Iran Deal

Understandably, people want to keep Iran from getting a Nuke. It is not clear, however, whether that is possible or whether making deals with them is going to help. 

The most significant part of any agreement with Iran has to do with verification via inspection. Any inspection regime implies the ability to measure something and compare it to a benchmark to evaluate progress. 

In the Iranian instance, we have no starting point - no benchmark. This is because inspectors have never been allowed to evaluate the current state of Iran’s nuclear program. 

The Iranian regime has repeatedly blocked inspections under existing agreements. All we really know about what they have and the progress of their program is what they have told us. We do not even have a starting point! What are we to compare their progress to? 

On top of that, according to another report, international inspectors must "come from nations that have diplomatic relations with Iran." That means there will be no American inspectors allowed into Iran. Why would we agree to that? 

The Arab countries of the Middle East (whether you like them or not) have been allied with the US for decades. They are very concerned that we have allowed their bitter enemy (Iran - non Arab, Persian, Shi’a regime) to pursue the development of its nuclear (military) program. 

A better approach might have been to simply isolate and refuse to do business with them due to their history of deceit and deception. For example, one Saudi Arabian official said, "We have learned as Iran's neighbors in the last 40 years that goodwill only led us to harvest sour grapes." (By the way, his country has vowed to match Iran's nuclear abilities - signal of an arms race). 

Naftali Bennett, Israel's education minister, said, "Today a terrorist nuclear superpower is born, and it will go down as one of the darkest days in world history." Danny Danon, Israel's science minister, said the deal "is like providing a pyromaniac with matches," while another Israeli cabinet minister said the deal gives Iran "a license to kill." 

One might argue that other countries have Nukes, so why not Iran? Iran represents a much different situation than, say, North Korea, because that country was protected by China. India and Pakistan also have weapons but they were protected by the US and China, respectively. The list goes on. 

However, no one is protecting Iran and promoting its development of nuclear weapons, although Russia certainly has an interest in the region. 

Luckily, terrorists have never had access to nuclear weapons. But there is a first time for everything. 

For a brief history of the Middle East, Iran and their eternal conflicts, see here… 

And that's that!