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Biden’s Provocative Weakness on Iran
Biden’s bungling of the Iranian nuclear negotiations may well go down as the most consequential error in the history of statecraft. He has granted concession after concession to coax Iran into doing what they want to anyway, which is to revive the nuclear treaty (NCPOA) under which they would eventually acquire full nuclear capability.
The foolishness of equipping Iran’s ruling mullahs with nuclear arms is nearly beyond comprehension. These are fanatically religious Muslims, not like the Iranian people or the friendly neighbors most Americans meet. Their heartfelt belief is that life’s only purpose is submission to Allah and he has already dialed in his directions.
The entire world must eventually become a Muslim caliphate. Take your time, but use any and all means necessary to achieve successful jihad, including converting or killing all those under your control, lying when needed, and actively undermining host nations. Weapons of mass destruction would be the ultimate implement.
Yet the JCPOA negotiated with Iran by the Obama administration was full of concessions and loopholes. Iran was theoretically banned from enriching uranium to weapons grade, but enforcement was lax, inspections had to be announced beforehand and sanctions for violations were ignored.
Worse, the agreement included a 10-year sunset after which all limits were off. The Obama administration was so eager to accommodate (remember the $1.9 billion cash on pallets shipped secretly to seal the deal?) they essentially created a framework assuring Iran’s future nuclear capability.
Fortunately, the JCPOA was never ratified by the Senate, so Trump was able to cancel it, which he did. Progress in nuclear development was slowed. Tough economic sanctions were imposed for violations, crippling Iran’s economy.
By the conclusion of Trump’s tenure, the Iranian people were growing restive and were protesting. Iran’s oppression against both America and their regional neighbors was stymied for lack of funding.
But Biden and his handlers could only see the hand of Trump in the success and therefore it had to be reversed. Now Biden is frantically conceding away, preparing to sign an agreement even worse than Obama’s infamously one-sided pact.
Biden’s proposed deal would intentionally weaken the enforcement structure needed to prevent Iran’s nuclear program development. Their illegal infrastructure housing the program would be effectively ignored.
Biden would also lift the economic sanctions in place, giving Iran $100 billion sorely needed to reboot its terrorism program. Propping up Iran’s economy is a huge favor to the ruling autocrats, too.
Almost unbelievably, Biden is assuring that Russia is also a beneficiary of the deal. Yes, that Russia, the one the whole free world is trying to weaken and punish to end their brutal, unprovoked assault on Ukraine.
Biden effectively put Russia in charge of the negotiations, where they serve as go-between, since the Iranians refuse to negotiate directly with us. In turn, Russia is demanding that Russian – Iranian trade be exempted from the sanctions imposed in response to the Ukraine invasion. Russia will effectively have a “sanctions-aversion hub” so its atrocities can continue.
Further, Biden is apparently offering an “inherent guarantee”, providing that if there is a claimed breach of the agreement by future administrations, Iran can resume full-scale development of their military nuclear capability. One way or the other, Joe will ensure their nukes.
Finally, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is the agent for Iran’s long-running proxy war which has included hundreds of terrorist attacks on military bases, civilians, and ships at sea and killed hundreds of Americans. Biden‘s brainstorm is to rescind the IRGC terrorist designation, limiting the rights of victims, including the right to sue for damages.
Over 1000 American Gold star families have written Biden urging him not to further empower the terrorists who killed their family members. No response has been received.
For all these concessions, Biden has received nearly nothing. Instead, Iran keeps “moving the goalposts”, testing the limits of his gullibility. Observers are reportedly astonished at the Iranians’ improbable success.
Our leadership’s weakness, incoherence, and appeasement are leading us into an extremely dangerous position. An unhinged, fanatical regional power that chants “Death to America” will soon have nuclear capability and empowered allies.
Where is Ronald Reagan when we need him?
Published in General
Every word you write is true. Even as this treacherous deal is being pushed through, Iran is up to its neck in wars in Syria and Yemen, has destroyed Lebanon, and is arming and funding terrorist proxies to make sure there will never be peace between Israel and Palestinians. How much more do the Ayatollahs have to do to show their evil intentions?
