Pirate's Cove

Just a few short days ago, Americans were treated to the view of American Navy members forced to kneel at gun point while their boats were boarded and seized by Iran, and the lone female member was forced to comply with Sharia and wear a hijab. Today, the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism is being rewarded

(The Hill) The United States on Saturday lifted sanctions against Iran and announced that four Americans held prisoner in the country will be returning home, in a whirlwind day of diplomacy that cements President Obama’s engagement with Iran as a pillar of his legacy.

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog certified Iran has fulfilled its promises to prevent it from building a nuclear weapon, after decades of tensions, years of negotiations and months of work to implement the international nuclear deal reached six months ago.

The State Department confirmed moments later that the nuclear deal is now implemented, thereby lifting a slate of sanctions.

In Vienna, Secretary of State John Kerry touted the step as a vindication of diplomacy in the face of doubters.

“I think we have also proven once again why diplomacy must be our first choice and war a last resort,” Kerry said.

Again with the strawman argument that we either go to war with Iran or have peace. Of course, said peace breaks down to Iran pinky swearing to not work on developing nuclear weapons for somewhere in the range of 8 to 10 years, at which point they are pretty much free to do whatever they want, leaving a future president to deal with the mess, all while Iran is flush with cash from selling oil, and flush with even more influence over the Middle East. How does this future president reign in Iran at that point? Would they have any standing to get Europe and the United Nations on board when it’s learned that Iran is once again developing nuclear weapons?

Marco Rubio makes a few salient points

As our men and women in uniform were being used as propaganda props by the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism, President Obama was preparing to provide their hostage takers with upwards of $100 billion in sanctions relief and endorse an Iranian nuclear capability.

That relief will begin today, the so-called “Implementation Day” of President Obama’s deeply flawed deal with Iran.  Iran will receive much-needed funds to expand its regional aggression and its support to terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

By channeling this money to Tehran and giving the mullahs international legitimacy, the Obama administration is fueling the greatest growth in Iranian power since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979. What’s worse, for months Iran has telegraphed in word and deed how it plans to utilize this newfound power—namely, to dominate the Middle East and threaten American security.

When President Obama announced the nuclear deal last July, he expressed hope for a new era of cooperation with Iran. Ever since, Tehran has mocked him. Missiles have been fired near a U.S. aircraft carrier.  Iran has violated an international prohibition on tests of ballistic missiles only to have the United States back away from imposing new sanctions for fear of upsetting Iran.  Iran continued to take innocent Americans hostage in an effort to eventually free criminals imprisoned in the U.S.

Fortunately, Iran found a willing partner in Mr. Obama, who was desperate to burnish his “legacy”, forgetting that historians will remember the outcomes of the deal, not just the deeply flawed deal itself.

#ImplementationDay–I thank God for this blessing & bow to the greatness of the patient nation of Iran. Congrats on this glorious victory!

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 16, 2016

A glorious victory! What, exactly, does the United States as a country get out of this deal? There are no “anytime, anywhere” inspections. The so-called snap-back sanctions will never happen. Iran gets a lot of money. They see sanctions removed. They are free to continue to spread terror and influence throughout the region. Their economy will grow. What does America get? Searching the Internet, it appears the answer is “nothing”. Even Team Obama cannot say what America gets out of the deal.

(The Atlantic) According to The New York Times, in the final days of talks, a television anchor on a hardline Iranian channel said, “The fact is, Obama needs this deal much more than we do.” She went on: “The American president needs a victory, and only a deal with Iran can give him that. They have retreated on several issues and compromised on their own red lines.” Whether or not this perception is fair, it’s a perception nonetheless, and perceptions drive behavior.

It won’t create peace: in fact, just the opposite. Shouldn’t a deal give something to both parties?

Crossed at Right Wing News.