You saw the headlines a few days ago. An Associated Press ‘exclusive’, meaning no actual investigative journalism, just some Obama-hating insider handing an AP reporter some papers in a folder. The contents initiated the headline that there was a “Deal to let Iran inspect own sites.” This was an alleged side agreement that took precedent over one segment of a recently negotiated promise from Iran that it would cease any attempts to produce nuclear weaponry and bombs. Republican legislators and would-be candidates for president politically rioted in the media at the side agreement development. The usual right-wing suspects like Mitch McConnell, harrumphed from their side of the aisle that all was lost.
Nobody trusts the Iranians and a nuclear attack on Wichita is but weeks away. Right-wing CNS News quoted GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush as calling the deal “a farce,” tweeting, “Nuclear inspections of state sponsors of terrorism can’t work on the honor system.” Of course corporate mass polluters (and contributors) are welcome to do ALL of their own inspections. Now, Bush can proceed with his plan to bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran if elected. Trump and Walker will be riding shotgun for yet another “Shock and Awe” attack.
Great idea. Let’s attack a country that’s finally yielded to sanctions and has expressed a willingness to back off deadly nuclear weapons production in return for lifting a number of those sanctions. Now, whether we attack or not, Republican politicians want to vote down a negotiated agreement and keep repressive sanctions in place that have negatively impacted the population to a tremendous degree. Why not go Hiroshima and Nagasaki on them? Estimates from Atomic Archive.com put the combined death tolls at about 105,000 dead and 94,000 wounded adding up to nearly 200,000 casualties.
A site called “Stop the War coalition” maintains that the death toll, alone, reached 200,000 when radiation-related cancers and long-term burn effects were factored in. The site also includes an interesting historical take on why the bombings were unnecessary.
In his goofy, sideshow speech in a half-full Mobile, Alabama football stadium, Donald Trump criticized the “73-year-old” Secretary of State and his negotiating skills. You’re wrong, Trump. John Kerry is 71. Your buddy Mitch is 73. Trump then called for the world’s mightiest army. He reasoned, we’d be so powerful that we’d never have to use any of that might. Everybody would be afraid of us. Excuse me, Donald; we have the mightiest army now. The most sophisticated weapons and nuclear weapons galore. While considered nuclear, China has very few. Putin is no hurry for an arms race. And yet, few in the Muslim world seem to be “afraid” as ISIS and their running partners continue to wreak havoc throughout the Middle East and elsewhere.
So, let’s at least tap lightly on the hysteria brake here. Yes, there is some kind of side agreement, maybe two. By its own admission, AP concedes their reporter saw a draft and not the final product. And the agreement is not with any of the parties that negotiated the original Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The side agreement is between Iran and the UN’s nuclear oversight arm, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). AP says it was approved by the core negotiating countries, including, the U.S.
To suggest that the agreement will be closed forever to prying eyes is nonsense. According to Business Insider, bylaws allow any one of the 35 members of the IAEA board to request a look-see at the agreement. It’s happened before. That nobody in a position of power involved in the talks has the slightest idea what’s in this agreement is to strain credulity to the breaking point. If a member of the news peanut gallery supposedly had some access, so did the power boys and girls.
In the draft of the alleged agreement, IAEA inspectors will no longer include the Parchin military complex in their rounds. The site came under pressure over a decade ago as fashioning some nuclear parts together for the purpose of creating a nuclear bomb. They were caught back in 2003 and Iran has somewhat behaved itself since. There was another nuclear agreement, sort of a JPOA Jr that Iran has honored.
The Parchin site is now supposedly busying itself with detonators. If so, it must not be of great concern to the good guys. Do you really believe that IAEA couldn’t muscle its way into Parchin if it so chose? Agreement notwithstanding, if IAEA wants access to Parchin, it gets it. Do you really believe that the most sophisticated of the world’s negotiators are going to risk Iran becoming a nuclear state?
Russia and the U.S. have the most nuclear capability of any nuclar-weapons states in the world. These powerhouses are followed by irrelevant quantities in the United Kingdom, France, China and, through its NATO ties, some access for Germany. All of the latter were involved in JCPOA negotiations. All have signed on as either signatories or ratifiers of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) treaty. India, Pakistan and North Korea are the remaining three countries that possess nuclear capability. None are signees of NPT. Of course, Israel is unofficially in the nuclear grouping, and is a signatory to NPT, though playing coy with the exact description of their nuclear weaponry. Iran is not and never has been declared a nuclear-weapons state.
