunrise for his treacherous and traitorous actions.
Anyone know when trump will tell us the mission scope in Niger? We just lost 4 Green Beret there that trump does not want to discuss in a well planned ambush. What the hell are we now doing in Niger?
The old sarg is still on the walkie talkie to Ensign Charles Parker and the PT 73 regarding his intel. What happened to the democratically elected president of Iran before the shah?
The war between Iran and Iraq had heavy US involvement. American weaponry to Iraq was chemical, intelligence and the latest fighting gear. “Iran, with a population of 50 million to Iraq’s 17 million, mobilized to defend the revolution. By the summer of 1982 Iraq was on the defensive and remained so until the end in August 1988. The death toll, overall, was an estimated 1 million for Iran and 250,000-500,000 for Iraq”. Pretty staggering numbers that had an effect on both nations complete.
So, 1 million Iranians died at the hands of American weaponry in Iraqi hands and they still want peace with us, the United Sates and the world. The United Nations has shown that Iran is in compliance and all agree, including our Secretary of State and even our United Nations ambassador. Only the liar in chief, trump and Israel disagree. Very interesting.
We and the French had no business in Beirut and after the bombing, both of us left in one helluva hurry. One thing for sure, Reagan knew full well that we would get our asses handed to us there and that was that. Good to know when to fold the cards, Hello Iran Contra. The Towers were in the land of Mecca and the United States was warned repeatedly to leave Saudi Arabia for religious reasons. Saudi Arabia said they could not provide security and they did not. We did not leave. So they bombed the place and then we left. That is how it all works. One has to wonder what mission scope was for each of the places and why there was not better security. We are now seeing the same kinds of blunders in Niger. No mission plan, no security and no leadership. There were 4 Green Beret ambushed and killed in Africa, the same Africa that Benghazi happened in with the same amount of deaths. Where are the republican truth squads? Why did this happen?
“American weaponry to Iraq was chemical, intelligence and the latest fighting gear.” and what weaponry do you think Iran was using? The war started in 1980, one year after the Iranians took our Embassy. So, let’s think this one out, hmmm. . . Iran was our allied with the US since the 50’s, we provided training for their military, equipment for their military and supplied their military needs but the Iraqis had soviet tanks, soviet guns, soviet scuds and somehow America supplied Iraq with the “latest fighting gear”? Just doesn’t make sense does it. . .
“The United Nations has shown that Iran is in compliance and all agree” That’s just it genius, the “agreement” and that is all it is prevents inspections of the military sites where the nuclear development takes place. Of what good is an inspection program that only looks where the activity does not take place? Could you imagine arguing a football call to a ref who isn’t allowed in the stadium?
“The Towers were in the land of Mecca and the United States was warned repeatedly to leave Saudi Arabia for religious reasons” the towers were in Beirut, Mecca Saudi Arabia is over 1,000 miles away.
This is the enlightened view of someone that knows nothing of the world or world events. This is why you should step away from your keyboard and get out of the conversation. You know nothing about politics, government or world events.
OldRoy forgot the nukular technology we sent to Iraq under dumbass Raygun and even dumber Hitler Weasel Bush.
In 1953 the CIA overthrew the Iranian gubmint and put Prince Pavlov’s dog back on the throne and the Iranians deposed him in the revolution of 1979. I don’t consider CIA imposed rulers to necessarily be our friends. Saddam Hussein was another of our CIA rulers as was Noriega in Panama and Chamoro in Nicaragua. They weren’t friends and allies, they were tools for CIA fun and games.
Face it, Dude, when you get your enlightenment from right wing nut jobs that light in yer head has burnt out.
Iran hasn’t been our friend since at least 1979.
old sarge proves that he slept through school that was not the fault of the educators. Here is a clue https://www.britannica.com/event/Khobar-Towers-bombing-of-1996
Old sarge should be proving intelligence to match his ranking instead of implying that the only way he got his rank was through longevity in service. Geography is important as you kind of need to know where the duty assignment might be for starters.
jerry,
Good catch on OldSarg’s lie about the Khobar’s Tower attack, that he can make up such details about the attack reveals that he can lie just like his hero Donald Trump.
Thanks Roger, Thanks to his anonymity, a very good teacher does not have to hide their heads in the shame of having had the job to try to educate this rock. I think that the educator could relate to the professor at Wharton who made the comment about old sarge’s mentor, trump.
Prove me wrong on Khobar Tower. You can’t.
By the way: You should tell your kids how you defend the killers of US soldiers. When their lives are on the line the memory will live large in their minds.
History has proven you wrong you dolt. Here is trump’s Benghazi. What a failure and then we want more war? The black Green Beret was left on the ambush site. http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/17/politics/us-niger-military-investigation-confusion/index.html
Someone, who can tell the truth, needs to explain why the president of the United States would offer $25,000.00 as some kind of bribe to a grieving family. Someone, who can tell the truth, need to explain this new mission scope.
“The Towers were in the land of Mecca and the United States was warned repeatedly to leave Saudi Arabia for religious reasons” the towers were in Beirut, Mecca Saudi Arabia is over 1,000 miles away.
Khobar Towers bombing – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khobar_Towers_bombing
The Khobar Towers bombing was a terrorist attack on part of a housing complex in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, located near the national oil
company
You lose, again. OldWhatever.
the towers were in Beirut, Mecca Saudi Arabia is over 1,000 miles away.
Maybe after being blown up they landed in Beirut.
U.S. allies, international inspectors and the Trump administration itself have all said Iran is in compliance with the nuclear agreement.
Keep in mind, Old Sport, if dumbass dubya had left Iraq alone, we would not be dealing with Iran now. Dumbass dummy created the vacuum for Iran to fill as dominant nation in the ME because of his cowboy swagger and imagined sense of being a war president. You probably advised him.
Illiteracy may or may not be the problem here. Sometimes, reading comprehension can go off the rails if one has ADHD or like issues. What we are mostly seeing is what thinking people, or progressive people are now calling trump syndrome or head up the arse syndrome. Bending over and grabbing the shoulders, then pulling straight down can remove the head and allow normal breathing of fresh air. Sometimes it takes more than a few minutes to fully engage the brain into normal thinking, but many have seen great results. In South Dakota, sometimes it does take the assistance of a come a long for the stubborn clog.