I thought that the Iran deal was called the JCPOA.
You do realize that without this deal, Iran will get nukes, right? Probably faster without the deal, though the deal may not work. I don’t see how the deal would speed them up. It might slow them down.
It’s not bungling. It’s intentional with malice aforethought. Give Iran whatever it takes. 81 million Americans voted for this. After watching Obama give away the farm and a glide path to nuclear weapons to the terrorists in Tehran, which Biden fully supported as his VP, those 81 million voters elected this monster to reprise the insanity. Should have been no surprise to anyone. Twice seems definitive. This is what Americans demand. The American electorate seems to have a death wish, for themselves and the world, and this is, arguably, the most reliable method of achieving that. Short of creating a nuclear exchange with Putin.
Seems Biden is dead set on inducing a nuclear holocaust (via Iran, or Putin, as it seems he is pursuing both possibilities). Putin has indirectly threatened to use nuclear weapons, and his troops are already kicking up radioactive dust in Ukraine. And Biden is relying on him to broker the deal with Iran? Clearly Biden is a monster, and hates not only America, but the world. Or is it just Israel? The Biden Administration is, in my view, colluding with terrorists, Russian and Iranian, to achieve another and ultimate holocaust. I cut him no slack for cognitive dysfunction. He deserves a trial in the Hague and solitary confinement for the rest of his life (and I don’t mean in his basement with a mask). Would that he might share a cell with Putin and the Mullahs
There should be bipartisan opprobrium and outrage voiced on the floors of the Senate and the House daily against this monstrosity of an agreement. What do we hear? Crickets. There should be outrage in the media. Again, crickets. Both far left and less left media (there is no such thing as a conservative media in America). Military leaders should be warning daily against such folly. Still crickets. Outrage regarding Putin. Crickets on the Biden/Iran deal. Or am I just out of touch?
Thank you for writing this. Sort of like a voice crying in the wilderness. Clear and straightforward. For me, welcome indeed.
We only have ourselves to blame. Pogo was more than right: We have met the enemy, and it is indubitably us.
It should be sack cloth and ashes and fasting time in America, with pleas to God to forgive us, and to repent of our depravity, before we are destroyed. Kind of like Ninevah when warned by Jonah. Alas, not going to happen.
I thought it was a good (not perfect) deal, and the only reason Trump exited it was that it was a solid accomplishment of the Obama administration.
One of the few big deal foreign policy issues that does not bother me much. Slow Joe bumbling our way into a nuclear war with Russia does. Israel took out the Iraq facility in about 1980. And evaporated a Syrian work up a few years ago. Those guys know how to survive. Have been screwing with Iran’s computers and nuclear stuff, and its scientists, to push back the time Iran will get the bomb. As unfocused as our government is on real threats, the IDF know what it is doing.
Could I interest you in purchasing a bridge?
One aspect of the deal appears to be that we will guarantee the Iran nuclear program against any interference from other nations, which will put us in direct conflict with Israel if Israel tries to act in its interest of self preservation. Your sanguine confidence in Israel’s capacity for self preservation runs headlong in to the Biden administrations efforts to block Isreal from pursuing its efforts at self preservation. I’m sure your outlook is shared by many. I am hardly so sanguine.
It would speed up Iran’s program, not least by giving our imprimatur to their nuclear program, “normalizing” the production of nuclear weapons by terrorists, practically eliminating any capacity to verify that Iran is not enriching uranium to bomb grade concentration, providing Russian expertise for Iran’s program, massively enriching Iran to fund their bomb efforts, and their terrorism,and blocking any interference by anyone else in Iran’s efforts to obtain nukes ( eg, Israel).
From what I’ve read, you’re completely, 100% incorrect about this. The JCPOA included provisions for monitoring the Iranian uranium enrichment program, and the reports were generally favorable before we pulled out. I do realize that they may cheat, and the deal may not work.
