How badly does President Obama and his Western allies want to secure this nuclear deal with Iran? Badly enough to cover-up instances of wrongdoing, according to skeptics in the United Nations. A new report from the international agency alleges that Iran has been in clear violation of sanctions against them, including a travel ban. Instead of calling them out on these violations, however, Obama is choosing to ignore them so as not to upset the apple cart.
Mark Dubowitz of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies says it’s obvious what is happening. “This is a clear political decision not to publicize these examples of sanctions evasion in order to ensure that public reporting on this doesn’t in any way jeopardize the talks or harden congressional resolve.”
If proven, this would be a black mark of substantial significance on the Obama administration. Already, critics of the deal accuse Obama of putting our Middle Eastern allies in jeopardy and inviting a new form of instability with this nuclear deal. None of the Middle Eastern leaders believe that Iran will be prevented from pursuing a nuclear weapon by the deal. Obama is pursuing a legacy of peace without regard for what his actions might mean for the future.
Wishful Thinking
Retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, spoke out this week about what he considers “wishful thinking” on the part of the administration. “It is clear that the nuclear deal is not a permanent fix but merely a placeholder,” he said while testifying in front of a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee. Flynn insisted that the best way to prevent a nuclear Iran was “regime change.”
But that’s not a route Obama is willing to consider. In defiance of Israel, he is determined to push this deal through to conclusion, regardless of what it might mean to our allies in the region. He has chosen to take a blind leap of faith with a country that has made “Death to America” one of their most enduring slogans.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to the deal. “I know I’m often portrayed as the nuclear party pooper, and that would be okay if I was the only voice against the impending deal with Iran,” he said. “But I speak with quite a few with our neighbors, more than you think. And I want to tell you that nobody in this region believes this deal will block Iran’s path to the bomb.”
Only time will tell. Who is right and who is wrong? Is Obama correct in his assertion that this deal will keep Iran from procuring a bomb? Or is Netanyahu right when he says the Islamic Republic will find a way? It’s the kind of intriguing scenario that might make for an interesting debate, if only the stakes weren’t so high. If it turns out that Obama is being played for a fool, though, his legacy won’t be the only thing that goes up in smoke.
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