O-“bomb”a: How He Stopped Worrying & Learned to Love Iran

There has been quite a stir and fuss ever since the Iranian nuclear deal came out. Arguments have already started between Democrats and Republicans, Dems and Dems, Jews and Israelis, etc. It’s no surprise that everyone has their own opinion, including me.

I was immensely hurt and disappointed to discover that certain pro-Israel friends and relatives of mine were proud of President Obama for achieving such a “coup” agreement with Iran. In particular, there was a meme circulating on Facebook that stated, “Share if you’re glad that we have a Commander-in-Chief who has chosen diplomacy over sending our young men and women off to die in faraway wars.”

I disagree. Despite some of my acquaintances’ beliefs about me, I am no hawk. What I am, however, is a realist… and an amateur historian. War is not always the answer. But war is sometimes the optimal choice and most effective solution.

War against Britain birthed the United States. There is no way that Great Britain would have granted independence to the US without a war.

War ended slavery in the United States.

War ended Hitler’s evil rampage in Europe that resulted, directly and indirectly, in the deaths of over 27 million civilians. Appeasement certainly didn’t work, nor was there “peace for our times,” as was claimed by Chamberlain.

War in Korea helped free 48 million South Koreans from being oppressed by the regime of the “Great and Dear Leader.”

That’s not to say that war solves all problems and settled all questions, nor am I saying that war doesn’t cause other issues, but sometimes the use of force is the best solution.

The difference between Iran and North Korea, Pakistan, China, or Russia having nukes is the reasoning behind it. The latter countries want(ed) the nukes for power, to be looked at as “equals” in the bizarre game of world politics that all countries play, to be taken seriously. They aren’t evil. Perhaps unbalanced and immature, but not evil.

Iran is evil. (Please note that the 1948 Genocide Convention lists incitement to commit genocide as a war crime.) Iranian language regarding Israel can certainly be legally defined this way, and it’s not just one lonely Iranian leader who feels hatred toward Israel:

“In the new Middle East there will be no trace of the American presence and the Zionists. The very existence of the Zionist regime is an insult to humankind and an affront to all world nations.” -Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2012)

“Israel’s leaders sometimes threaten Iran, but they know that if they do a damn thing, the Islamic Republic will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.” -Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran (2013)

“The day is near in which the sword of resistance and Islamic Awakening will cut off the blood supply of the occupiers of the holy land of Palestine.” -Revolutionary Guards statement (2013)

An Iranian family walks past anti-US graffiti on the wall of the former US embassy in Tehran on July 14, 2015. President Hassan Rouhani told Iranians that “all our objectives” have been met by a nuclear deal agreed Tuesday after epic talks with world powers. Slogan in Farsi reads, “Death to America”. AFP PHOTO / ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

“Wiping Israel off the map is not up for negotiation.” -General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, commander of Iran’s Basij militia (April 1, 2015)

These quotes, which demonstrate Iran’s clear hatred of Israel, the Jewish people, and the United States don’t even mention Iran’s support of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and other organizations in Gaza.

This nuclear deal reached with Iran (attempts to negotiate started in 2002 because dissident groups raised the alarm about Iran’s nuclear plans, which had not been declared to [read: hidden from] the IAEA) is embarrassing. The treaty fails to demand anything that might actually make Iran nervous. Rather, it should make everyone else nervous (my apologies if I get a little legal – I am, after all, an attorney). Here is a limited list of the treaty’s provisions:

