Sunday, November 24, 2013

Iran Deal is a Big Deal

The deal with Iran is a great big deal, and is therefore causing a great deal of hand wringing.  In essence (details here in simple terms, and more detailed here, same details but with negative spin here), it is  that Iran (1) limits the strength of enrichment to peaceful levels, (2) removes the capabilities to enrich above 5% , (3) neutralizes stocks that are enriched to 20% and (4) allows inspections.
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It does with the carrot of reduced sanctions for 6 months while a more robust agreement is negotiated.
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It has Israel and the Saudi Arabia / Gulf nations in a tizzy because we aren't sending Americans to die for them.  (Yeah, I know, that is harsh, but kind of the truth...)  Israel doesn't believe Iran, will never believe Iran and thinks the only answer is to blow up all their nuclear capabilities and possible capabilities and anything they have buried or might have buried anywhere.  So Israel is kind of the Dick Cheney of the Middle-East.  Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states don't want us around, but even more don't want us to get along with Iran.  They are kind of the Al Sharpton of the Middle East, the man is always against them... until he leaves.
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But for America, it's a good deal.  You can tell that because even the Republicans - who want Obama to fail more than almost anything else, are tentatively resigned to it*.  Tentatively resigned to it!  Kids, this is a group that shut down the government over giving health care to poor people and paying the bills they racked up.  Tentatively resigned to it is a huge ass endorsement!!
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The best thing the Iranians could possible do here is make this work.  And so they probably won't.  This is, diplomatically, the gang that can't shoot straight.  But if this works, it would set America on track to make American policy based on American Interests (not Israeli Interests).  With a desire to pivot to Asia, sufficiency in energy and an Israeli government is that racist and an Israeli Prime Minister who goes out of his way to show his personal disgust with President Obama - a little give here and a little help in Afghanistan (where we both hate the Taliban) would hurry America out of the region.

**Fox News quote