With another attempted policy improvement, the White House has ensnared itself and the United States in another foreign policy predicament. The misstep this time isn’t with the stealthy Putin, or a wily whistleblower, but rather the scheming mullahs of Iran. On Nov. 23, a nuclear deal including six major powers and Iran, orchestrated by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, was signed into a short-lived agreement. President Barack Obama praised the deal stating, “Today, that diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure — a future in which we can verify that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon.” Unfortunately, the lauded future of a more secure world contingent on Iran’s well-meaning nuclear intentions is not today, tomorrow or any foreseeable date.
Almost immediately after the deal was signed, the wheels started to fall off on both ends. The United States’ strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel, is notorious for its defense program and no-nonsense approach to dealing with extremists in the region and further abroad. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the deal as more of a malignant artifice, calling it, “a historic mistake … this agreement has made the world a much more dangerous place.” President Shimon Peres added an undercurrent of hostility to Netanyahu’s words that reflect their policy on the deal stating, “The international community will not tolerate a nuclear Iran. And if the diplomatic path fails, the nuclear option will be prevented by other means. The alternative is far worse.” Thus it seems if Kerry in his abounding foreign policy knowledge and experience can’t discern when to cut off diplomatic spatting and push the red button on the wall, come “go time” Israel is ready and willing to lead the offensive against a nuclear Iran.
So, just what about this deal is ruffling so many feathers? Firstly, it’s made with soft power moored in diplomatic and economic negotiations — both areas in which Obama has no international credibility. Secondly, it allows for sanction relief to Iran while demanding nothing legitimate from it at a point when its regime’s legitimacy within its own borders is threatening to crumble. And mostly because all that is required from Iran is easily reversible cosmetic changes to its nuclear program, allowing it to keep its 19,000 centrifuges, 3,000 machines of the same purpose that are far more efficient, and business to continue as usual at its plutonium facility in Arak. We’re leaving it with uranium that can be made nuclear grade in a month, and the means to do so. Merry Christmas, Iran, enjoy.
While the ink on the deal was still drying, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, stated, “Let anyone make his own reading, but this right is clearly stated on the text of the agreement that Iran can continue its enrichment, and I announce to our people that enrichment activities will continue as before.” Hearing this bold deviance from the intention of the deal, Secretary Kerry immediately countered that the deal does not give Iran such liberty to continue its enrichment. Quite correct, secretary, because we all know the mullahs behind the wheel of Iran like to play by the rules, especially flimsy ones made by the “Great Satan.”
Obama has attempted to ease the minds of those with any cognizance of Iran’s true nuclear motives by stating the deal is merely an interim one, good for only six months. The United States was unable to get Iran to sign a deal truly halting its hostile nuclear program when it was on the verge of economic collapse and needed sanction relief, and thinks by giving it relief for six months it will be willing to come to the table and negotiate? Now Iran has no reason to be even remotely diplomatic, and the negotiations can be expected to only dissolve further as Iran gains more economic and nuclear ground with its capabilities and accompanying itch to pull the trigger only escalating.
Whitney Greer is a sophomore English major from Medford, Ore.
-Whitney Greer
whitneygreere@gmail.com
