White House gives Iran the green light
Israel Hayom | White House gives Iran the green light.
Boaz Bismuth
The Iranians are behaving in an ungentlemanly fashion: Instead of keeping things quiet, at least for a few months, as thanks to the world powers and especially to the American government for the interim deal signed last month in Geneva, the head of their nuclear program declared that his country is building a new generation of centrifuges for uranium enrichment. How could they embarrass U.S. President Barack Obama like this? Is this any way to thank the president responsible for easing sanctions? Is this the way to reward the one blocking new sanctions on Iran in the Senate? Is this what you do to the man Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wanted to honor?
You need a lot of nerve or excessive self-confidence or simply very strong adherence to a goal — or perhaps all three combined — to do what the Iranians are now doing. The way they are acting after signing the interim agreement is extremely defiant.
Those opposed to the agreement brought up two important points: The Geneva deal does not prevent Iran from enriching uranium, and it does not commit Iran to destroying any of the 19,000 centrifuges currently spinning to serve the nuclear program. And then Iran announces that it is not only refraining from decreasing the number of centrifuges, but it is actually adding to it — and these will be new-generation centrifuges.
American columnist Charles Krauthammer criticized the U.S. handling of the Iranian nuclear issue, saying that Obama is “simply not serious.” I don’t know if many congressmen share this opinion, but what is clear is that many on Capitol Hill don’t believe the Iranians either. Just as Krauthammer claims, Obama — instead of using the senators as the “bad cop” to deter Iran — joined the Iranian side against the members of Congress.
How many more times can we say that the way the Iranian issue is being dealt with is one big farce?
But, between you and I, we can’t complain to the Iranians. They have a goal. And what’s more, Iran is being given the chance to build more centrifuges. Would it really give that opportunity away?
WarSclerotic 
December 29, 2013 at 10:16 PM
During all these efforts by Sec. Kerry and President Obama to cut a deal at almost any price, it amazes me that there has never been a mention of including concessions on Iran’s human rights abuses. If you are going to negotiate with a nation under the belief that their word is their bond, behavior is a pretty important component of any deal. Simply taking a regime’s leaders at their word without any demonstrable proof is naive at best and stupid at worse. If the US were to hold Iran accountable for example in halting public executions, releasing political prisoners and loosening restrictions on a free press and internet and satellite TV access to outside news sources, then you might be persuaded to believe that Iran is indeed wanting to change. But absent any of those moves, there is little to show that Iran’s leadership — at its core — has really changed at all and thus can’t be trusted to hold up its end of any nuclear bargain.
December 30, 2013 at 2:13 AM
1117 days left and, thankfully, still counting…much too slowly however.
http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?p0=263&iso=20170120T00&msg=Time%20left%20until%20Obama%20leaves%20office
I hope we all make it.
December 30, 2013 at 6:08 PM
I don’t think we will Steve. Ironically, Israel may end up to be the safest place we could be.
December 30, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Iran is a sovereign nation state and as IAEA member entitled to a nuclear energy- and research program.