• There are no surprise visits/inspections of Iranian nuclear sites, only those that are prearranged and approved by the Iranian regime (with 24 days notice);
• The treaty lifts all UN Security Council sanctions as well as multilateral and national sanctions;
• Many restrictions on heavy water reactors and accumulation of heavy water are limited to only 15 years (see Annex I, Nuclear-related Measures, E. Spent Fuel Reprocessing Activities);
• Iran is scheduled to provide to the Director General a “Roadmap” containing arrangements to address past and present issues of concern related to its nuclear program by mid-October, (curiously) long after sanctions are removed, monies are unfrozen, etc.;
• The EU and the US are prohibited from re-introducing or re-imposing any sanctions against Iran without going through the dispute resolution process provided for by this agreement. If they do so, Iran “will treat such a re-introduction or re-imposition of the sanctions … as grounds to cease performing its commitments under this JCPOA in whole or in part.” Sanctions sub-section, para. 26 (emphasis added);
• Designated entities and individuals will be removed from Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and from the Foreign Sanctions Evaders List. Ibid, para. 31;
• If Iran chooses not to meet its “obligations” under this treaty, the issue could be referred to the Joint Commission for review. After review, they could be cited for significant non-performance. Dispute Resolution section, para. 36;
• The Security Council can then choose to re-impose sanctions (or not continue lifting sanctions, depending on the timing of the violations)… unless they decide otherwise. Regardless, Iran stated again that “if sanctions are reinstated, in whole or in part, Iran will treat that as grounds to cease performing its commitments...” Ibid, para. 37 (emphasis added);
• Iran is in charge of modernizing its Arak heavy water research reactor such that they will minimize the production of plutonium and not produce weapons-grade plutonium. They will take the leadership role, be the owners and project manager of this (fox guarding henhouse, anyone?); Annex I, Nuclear-related Measures, B. Arak Heavy Water Research Reactor, para. 1, 3;
• Centrifuge limitations are in place for either 10-15 years (see Annex I, Nuclear-related Measures, G. Centrifuges R&D);
• Surveillance by the IAEA will be allowed to continue for 25 years.

According to Ehud Yaari, Israel’s most respected Middle East analyst, this astounding deal was reached because the Americans “have made a series of capitulations over the past two to three weeks in almost every key aspect that was being debated.”

It should be noted that Iran never considered the sanctions against them legitimate. “Illegal sanctions violate the rights of the great Iranian nation.  Of course we bypass the sanctions, and we take pride in it, because we consider them illegal.” -President Hassan Rouhani (Sept 2014). Not only that, but they do not care whether their country and citizens go up in smoke… as long as they take the Little Devil (Israel) down with them. “We do not worship Iran, we worship Allah … I say, let this land [Iran] burn. I say let this land go up in smoke, provided Islam emerges triumphant.” -Former Supreme Leader Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (February 2007)

Why on earth would Iran consider this nuclear deal any differently than they’ve treated the sanctions? They do not feel threatened. “When some [the United States and Israel] say that all options are on the table and when a miserable regional country [Israel] says such things, it makes you laugh … Who are the Zionists to threaten us?” -President Hassan Rouhani (July 2013). How do we know they don’t consider this a ‘hudna’ (a tactical cease-fire that allows the Arabs to rebuild their terrorist infrastructure in order to be more effective when the “cease-fire” is called off)?

Iran’s long-standing hatred of Israel (and the United States) does not breed confidence in their acting in “good faith” and in “mutual respect” of other countries as so naively demanded by the JCPOA. By allowing such an evil regime such relatively simple access to nuclear weapons (with limitations that are easily skirted), under the guise that Iran will be “exclusively peaceful” with its nuclear program, is ignorant, short-sighted, self-deceiving, and naive.

What is shocking is that neither Iran nor the US believes in this treaty. “We will never yield to pressure. We will not accept unreasonable demands. Iran will not give access to it’s nuclear scientists. We will not allow the privacy of our nuclear scientists or any other important issue to be violated.” -Supreme Leader Ali Khameini (May 20, 2015). President Obama stated, “[a]nd my hope is that building on this deal, we can continue to have conversations with Iran that incentivize them to behave differently in the region, to be less aggressive, less hostile, more cooperative, to operate the way we expect nations in the international community to behave. But we’re not counting on it” (emphasis added).

Wait. What?

President Obama’s deal with this Iran, that is filled with nothing but hatred and bitterness for the evil Jew, who wishes to wipe Israel off the map, to eradicate every Jewish soul, is something we should take pride in? Our duty… what we should take pride in, as Americans, is eradicating evil and evil actions off the face of the planet, not sticking our heads in the sand and overprotecting our strong, principled soldiers at the cost of innocents in an allied democratic country. Lest we forget, America, the Big Devil, is also a target. This should be what America stands for… this should be our finest hour.

Yes, it might cost American (and other) lives, but it would likely have a lower toll of civilian casualties than if we first permitted Iran additional money to fund terror groups and launch nuclear bombs at another sovereign nation.

President Obama, you are given the choice between war and dishonor. Choose wisely… as dishonor leads to war.