I do not place much faith in Iran, Russia, or China living up to any nuclear deal they sign. Stability with a Russia/China centric Middle East would not in the long run benefit the United States or western democracies. I believe both Eisenhower and Truman would have supported a policy of "tightening the screws on Russia, blocking China’s influence, building relationships with our Arab allies, empowering Israel to stand up to Russia and Iran, and putting America’s footprint squarely on the Middle East". True that this type of post World War II policy of containment in some ways led to the Iran we are dealing with now. We need policy that keeps the United States as a strong player in the Middle East and that delays Iran going nuclear for as long as possible. Agreement or no agreement, I believe it will take more than talk and signed papers to achieve this.
Our memories may be short, but I do still recall that Iran was months from nuclear breakout prior to -and that they were indeed following the terms of - the JCPOA, which pushed their breakout a decade. This page from Australia's government appears to back up that memory.
If the goal is to stabilize the region, then regime change is pretty much out - that's a destabilizing event, and we've seen how destabilizing a country in the middle east works out. That leaves how to prevent/delay nuclear armament. The JCPOA did delay that - they still haven't built a nuke - and we were able to maintain sanctions (at least the US did, the EU is another thing entirely).
I just don't get why Trump (and the GOP) wanted to leave the JCPOA when Iran was following the measures of the agreement. How did that improve the situation? What was the end goal of leaving?
You’re missing or ignoring a giant puzzle piece here. Iran has *not* been following the JCPOA. They have violated it at every opportunity and hidden their efforts to break out. It’s Israel’s (with the U.S. as a partner) sabotage, direct attacks and covert efforts--even, sadly, assassinations--that has delayed Iran’s nuclear bomb efforts. Without Israel and the U.S.’s covert and direct action, Iran would have a bomb right now, even if Trump had not pulled the U.S. out of JCPOA. The agreement isn’t and wasn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
Oh, I'm just supposed to take their statements as fact - not the US government under two different administrations - and go Google it myself rather than you make your case yourself.
So I read the first two. Neither quoted any report or evidence besides what was reported by Mossad. Which is exactly what SGman was implying. Besides the Israeli's nobody ever found any suggestion that Iran wasn't in compliance.
I do not place much faith in Iran, Russia, or China living up to any nuclear deal they sign. Stability with a Russia/China centric Middle East would not in the long run benefit the United States or western democracies. I believe both Eisenhower and Truman would have supported a policy of "tightening the screws on Russia, blocking China’s influence, building relationships with our Arab allies, empowering Israel to stand up to Russia and Iran, and putting America’s footprint squarely on the Middle East". True that this type of post World War II policy of containment in some ways led to the Iran we are dealing with now. We need policy that keeps the United States as a strong player in the Middle East and that delays Iran going nuclear for as long as possible. Agreement or no agreement, I believe it will take more than talk and signed papers to achieve this.
Our memories may be short, but I do still recall that Iran was months from nuclear breakout prior to -and that they were indeed following the terms of - the JCPOA, which pushed their breakout a decade. This page from Australia's government appears to back up that memory.
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1718/Quick_Guides/IranNuclear
If the goal is to stabilize the region, then regime change is pretty much out - that's a destabilizing event, and we've seen how destabilizing a country in the middle east works out. That leaves how to prevent/delay nuclear armament. The JCPOA did delay that - they still haven't built a nuke - and we were able to maintain sanctions (at least the US did, the EU is another thing entirely).
I just don't get why Trump (and the GOP) wanted to leave the JCPOA when Iran was following the measures of the agreement. How did that improve the situation? What was the end goal of leaving?
You’re missing or ignoring a giant puzzle piece here. Iran has *not* been following the JCPOA. They have violated it at every opportunity and hidden their efforts to break out. It’s Israel’s (with the U.S. as a partner) sabotage, direct attacks and covert efforts--even, sadly, assassinations--that has delayed Iran’s nuclear bomb efforts. Without Israel and the U.S.’s covert and direct action, Iran would have a bomb right now, even if Trump had not pulled the U.S. out of JCPOA. The agreement isn’t and wasn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
Please provide references and proof for what you say is reality, as opposed to just projecting what you want to be the case.
The IAEA certified they were following the JCPOA. Trump certified it a couple times, too - before unilaterally pulling out of the deal.
What is the goal, Steve?
The IAEA is a joke. Israel provided a whole warehouse full of evidence. Google it.
Oh, I'm just supposed to take their statements as fact - not the US government under two different administrations - and go Google it myself rather than you make your case yourself.
Come on, Steve. You can do better.
Allow me to help.
https://nypost.com/2022/03/04/biden-on-verge-of-making-worst-deal-ever-with-iran/
https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/08/iran-nuclear-deal-united-nations-proves-useless/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/245409
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14910/iran-nuclear-deal-violations
Got anything from PRIOR to the US pulling out of the agreement?
So I read the first two. Neither quoted any report or evidence besides what was reported by Mossad. Which is exactly what SGman was implying. Besides the Israeli's nobody ever found any suggestion that Iran wasn't in compliance.