British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday that the world “would face Iran with a nuclear weapon” if six powers, including the U.S., had not struck a historic nuclear deal with Tehran. “I think it is so much better than the alternative. I think that if there wasn’t a deal, I think we would face Iran with a nuclear weapon,” Cameron said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” British Prime Minister David Cameron: Iran Deal ‘Better Than the Alternative’
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has hailed the nuclear deal signed between Iran and six world powers as “an important success.” Germany’s Merkel calls for speedy implementation of Iran deal.
This morning the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, of which the “P5” powers — the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China — are permanent members, unanimously approved the P5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran. UN Security Council endorses Iran deal.
Steve Benen reports that “Members of Congress aren’t happy about the fact that the international agreement was taken up by the U.N. before it was debated on Capitol Hill, but let’s not forget that the Obama administration is following ‘in the footsteps of the George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations,’ both of which took matters of national security to the U.N. before Congress.” Iran deal enjoys broad support – except in Congress:
So where does this leave us?
Most Americans support the deal. [ABC News/Washington Post poll: the public by 56-37 percent backs the agreement, a signature foreign policy goal of the Obama administration.]
The U.N. Security Council supports the deal.
Dozens of former national security officials from previous U.S. administrations support the deal.
More than 100 former American ambassadors from previous U.S. administrations support the deal.
Experts in nuclear policy support the deal.
U.S. allies in Europe support the deal.
That’s not a bad foundation as the debate gets underway in earnest. To be sure, opponents of nuclear diplomacy will point out that some unsavory characters also back the deal – and one U.S. ally [Israel] doesn’t – but all things considered, the White House has to be pleased with how broad the backing is for the historic diplomatic agreement.
As for Congress, the picture is far less heartening – Republicans have been itching to kill the diplomatic framework, sight unseen, for months, and many Democrats are worried about the politics of supporting a popular international agreement that keeps nuclear weapons out of the hands of a U.S. enemy. Will the House and Senate have the support necessary to scuttle this once-in-a-generation opportunity, undermining U.S. leadership on the global stage? Watch this space.
h/t graphic PBS.org
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I find out something more about the Treaty that cause me concern. Were you aware that the Treaty forbids any of the signatory nations from providing inspectors? Only Nations which had normal diplomatic relations with Iran prior to the Treaty can provide Inspectors. What does this speak about the anticipated quality of the inspectors?
As I stated before: I hope it is a successful Treaty. My common sense and gut tells me otherwise…