September 8, 2015

AS I SEE IT

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

As Congress gets ready to take a vote on the nuclear arms deal that the United States as well as the United Nations Security Council and Germany were able to cobble together to limit Iran’s capability to develop nuclear weapons, a lot of questions remain as to whether or not this is a good deal for Iran’s neighbors or the rest of the free world.
The absolutely critical question that doesn’t seem to be answered is whether or not the United Nations and other countries, under the agreement, will have free access to inspect Iran’s nuclear plants and their military bases to ensure that they are not developing nuclear weapons.
And that question hasn’t seemed to be fully answered as it appears that there are enough Republican and Democrat members of Congress who have indicated that they will not support the nuclear arms deal when it comes to a vote in the next week or two.
Members of Congress have every reason to be cautious of any nuclear deal with Iran, which has proven time and time again that it cannot be trusted. Which is why Iran is still under international sanctions, which would be lifted as soon as the deal is signed.
To have a radical country like Iran with nuclear weapons is unthinkable. Allowing Iran to have the capability to develop and maintain its own nuclear weapon arsenal, as well as for that terrorist country to be able to sell nuclear weapons to other radical countries, would most surely guarantee nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and poses grave threats to world peace.
The world has learned repeatedly in its dealings with Iranian leaders that they will say anything to get the deal that they want. And then they will do whatever they want, regardless of what they agreed to.
And apparently, that is the course of action that the Iranians intend to follow under this new deal.
Even as Congress is preparing for the vote on the nuclear deal, Iran’s military leaders, who are calling the United States an enemy of mankind, and are committed to wiping Israel off the map, are saying that their country has no intention of granting permission for the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect every one of its nuclear sites.
Those statements coming out of Iran should give every member of Congress reason enough not to vote in favor of the nuclear arms deal. When you then throw in Iran’s less than stellar adherence to previous agreements, Congress needs to understand the severe consequences of approving this nuclear arms deal with a terrorist nation.
It was only because of the crippling international sanctions that Iran came to the bargaining table in the first place. Once those sanctions are lifted, and the $150 billion in frozen Iranian funds are released, Iran will have everything that they need to continue to wreak havoc on their Middle East neighbors, Israel, and the rest of the free world. Not only will they have money, but they will also have nuclear weapons.
The Iran nuclear deal is a bad deal.
Congress needs to vote to disapprove of this deal with Iran. And then be ready to carry that disapproval over to override President Obama’s promised veto of the legislation.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER