Prior to the preliminary nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers; the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom was made in Geneva, neo-con’s advocating aggression over diplomacy were condemning the agreement without knowledge of what the historic deal entailed. What the American people are reminded of with the warmonger’s criticism of diplomatic efforts is that Republicans abhor peace nearly as much as they love killing jobs, eliminating social programs, enriching the defense industry, or pandering to Israel.
Besides opposing anything President Obama is involved in, Republicans and neo-cons likely condemned the deal that, if successful, reins in Iran’s nuclear ambitions and avoids another Middle East war with America at the center to conceal Bush’s responsibility for creating the situation and their craving to repeat mistakes of the Iraq War in Iran.
The deal agreed to over the weekend is the first step in a permanent solution to the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, and Republicans who advocated and supported the Iraq War were ready and waiting to condemn the deal because it was based on diplomacy. With everything from accusing the Obama Administration of using the agreement to distract attention away from the Affordable Care Act, to abandoning Israel and our allies in the region, to asserting Secretary of State John Kerry’s desperation to make a name for himself, no Republicans supported the President’s diplomatic approach. One staunch supporter of the Iraq War and aggression towards Iran claimed Iran only agreed to diplomatic negotiations because economic sanctions were having an impact on the Islamic Republic, even though Iran was not scaling back its nuclear program. What the warmongers fail to acknowledge is that the preliminary deal still leaves the most economically devastating sanctions in place and they were instrumental in Iranians electing a more moderate leader willing to negotiate to scale back Iran’s nuclear ambitions that began in earnest due to the Bush administration’s lust for war with Iraq; before and immediately after the terror attacks of 9/11.
An Israeli journalist, Ari Shavit, elucidated the reason the region, and the world, is facing the prospect of a nuclear Iran and he laid the blame where it rightly belongs; George W. Bush’s warmongering administration. He explained that, “Mr. Bush’s responsibility for the disaster now unfolding is twofold: He failed to target Iran a decade ago, and created a climate that made it very difficult to target Iran today. The Bush administration didn’t initiate a political-economic siege on Iran when it was weak, and Mr. Bush weakened America by exhausting its economic power and military might in a futile war. By the time American resolve was needed to fend off a genuine global threat, the necessary determination was no longer there. It had been wasted on the wrong cause.” Indeed, besides squandering an opportunity to thwart Iran’s nuclear program when it was in its infancy ten years ago, the invasion of Iraq successfully made Iran stronger by removing the one man keeping it in check; Saddam Hussein.
What is glaringly evident in Republican opposition to the preliminary agreement is the neo-con and Israeli demand that essentially is an argument for war with Iran; immediate dismantling of their nuclear program. Such a demand was a non-starter for Iran, and enrichment of uranium to non-weapons-grade levels is allowed under the current deal that includes Iran allowing U.N. inspections that was a major goal of the agreement. There is no verifiable guarantee that Iran is developing weapons-grade uranium, and except for neo-cons, Fox News viewers, pro-Israel evangelicals, and Republicans clamoring for war, there is little support for American involvement in another useless Middle East conflict.
Military experts have warned that an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, especially a unilateral Israeli attack, will certainly result in Iran retaliating against American forces and escalate “into a substantial regional war” neo-cons have craved for years. It is important to remember that making unverified statements about Iraq’s WMD, and demanding their immediate destruction was Bush’s neo-con ploy to invade Iraq that elevated Iran to a regional power that America, Israel, and the world are now dealing with.
President Obama’s determination to garner support from world leaders to engage the Islamic Republic with diplomacy was crucial to avoid another costly, and deadly, Middle East war. Unfortunately, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is beyond skeptical of the agreement and called it a “historic mistake,” but he also supported Bush’s push for the Iraq War that was an epic historic mistake for America, but not Israel. Israel has legitimate concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but they will not suffer the economic costs to this country if their demand for immediate dismantling resulted in bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities that will drag America into another war. Diplomacy and the U.N. negotiations may not deliver the results the world hopes for, but the alternative of a pre-emptive attack without inspections and verification that Iran is holding up their end of the bargain is unacceptable.
President Obama’s outreach to Iran has had an effect on Iranian voters who elected a more moderate leader, and the pressure of economic sanctions lead Ayatollah Khamenei to endorse the President’s diplomatic overtures. In fact, it was revealed recently that President Obama reached out to the Iranian government even before the election of moderate President Rouhani, and although there is no guarantee the preliminary deal will develop into a permanent solution and an end to the threat of a nuclear-capable Iran, Americans, Israelis, and Iranians are not faced with the prospect of a “really substantial regional war” without first trying diplomacy.
It is important to note that the current preliminary deal, and the potential of a lasting permanent deal, is only possible because President Obama is fulfilling his philosophy of engagement he pledged as a contrast to Bush policies during his campaign for the presidency in 2008. It has been ten years since America suffered Bush’s shoot first policy that not only diminished this nation’s influence in the Middle East and around the world, but weakened this nation, its economy, and emboldened Iran as a major power in the region.
That Republicans, Israeli leader Netanyahu, and neo-cons so quickly criticized the preliminary deal, or refuse to acknowledge that diplomacy and negotiations might work to everyone’s benefit is typical of warmongers who would condemn seeking peace with Iran for any reason. Fortunately, they are in the minority and besides exposing themselves as belligerent hawks, they are providing another distraction from their lack of ideas to solve the country’s real problem; rebuilding the economy that two unfunded and unnecessary wars is strangling with debt.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
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