Friday, August 21st, 2015 @ 11:46AM

Gary D. Halbert

Between the Lines

The latest nuclear arms deal struck with Iran and six foreign powers on July 14 was already widely unpopular among most Americans. A Gallup poll in early August on how President Obama is handling Iran found that only one-third of Americans approve of the president’s performance on Iran. And that approval is certain to worsen based on what we learned this week.

As you are no doubt aware, the controversial deal formally opens the door for Iran to produce nuclear weapons in 10-15 years, assuming they don’t cheat and build them secretly even sooner – which they will no doubt try to do. But that’s not the worst part.

Sadly, the deal does nothing to stop Iran from acquiring long-range missiles to deliver nukes, including missiles that can reach not only Israel but also the US, whenever it gets such weapons. Can you believe that? But that’s not the worst part.

Early this month we learned that in addition to the main nuclear agreement with Iran, the Obama administration and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) entered into several “secret side deals” with Iran and certain other nations that participated in the nuclear negotiations. Neither the Obama administration nor the IAEA has divulged any of the details of these secret side deals as of this writing. But that is not the worst part.

Now here is the worst part. The Associated Press reported yesterday that Iran will be allowed to use its own inspectors to investigate sites it has been accused of using to develop nuclear weapons, operating under a previously secret agreement with the United Nation’s IAEA that is charged with carrying out such inspections.

The newly disclosed side agreement involves an investigation into Iran’s “Parchin” military site, due to persistent allegations that Iran has worked on atomic weapons there and elsewhere. But rather than have the IAEA conduct the investigation, the United Nations decided to let Iran’s inspectors be in charge.

The latest inspections concession is sure to increase pressure on US congressional supporters of the Iran deal, before a Senate vote of disapproval on the overall agreement in early September. If the disapproval resolution passes and President Barack Obama vetoes it as expected, opponents would need a two-thirds majority to override it. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has suggested the opponents will likely lose that veto fight.

But that was prior to yesterday’s shocking discovery that Iran will be allowed
to conduct its own nuclear inspections. This could, and should, be a deal killer,
even for Democrats in the Senate. Let’s hope so!

John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Republican Senator, said, “Trusting Iran to inspect its own nuclear sites and report to the U.N. in an open and transparent way is remarkably naive and incredibly reckless. This revelation only reinforces the deep-seated concerns the American people have about the agreement.”

A secret side deal to give Iran the authority to self-inspect any of its suspected nuclear facilities is preposterous and dangerous! The good news, if there is any, is that this latest stunning revelation may be just enough to instill sufficient opposition on both sides of the aisle in the Senate to overturn Obama’s expected veto. But that is far from a sure thing.

President Obama sold the Iran nuclear deal as the only alternative to going to war. That was clearly not true, but that’s the way he operates. As I have maintained since before he was elected in 2008, this man does not have America’s best interest at heart. Now, even some in his own party are coming to see that.

Here’s what senior Senator Chuck Shumer (D-NY), an avowed liberal, had to say in deciding to oppose the Iran nuclear deal (even before yesterday’s revelation on Iran doing the inspections):

https://medium.com/@SenSchumer/my-position-on-the-iran-deal-e976b2f13478

Here’s what senior Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), another liberal, had to say in deciding to oppose the Iran nuclear deal (also before yesterday’s revelation on Iran doing the inspections):

http://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/menendez-delivers-remarks-on-iran-nuclear-deal-at-seton-hall-universitys-school-of-diplomacy-and-international-relations

When you have two liberal heavyweights like these (and increasingly others) opposing Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, you know it’s a very, very bad deal that will ultimately hurt Israel and America. Not to mention the fact that it will likely spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

Let’s hope and pray that those in Congress who do have America’s best interest at heart prevail in this critically important political battle.

Posted by AIA Research & Editorial Staff
Categories: Between the Lines