Politicians in D.C., often must choose between the D and the C, donors and conscience. The Israeli lobby is plush, with soft words and cushy claims of support for Senator Schumer's 2020 or 2024 presidential ambitions.
The stakes are too high to be seduced by a promised stake for a future campaign. In matters of war and peace, peace of mind means more than a piece of the pie. As heir apparent minority leader of the Senate, his duty to country and party must outweigh personal ambition. If not, he must be demoted from leader to follower. Worse yet, he will be going in the wrong direction.
Showing posts with label Iran treaty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran treaty. Show all posts
Monday, August 3, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Patriotism Litmus Test
The old saw is that partisanship ends at the nation's shore. The teeth cut deepest with issues of war and nuclear proliferation. Country must come before party.
A simple litmus test for Republicans is would they support the Iran Treaty if it was negotiated by a Republican president? Lindsey Graham prefers war to this treaty. He may be crackers, but he passes the test. His jingoism is personal not partisan.
Other Republicans do not fare so well. They are drowning in their palaver about a better deal. Only Iranian negotiators know if they could have conceded more and obtained acquiescence from their Supreme Leader. Complete dismantlement of their nuclear infrastructure was probably a bridge too far. President Bush offered full recognition and many other concessions in return for dismantlement. He ran into a brick wall.
The UN and related sanctions only covered nuclear issues. Only those on our team participating in two years of negotiations know whether our partners would have agreed to bargaining on nonnuclear issues. But it is unlikely that China and Russia care about our hostages, or the Iranian hostility to Israel.
But whatever might have been, with Russia, China, Great Britain, France, Germany and the EU, agreeing to the deal, sanctions, and the leverage they provide, would erode if Congress blocks the treaty.
Republicans have blithely challenged our President's loyalty to America. They should look in the mirror before casting the first stone, or risk 7 years bad luck.
A simple litmus test for Republicans is would they support the Iran Treaty if it was negotiated by a Republican president? Lindsey Graham prefers war to this treaty. He may be crackers, but he passes the test. His jingoism is personal not partisan.
Other Republicans do not fare so well. They are drowning in their palaver about a better deal. Only Iranian negotiators know if they could have conceded more and obtained acquiescence from their Supreme Leader. Complete dismantlement of their nuclear infrastructure was probably a bridge too far. President Bush offered full recognition and many other concessions in return for dismantlement. He ran into a brick wall.
The UN and related sanctions only covered nuclear issues. Only those on our team participating in two years of negotiations know whether our partners would have agreed to bargaining on nonnuclear issues. But it is unlikely that China and Russia care about our hostages, or the Iranian hostility to Israel.
But whatever might have been, with Russia, China, Great Britain, France, Germany and the EU, agreeing to the deal, sanctions, and the leverage they provide, would erode if Congress blocks the treaty.
Republicans have blithely challenged our President's loyalty to America. They should look in the mirror before casting the first stone, or risk 7 years bad luck.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Prager Almost Gets It Right
Dennis Prager, the ultra-conservative that makes all liberal Jews cringe, almost got one right. Aping the old appeasement allegory, he argues that the only difference between 1938 and 2015 is the names. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/07/21/1938_and_2015_only_the_names_are_different_127468.html
The names are indeed different, Wilt, rather than Neville, Chamberlain. Obama stands tall, succeeding where two prior administrations have failed. Obama gave nothing and averted war, a slam dunk. Iran is getting its own money back, and having sanctions lifted that served their sole purpose. Neville traded land for empty promises. Obama gets inspections and destruction of centrifuges and fissionable material.
Prager's trite analogy squirms on two prongs. First, Iran like 1938 Germany is a bad actor. Under a Prager foreign policy we would only negotiate agreements with Great Britain and Canada. Endless reams of agreements would only benefit paper mills. Getting hostile powers to step upto the bar is harder, and more meaningful, than buying a friend a drink.
The second prong is the myth of the better deal, covered here at: http://phoodphotospolitics.blogspot.com/2015/07/republican-house-of-cards.html. Prager, although blessed with the usual compliment of 10 fingers, can only count to two. Neither the sanctions, nor the treaty, were bilateral. Prager's path of tighter sanctions leads to a blind alley, not a better agreement. Miraculously Obama kept China, Russian, and for that matter, France on the straight and narrow, but a fork in the road was fast approaching. The deal may not mean to quote Neville, "Peace in our time," but the alternative is a sure path to war.
The names are indeed different, Wilt, rather than Neville, Chamberlain. Obama stands tall, succeeding where two prior administrations have failed. Obama gave nothing and averted war, a slam dunk. Iran is getting its own money back, and having sanctions lifted that served their sole purpose. Neville traded land for empty promises. Obama gets inspections and destruction of centrifuges and fissionable material.
Prager's trite analogy squirms on two prongs. First, Iran like 1938 Germany is a bad actor. Under a Prager foreign policy we would only negotiate agreements with Great Britain and Canada. Endless reams of agreements would only benefit paper mills. Getting hostile powers to step upto the bar is harder, and more meaningful, than buying a friend a drink.
The second prong is the myth of the better deal, covered here at: http://phoodphotospolitics.blogspot.com/2015/07/republican-house-of-cards.html. Prager, although blessed with the usual compliment of 10 fingers, can only count to two. Neither the sanctions, nor the treaty, were bilateral. Prager's path of tighter sanctions leads to a blind alley, not a better agreement. Miraculously Obama kept China, Russian, and for that matter, France on the straight and narrow, but a fork in the road was fast approaching. The deal may not mean to quote Neville, "Peace in our time," but the alternative is a sure path to war.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Misguided Loyalty
Many Americans act with greater loyalty to a Mideast power than to this county. What do we call these misguided Americans? We call them Republicans. Before reading the treaty, Republicans have treated the words of Netanyahu as gospel, and branded the president elected by Americans, as a heretic.
Reasoned criticism is one thing, lashing out with blind hatred is quite another.
Reasoned criticism is one thing, lashing out with blind hatred is quite another.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Wall Street Journal Does not Understand Main Street, Tehran
The Wall Street Journal, which always sees Obama proposals through a glass half empty, reasons that pro treaty demonstrations in Tehran signifies a diplomatic victory for Iran. http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-theyre-cheering-in-tehran-1436916912
For a thirsty nation, even lacking running water in some areas, the glass is half full. That is good for America. Those who have read the treaty know that it was drafted with heavy water input from nuclear scientists. If the general public in Iran has the acumen and sophistication to fully understand the treaty, perhaps we should concede world domination now.
The obvious truth is that Iranians want water, food, and electricity, and they want it now. They believe the lifting of sanctions will improve their standard of living to pre-sanction levels. If they are right most of the 100 billion dollars will flow to them rather than to terrorist activities.
To quote the song from 'Frozen,' "Let it flow, let it flow."
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