Iran could release the wording of the side document and any additional side agreements in the pipeline. And, repeating for Trump supporters, members of the IAEA Board of Governors could also request the reveal. Of the board members, relatively strong American allies, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia would be the best bets to make such a request, as could the United States, also a board member.
If Republican legislators are convinced that a NSA peek at phone numbers will give the agency every conceivable piece of information about an average American citizen, surely they would feel secure in knowing that there’s not a single element of the Iranian “nuclear” program that isn’t under the most powerful oversight microscope ever created. For whatever reason the side-agreement was approved, there still remains not one overlooked and intensely monitored spec of nuclear, centrifuges, reactors, uranium enrichment and any and all elements that could factor into a real-life nuclear threat under the JCPOA.
Once reluctant Democrats are now publicly granting approval to the agreement, post-side deal. JCPOA is now beyond the Republican’s reach.
Raised rural & small town, then lived in N.Y., Chicago & LA. Widely traveled. Returned from world wandering to pursue media life of anchorman/reporter and major, medium and small market talk radio. Highly active in politics. Once worked as orderly & security in Mens Lock Ward for the Criminally Insane at a state institution. Much more rational population than current Teapublicans. Great concern for country run by and for the extreme wealthy. The inhumane current running through this country has no precedent in modern history.
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Are all gop members issued Halliburton stock after the oath of office is taken? They all sure have a war “hard on” for some reason.
I was on a site and was hearing this crap over and over “the side agreement means Iran will police itself..hahahah weak Obama again.” One second of research told me it was a lie, but they are so hateful of this President they will believe anything they are fed, while calling every Dem who agrees with the agreement to be in ‘lockstep’ with the President. Gee, ya think? Every damn Republican is in lockstep with the Kochs and Grover, and has been for years. But somehow they are the good guys, and the people fighting for peace are the bad guys. What a country. We have Congressmen writing letters to try to override an agreement that took years to draw up. We have Congressmen refusing to do a damn thing that month make this President look good. And now we have candidates who are stirring up the RW gun owners to go out and kill anyone who looks “:illegal.” Nice work, guys. I thought that Obama was stirring up the race war? Turns out it’s you. Always has been.
…probably because Teatards don’t CARE what happens in a war in the Middle East…none o’ THEIR families will have to fight; even with a draft, they will ALWAYS be exempted…and those who can’t be exempted will be o’ course poor people, 3/4+ of ’em will be POC, hardly a deal-breaker for Teahadists/NeoConArtists/Teatards…
…we should find a way to hold them accountable by any means necessary…
Listen/Watch this Beautiful Song.
Old Boomer, Cat Stevens wrote this long ago before he returned to Iran.
“No war with Iran – All Aboard the Peace Train” by Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)
(This song should have big a resurgence)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erLbWKkZhso
If you have time, next video is fun, it shows Iran’s uniqueness. How can Conservatives want to wipe this beautiful nation off the face of the earth?
“Don’t Tell My Mom I’m in Iran”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJikTd9JFQ
We cannot let them scare America into another War!
Cry Havoc and let loose the Trogs and Whores !!!
Preemptive attack worked so well for us in Iraq, didn’t it?
Jon Stewart nailed it when he said repugs believe learn-
ing curves are for pussies.[WINK]
They’re Baaack! Neoconservatives, Netanyahu, and the GOP set up US-Iran War of 2017
http://www.juancole.com/2015/08/theyre-neoconservatives-netanyahu.html
The rethug party reminds me of cowboys herding the cattle on a range. They have many boogie-men in the closet to use in herding the American people into the path they want them to go. War and fear is their favorite and it has worked so easily before. This time, lets all give them a surprise, no more fear, no more being lead into the war machine. To use a saying from the Reagun Adm. Just say NO!
Is Israeli military using Barak in struggle w/ Netanyahu over Iran Deal?
http://www.juancole.com/2015/08/military-struggle-netanyahu.html
Of course. The Republican brain is programmed to swallow every lie, hook, line and sinker. They are so easy to manipulate, all you have to do is yell “OH MY GAD WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!” and they fall into lockstep behind each other. Trouble is that these lemmings will take the rest of us over the cliff with them since we’re all in this together. It’s our responsibility as progressives to pry the wheel away from their hands and get us out of the ditch.