The idea that Iran cares about some “imprimatur” seems very unlikely, to me.
I think that the facts are pretty clear about this. The JCPOA has some chance, perhaps not a good chance, of slowing down Iran’s progress toward a nuke. The conservative critics have no plan whatsoever.
There is one possibly plausible argument that you make, though I don’t think that it holds up. I think that the JCPOA does include some normalization of trade relations, which would allow Iran to earn some money. My suspicion, though, is that the mullahs have enough money to spend on their nuclear program if they want, and that they’d skimp on other things. Note that severe sanctions did not prevent North Korea from getting nukes.
You bought it you keep it.
Hope you didn’t mind my suggested edit as it reflects my astonishment at this absolutely, positively, 100% inexplicable deal which– and here I note there is much debate about the meaning of this word, but I’m old enough to remember when it had a very clear meaning– is, in my humble opinion, downright treasonous. Of course, I also thought that about Biden’s old boss’ deal with Iran and the planeload of dollars offloaded in Tehran in the middle of the night.
I’m taking editorial liberties again as, here again, and I fully admit that maybe I have not read every single word written about this deal and trust almost none of it in the mainstream media anyway, I have not been able to find one single solitary reason why we should be making Iran a nuclear power-the first thing they are going to use it on will be Israel.. does one have to be a graduate in Diplomacy U to see that?… and at the same time strengthen the hand of the brutal Putin regime to enable it to destroy more lives and Nations. Not a single one.
By the way, there’s an excellent article on this insanity by Melanie Phillips entitled “Blinken’s obscene Western ‘progressive’ agenda”, here. Just found another one here; have not read it entirely but looks very thorough.
God Help Us.
Apparently you are reading something far different than am I. From what I read, the post here is highly accurate. The sanctions for violations in the original JCPOA (this is not a JCPOA, but rather, son of JCPOA, or JCPOA 2.0, and is much weaker on verification and penalties than the original JCPOA) were weak or ignored. The inspections required advance notice that made them pointless. It was a joke. And this new version is even worse in those regards.
A US guarantee (not just an imprimatur, but a guarantee to protect the Iranian nuclear program) will certainly have an impact on Israel. It will also roll out the red carpet for Iran to be considered as a legitimate (eg, not a terrorist) nation. China will be delighted.
One aspect of the new deal is that the IRGC will be removed from the list of terrorist entities. This will enrich and empower a terrorist organization. Apparently you are fine with that. Neither the Israelis nor the Arabs seem comfortable with this. From my perspective, you qualify for the Alfred E. Newman award for the year.
Great links you have provided. Thank you. Perhaps Jerry Giordano will read them (one can hope).
I consider myself a conservative critic. And I have advocated for a plan. Ambitious but in my view absolutely necessary. And that is the advocacy of the banning of nuclear weapons worldwide, in the same fashion as chemical weapons were banned. And the establishment of an absolute taboo against the use of nuclear weapons. A hard row to hoe, but necessary. Joe Biden is doing the opposite, abetting nuclear proliferation like there is no tomorrow. The Western failure to prevent Putin’s attack on Ukraine, in violation of promises made to Ukraine of security in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons, now provides an object lesson to nations, that for their security, they must have nuclear weapons and never give them up. A major international effort needs to be made to ban nuclear weapons. That needs to be enforced by global cooperation> The US should try to form a coalition of nations to strenuously push such a ban, including destruction of existing nuclear weapons. As well as biological weapons. With severe penalties for any nation violating the ban. Difficult, yes. Necessary, absolutely.
No, the point is that I didn’t buy nor do I own any bridge. Just that you appear, from your statement, to be someone who would be likely to give me money for something I don’t own so can’t sell. Impressive that you don’t see that. ON the other hand, your perspective is likely to buy the farm for all of us. I strenuously object to that. By ‘solid accomplishment’ I take it you mean that Obama arranged an agreement to guarantee nuclear weapons to terrorists. So you, like Obama, are pretty much on the side of terrorists that want to destroy us (after they’ve destroyed Israel, of course). Stunning.
