Iran nuclear deal: Fine 'new chapter' or 'historic mistake'?

2015-07-14T16:35:33-04:00

Iran, the United States and other world powers struck a historic deal Tuesday to curb Iranian nuclear programs and ease fears of a nuclear-armed Iran threatening the volatile Middle East. In exchange, Iran will get billions of dollars in relief from crushing international sanctions.

The accord, reached after long, fractious negotiations, marks a dramatic break from decades of animosity between the United States and Iran, countries that have labeled each other the "leading state sponsor of terrorism" and "the Great Satan."

"This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction," President Barack Obama declared at the White House in remarks that were carried live on Iranian state television. "We should seize it."

In Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said "a new chapter" had begun in his nation's relations with the world. He maintained that Iran had never sought to build a bomb, an assertion the U.S. and its partners have long disputed.

Beyond the hopeful proclamations from the U.S., Iran and other parties to the talks, there is deep skepticism of the deal among U.S. lawmakers and Iranian hardliners. Obama's most pressing task will be holding off efforts by Congress to levy new sanctions on Iran or block his ability to suspend existing ones.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iran-nuclear-deal-fine-new-chapter-or-historic-mistake/ar-AAcUja5

After 18 days of intense and often fractious negotiation, world powers and Iran struck a landmark deal Tuesday to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions — an agreement designed to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and another U.S. military intervention in the Muslim world.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Jul 14 at 2015 4:38 PM

2015-07-14T16:38:25-04:00

Obama bet on Iran may take years to pay off ...

Richard M. Nixon’s opening to China more than 40 years ago was a huge Cold War gamble that he could forge a working relationship with a Communist country that had built a small arsenal of nuclear weapons and clearly had long-term ambitions for global power.

For President Obama, the deal struck Tuesday morning with Iran represents a similar leap of faith, a bet that by defusing the country’s nuclear threat — even if just for a decade or so — he and his successors would have the time and space to restructure one of the United States’ deepest adversarial relationships.

Mr. Obama will be long out of office before any reasonable assessment can be made as to whether that roll of the dice paid off. The best guess today, even among the most passionate supporters of the president’s Iran project, is that the judgment will be mixed. Nothing in the deal announced Tuesday eliminates Iran’s ability to eventually become a nuclear threshold power — it just delays the day. To Mr. Obama’s many critics, including Henry A. Kissinger, the architect of the China opening, that is a fatal flaw. It does nothing, Mr. Kissinger wrote recently with another former secretary of state, George P. Shultz, to change “three and a half decades of militant hostility to the West.”

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/obama-bet-on-iran-may-take-years-to-pay-off/ar-AAcWP2N

Obama Bet on Iran May Take Years to Pay Off

The deal is a leap of faith for President Obama, who will be long out of office before any reasonable assessment can be made as to whether it paid off.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Jul 14 at 2015 4:41 PM

2015-07-14T16:41:14-04:00

The U.S. businesses that win on the Iran deal ...

Iran and six world powers reached an agreement on Tuesday to lift sanctions against the Islamic Republic, and while U.S. and Iranian leaders have heralded the deal as a victory, the real winners could be corporations across the globe.

Iran holds the world's fourth-largest proved crude (@CL.1) reserves and the second-largest natural gas (@NG.1) reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, so energy firms will be some of the clear beneficiaries of the deal. Most of those gains may not go to American companies, however, as they weigh the political costs of doing business with Tehran—especially considering the skepticism from Congress, according to Alireza Nader, senior international policy analyst at the Rand Corp.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/money/the-us-businesses-that-win-on-the-iran-deal/ar-AAcYkjx

The US businesses that win on the Iran deal

International energy, financial and manufacturing firms all stand to gain from lifted Iranian sanctions.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 14 at 2015 4:45 PM

2015-07-14T16:45:13-04:00

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad I was saddened to learn that there was no serious effort to obtain the release of the imprisoned American citizens in Iranian prisons [Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, and Jason Rezaian ] coupled with this "deal."
It reminds me of the push to reopen relations with Cuba with no requirement for an extradition treaty with Cuba to allow the 70 to 80 convicted felons including New Jersey cop killer Joanne Chesimard. It would alos be a isgnh of good faith if we could send back to Cuba the convicted Cubans who were sent to this country [estimates of as high as 21,000).

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 14 at 2015 5:04 PM

2015-07-14T17:04:40-04:00

I think that this deal will rank in history alongside Neville Chamberlain's deal with Hitler in both naiveté and disastrous results.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO725Hbzfls

Neville Chamberlain - Peace in our Time

The original footage, Neville Chamberlain speech; Peace in our time

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 14 at 2015 5:55 PM

2015-07-14T17:55:17-04:00

New Chapter...Iran President, Hassan Rouhani, promises under no circumstances will Iran seek nuclear weapons. Hey...he promised. ;)

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2015 7:14 PM

2015-07-14T19:14:52-04:00

The fact that two hardline countries could even come to any agreement is amazing. We sometimes forget WE are the reason Iran is the way it is today. With the support of a three letter intelligence agency, the current Iranian system was put into place. Now 35 years later it becomes clear maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all...

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 14 at 2015 7:33 PM

2015-07-14T19:33:41-04:00

Embattled Israeli leader faces tough task fighting nuke deal. 2nd and 3rd order affects of this historic decision:

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/07/14/embattled-israeli-leader-faces-tough-task-fighting-nuke-deal/21209325/

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2015 9:03 PM

2015-07-14T21:03:18-04:00

Historic mistake of the ages! This deal is so bad, I believe Iran will be testing a nuke before Jan 2017.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 14 at 2015 10:14 PM

2015-07-14T22:14:45-04:00

The only thing missing is Kerry waving a piece of paper and proclaiming "Peace in our time...."

Response by SPC John Lanning made Jul 15 at 2015 4:42 AM

2015-07-15T04:42:38-04:00

I'll leave this here.....

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Jul 15 at 2015 4:46 PM

2015-07-15T16:46:48-04:00

Time will tell. We've taken huge risks like this before. Some failed terribly and some paid in spades.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Jul 5 at 2018 1:19 PM

2018-07-05T13:19:55-04:00

Worst negotiating disaster - EVER! We had Iran on the ropes gasping for breath and this gave them a brand new start in the war against the West and it's interests. The money we gave them has already had a portion siphoned off to support terrorist groups that attack our allies and support our enemies. How Congress allowed this is beyond comprehension!!!