WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE JCPOA

ColoradoThe Iran Agreement Is Supposed To Help Keep Nukes Out Of The Hands OfCrazies. Denouncing It Without Actually Knowing What Is In It Or HearingFrom Military And Foreign-Policy Experts About How It Might Work IsIrresponsible And Dangerous.“Republicans understandably oppose the president on many fronts, which reflects honestphilosophical differences, as well as party politics. But Obama’s support for somethingdoes not automatically constitute a logical reason to endorse its opposite. The Iranagreement is supposed to help keep nukes out of the hands of crazies. Denouncingit without actually knowing what is in it or hearing from military and foreign-policyexperts about how it might work is irresponsible and dangerous. Opposing the dealbecause it is not warlike enough is just plain nuts. The neocons who pushed theinvasion of Iraq thought the U.S. could not only destroy Saddam Hussein’s regime butremake the country into something reflecting American values. They were wrong,and Americans paid dearly for their hubris. At the least, Obama is right not to repeatthat error. That some of his critics seem willing to is frightening. The U.S. has beencontinuously at war in the Middle East for more than a decade. We do not need toattack another, larger Muslim country.”– Durango Herald, 7/16/15We’ve Tended To Give The Benefit Of The Doubt To The Administration’s Goals,On The Theory That Economic Sanctions Have Not Deterred Iran And AreUnlikely To Do So In The Future, And Putting Iran’s Nuclear Program On Ice ForAt Least 10 Years Would Be Progress.“It’s hard to exaggerate the importance of the nuclear deal with Iran to PresidentObama’s legacy and indeed the security of the Middle East. If the deal stops ‘the spreadof nuclear weapons in this region,’ as Obama insisted Tuesday, it will be a magnificentachievement. But if the deal fails to halt Iran’s pursuit of such weapons, and cheatingleads to a regional arms race and war, Obama will become a 21st century version of‘Peace for Our Time’ Neville Chamberlain. We’ve tended to give the benefit of thedoubt to the administration’s goals, on the theory that economic sanctions have notdeterred Iran and are unlikely to do so in the future, and putting Iran’s nuclear programon ice for at least 10 years would be progress. But if that is true, it is also why theverification and enforcement elements are so important — and why they should becomethe focus of Congress in the coming days.”– Denver Post, 7/14/15