Nuclear Deal with Iran

As expected, the responses from the GOP candidates have all bashed this agreement. It will be interesting to see how it proceeds through Congress.

Based on what I've read about the contents of the agreement, it seems like a pretty fair deal for all. As you'd expect, the GOP candidates thought otherwise.

Iran Deal

I would hardly say Schiff is "strongly opposed".

Schiff

Not sure when that statement was released, brian, but his tone was much more apprehensive and skeptical on a CNN interview yesterday. Perhaps I shouldn't have lumped him in with Menendez and Gabbard, who are both strongly opposed and said so yesterday afternoon.

Whatever. It doesn't matter to me. I am of the mindset that this is all a cover for "blood money" anyway.

Obviously, there have been many criticisms before the deal was finalized, based on varying degrees of reality. I think many of the initial reactions, on both sides, were based on those preconceived ideas. I've tried to read what I can find based on "serious" criticism (scientists, military, diplomats, etc.) and what I have found indicates that many of those serious concerns have been addressed in the final agreement. Of course, everything I'm reading is a one-off (at least), and I bring my own biases to the discussion.

However, if this pans out, it will be another major accomplishment for this administration.

Each side will say it's a good deal or bad deal, but the truth is we won't know whether it is or not 10 years.

If in 10 years, when it is "allowed" to create a nuclear weapon, Iran makes good on its promises to "obliterate the Zionist entity," which in turn starts World War III, then it will have been a bad deal, the worst since Chamberlain's non-agression pact with Hitler.

If in 10 years, they don't do that, or anything similar, then it will have been a major achievement.

Meanwhile, like it or not, it is diplomacy at work.

Can you please elaborate on that and explain why you want the #1 sponsor of global terrorism to be removed from the "axis of evil"? Better be a damn good reason...

South Florida. This deal and your desire to pretend that they're not the foremost supporters of global terrorism are not one in the same. You know that, right? Striking a deal is one thing. Removing them from State Sponsored Terrorist list is another and is, in fact, a terrible idea. One that not even Obama supports.

Think about how many countries have nukes and yeah, Iran currently leads the league in our definition of sponsored terrorism. But what are the real chances of Iran starting a nuclear war. Isn't it true that at the current time our two countries have some vital common interests, and in any case the spread of international terror seems to be coming from the heart of Iraq now, you remember, the country we were going to fix.

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How do you think the families of the four hostages Iran is holding feel?

It would be wonderful if they were all released.

CBS reporter Major Garrett asked Obama about this yesterday at the press conference, in a really obnoxious manner. Obama slapped him down, very adeptly:

MAJOR GARRETT: "As you well know, there are four Americans in Iran, three held on trumped-up charges, according to your administration, one whereabouts unknown. Can you tell the country, Sir, why you are content with all the fanfare around this deal to leave the conscience of this nation and the strength of this nation unaccounted for in relation to these four Americans?"

PRESIDENT OBAMA: "I gotta give you credit, Major, for how you craft those questions. The notion that I’m content as I celebrate with American citizens languishing in Iranian jails. Major, that’s nonsense and you should know better."

I love when he refuses to play their gotcha games.

Too bad he didn't actually address the substance of the message... Only the messenger. I'd love to know what he had in mind to free/rescue the four Americans who are currently rotting away at the hands of our newly-established "frenemy."

Why didn't he address that, PalJoey?