A Reader’s Case Against the Iran Deal

The Atlantic
Updated

For more than a decade, I have been arguing in our pages that the only sane way to deal with the Iranian government, and to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons, is through diplomatic rather than military means. See for instance “Will Iran Be Next?,” a magazine cover story from 2004. For this we did a formal war-game exercise involving a preemptive attack on Iran’s nuclear sites and concluded that even then it would have been grossly self-defeating.

Through the past few weeks, I have been arguing that the JCPOA—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for Iran, a.k.a. “the deal”—is more promising than any known real-world alternative for advancing American and international interests toward Iran. These would include, in my view, though obviously not that of the Netanyahu government, the interests of Israel. For reference: “America and Iran, at Walden Pond”; “Why History Gives Obama the Benefit of the Doubt on Iran”;  “The Real Test of the Iran Deal”; “Why the Iran Deal’s Critics Will Probably Lose”; “The President Defends the Iran Deal”; and “A Headline Worth Study in The New York Times.”

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So it’s no mystery that I think this deal is a diplomatic achievement, and that I hope the U.S. Congress does not reject an agreement that has overwhelming support from America’s veteran diplomats, nuclear-weapons experts, former military leaders, etc., from the United Nations, and from leaders of America’s European allies and its partners/challengers Russia and China.

But in two countries, the United States and Israel, the JCPOA remains the subject of heated debate. You’ll have to trust me that the note below is representative in tone and argument of the anti-deal mail I have been receiving in mounting volume. But, trust me, it is. It comes from a woman who identifies herself as Betsy. Consider her arguments and judge for yourself.

You are so naive.

I read your article that seems to suggest this is a good deal and Obama did good. This will not stop them from getting a bomb. They are playing the west and buying time—just like Hitler. Only difference is the consequences today are much worse than back then.

The problem with libs/progressives/dems is that they project their rational mind onto others. They feel because they would abide and believe it will bring peace, Iran feels the same. Sorry—when you have a country who is still chanting death to America, sending out bad Tweets and, I believe, burning an effigy of your president at the same time Dumbama and Kerry say this brings peace, well, doesn’t that tell you they really don’t want peace?

The only peace Iran will have is when it establishes a Muslim caliphate akin to the glory days of Muslims years and years ago. They will have peace when Israel is destroyed and they attack the west—especially America.

“The only peace Iran will have is when it establishes a Muslim caliphate ... They will have peace when Israel is destroyed and they attack the west— especially America.”

And this is the other problem with dems/libs/progressives. They despise religion. I guess when you are an atheist and want to eradicate religion from everwhere, you really cannot understand a country whose leaders are so driven and motivated by religion. They cannot grasp the idea that someone would rule their country and live by their religion; after all, they are doing their best over here to rid it from our lives, because religion is stupid to them. Therefore, it cannot be deeply-held religious beliefs and hatred of our lifestyle and morals that makes them despise us.

It cannot be because we do not share their religion or have no religion. It must be because we are not nice enough so if we just appease them, then they will like us. So wrong.

Our foreign policy since Obama has been one of appeasement. No surprise considering our president seems to have lived his formative years in a country who probably gave him the view we are bad and then being raised by socialist grandparents and then hanging out with radical friends.

Combine that with what I think is his need for approval and to be lived because his daddy abandoned him and his mommy dumped him with his grandparents to run off and live with her new family without him - well, it does not make a good mix. We got a weak, appeasing leader who does not see the greatness in this country nor does he admire the strength we had before him.

They are going to get a bomb plus have more money to sponsor terrorism. When Israel or US or another western country gets hit, will you and the other naive kumabayas finally admit you were wrong? Will you finally criticize this president?

At least we will gave plenty of audio and video of the idiots telling us this will stop Iran from getting a bomb so they cannot later deny saying that. And at that point I would expect all the libs to shut up, tuck their tails between their legs, and go back into the shadows because at that point the people will finally see their ignorance and naivete and realize that true conservatives and Repubs maybe do know something and sanity will be restored.

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