Nanocelt, I don’t think I share your assumptions about Iran or the Arab states and their motivation. These, I believe, are the bridge you bought. The differences between JCPOA 1 and 2 tell me that the nuclear threat from Iran was never that great. So what are the sanctions about?
Speaking of, I’m originally from India – the Ur Kaffir nation, and also a country which has zero issues with Iran despite that – before or after the revolution. India still got bullied into not buying cheap Iranian oil by threat of sanctions – something which in reality means there is more poverty and hunger in India than there had to be. A price the US is willing to pay, apparently, but don’t tell me the US conflict with Iran is some sort of principled, moral, high-minded crusade. The grubby facts tell me differently.
Interestingly Lavrov has just offered Modi a deal on cheap oil, for Russia to evade US sanctions and India to benefit from cheap oil. India is one of the nations that has not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. So rather than siding with the Iranian terrorist regime, you are neutral. Nice position to be in.
I tend to agree with your point of view, that India has been harmed by US sanctions on Iran (which are ineffective, perhaps at most, have somewhat decreased their funds available for terrorism, which is directed against Israel and the US, certainly not against India). Unfortunately, India has had it’s share of terrorist attacks, but not from Iran.
America’s profound error in Iran was ousting Mosadeq in the 1950’s after promising to stay out of Iran’s affairs at the Big Three Conference in Tehran during WWII. Truman used Patrick Hurley’s white paper guaranteeing Iranian sovereignty to force Russian troops out of Iran at the end of the war. But the US went ahead and upended what was essentially a Constitutional Monarchy with the Shah as titular head of the nation, with the political power in Parliament. The Shah had the power to dismiss a government, but had little taste for this until forced by the US to oust Mosadeq, due to British oil interests in Iran that Mosadeq was threatening to nationalize.
Since I believe American foreign policy has mostly been a disaster for pretty much all of my lifetime, and long before, I can hardly counter your perspective on that. But, as America, along with Israel, is the target of Iranian terrorism, I am vehemently against Iran getting nuclear weapons. America has been ineffectual at providing the international security that our allies have counted on. I suspect that many nations that have settled for American nuclear protection, such as South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, are seriously considering developing such weapons because America has proven such an unreliable partner–eg we are fomenting proliferation rather than curtailing nuclear proliferation, which is bad for everyone.
Some mealy mouthed condemnation, but basically yes, as any country in India’s position would be. India needs cheap oil, the alternative is catastrophic. (Things are already catastrophic.)
You mentioned India being the target of terrorists – not backed by Iran but by Pakistan. A lot of this happened while the US was at war in Afghanistan – and to prosecute that war the US needed Pakistan. And despite denouncing terrorism, violence against ordinary people, etc. the US remained essentially neutral when it came to India and Pakistan, despite Pakistani backed terrorism against India.
What’s sauce for the goose etc.
So India is the Kafir nation – we’re proud of it, it’s part of our civilisation. But Iran has not targeted India negatively in any way – in fact relations between the countries are pretty good.
If the Islamic Republic is truly motivated by a mad jihadi ideology why is this so?
Or is the Islamic Republic also motivated by other things?
True, but spilled milk. I think an equally profound error was freezing Iranian assets after the Islamic Revolution. And this ongoing regime of brutal sanctions is another.
But why are the US and Israel targets? While Kafir India is not. Identifying the reasons honestly, and without ideological bias or domestic agenda pandering, seems to be an important first step in turning this around. And I think the US really has the capacity to turn it around.
I think you overstate the disastrousness of US foreign policy – there are a lot of successes, leaving aside morality for eg Indonesia 1965-66 – but this sanctions thing has clarified some limits that would have been better obscured for America’s interests. Sanctions are an act of war, and they can be domestically sanitised and sold as low cost (not to targets!), but the question of how many major oil producers can be effectively sanctioned at one time has been answered.