Keeping up with their motto: “WE WILL NOT AGREE TO ANYTHING WE DIDN’T CREATE”
(See ObamaCARE. a/k/a the ACA)
The Republicans are not on board, from the gitgo (Unread) of this deal. So no matter how good it is, they will pout, stomp their feet and gnash their teeth and oppose it, NO MATTER WHAT! Of course, Bibi Netanyahu TOLD them to, and they are following his lead. (Laughable, but consider it a serious breach of their sworn duties to back the President of the United in foreign matters (advise and consent), NOT listen and be swayed by the persuasive personal arguments of a foreign leader who is thinking about HIS concerns.
The Military Industrial Complex needs money and is lobbying Republicans and some Democrats heavily. Netanyahu is also pressuring them. I’m also sure many of these same politicians are heavily invested in the Military Industrial Complex and want their stocks to increase. Caring about people who might die in a war with Iran on both sides isn’t even a consideration.
Bibi Netanyahu seems to be the one voice that’s influencing them to think: BOMB, BOMB, IRAN.
The fools can’t consider this:
“—-Note that strikes on thousands of active centrifuges and stockpiled enriched uranium would have released enormous amounts of radioactive material into the air of Isfahan (pop. nearly 2 million, i.e. nearly the size of Houston, Texas), constituting a de facto dirty-bomb attack on Iran with large loss of life. Some of the radioactive fallout would have come back on Israel itself.”—–
By: Juan Cole (Informed Comment) – –August 24, 2015
What else can convince the war-hawks otherwise? Saner heads WILL prevail. These wing-nuts will fall by the wayside of history. Proving that world peace is in the hands of the Democrats and saner heads in foreign governments.
Iran warmongers are at it again, they’ve been after the POTUS since the innaugaration night of 2009.
all concerned.Israel has over, 200-400 , Nuclear Warheads, but Israels leader well not let their facilities be investigated.. And we are worried about Iran.
The U.S.Congress has to realize that they work for the American People.They have to understand that Burack Obama is the President of the United States, President Obama is the american Peoples President, not”Netanahue”!So, before you sell out the U.S.A and our President for the Israelie President,remember who you work for, who pays your salary.,who gave you your job.and its not Netanahue.Remember the word/,phrase “coup d’etat.” ( a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics; especially : the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group) Is this what you are going to be responsible for.
Since Barack Obama was elected President, Republicans have taken extraordinary actions that portend they are decidedly un-American. It began on Inauguration night in 2009 when a group of Republicans met in private and plotted to subvert the new President’s attempt to salvage the nation’s economy after Bush-Republicans nearly destroyed it. Since that despicable meeting, Republicans have deliberately tried to endanger the full faith and credit of the United States by causing a credit default; a clear violation of the United States Constitution. Their actions did engender the nation’s only credit downgrade. They have also held the nation hostage and caused a government shutdown over a legally passed law their wealthy donors refuse to accept.
Recently, the Speaker of the House invited a foreigner posing as America’s president to address the United States Congress to lobby for war with Iran, and when those efforts failed to deliver, a group of 47 Republican senators issued an ope…
It sounds like sedition, doesn’t it?
I’m not surprised that the hawks and the friends of hawks want war…it’s so that they and their hawk friends would make money!
With all due respect to Hawks.
I think a reason is because these so-called Christians believe in the Second Coming… except it is not going to happen.
I listened to Cat Stevens’ sing both songs. I especially remember “No war with Iran – All Aboard the Peace Train.”
Thanks for the URLs.
Israeli police are increasing security at the United States Embassy and at US Ambassador Dan Shapiro’s home in response to death threats he has received related to the Iran nuclear deal.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Israel-increases-security-for-US-ambassador-after-death-threats-over-Iran-deal-412148
…the Goppies have almost the height o’ arrogance, with they’re thinkin’ that they ALONE can determine the time o’ the end o’ the world…I haven’t found any direct mention o’ the rapture in my Bible…so just like numerologist “Prophets” years ago made all kinds of predictions created by pulling the numbers outta thier asses and making up a dialog about them outta whole cloth, all these “Holier than thou. {And dirtier than most!} morons”they prove only one thing: You can twist the scriptures especially the Old Testament} to make ’em say whatever you want…