Some kind of deal has been reached with Iran concerning their efforts to enrich uranium and otherwise pursue projects that could lead them to achieve a nuclear weapons capability. The president is expected to address the nation on the details of the agreement shortly. Even though no details have yet been divulged, there are plenty of people who are already prepared to express their displeasure with the announcement of a deal.
I think we should wait to hear the details.
Iran commits to reducing its stockpiles of 20% refined uranium and halting opration of that Arak reactor (which can produce plutonium) for six months. The EU and US allow release of Iranian oil money. Other sanctions stay in place for now. That’s the latest details.
Looks like a strong deal for both sides. The US has had numerous bilateral interchanges with Iranian official.
If the confidence-building measures work, we could be looking at restoration of normal diplomatic relations before the end of the Obama administration IMO.
This is a huge positive accomplishment. Now we wait for the Saudi and Israeli reaction, which I think might be muted.
Of course, the GOP’s immediate reaction is furious.
This isn’t good news for John McCain.
This is the paramount reason that the GOP, if it doesn’t change and become a bit more nuanced, is going to go the way of the Whigs. Why must they always portray diplomacy as weak, when, in fact, it is always much better with more concrete results than the other alternative? It’s like if Dems are for it, they are agin it. As for me, I’m ready to break out the peace signs and paint some flowers on my car.
Six months? That’s worthless.
Six months….that makes peace a 2014 election issue.
Yes, anything to keep from discussing unemployment and wage inequality, which neither party wants to address.
Not really. If both sides refuse to play games with this agreement, in six months they shut up their respective warmongers. Six months also allows for an agreement on Syria to also build confidence that diplomatic assurances can be trusted. It also allows for six months of diplomacy to adjust Israel, the Saudis, and the Gulf states to a world in which it is not acceptable to use Sunni-Shi’a religious divisions for warmongering in the region.
It also allows six months to ratchet up the pressure on the real holdouts on the non-proliferation treaty. Israel is the key country here. Once Israel comes under the agreement, it will be much easier to negotiate India and Pakistan jointly. And then the focus is on North Korea.
This is the beginning, not the end of the diplomatic efforts.
They’re stalling. And getting the Oil money for it. In six months they continue the weapons program, if they are not doing so clandestinely.
Military spending is in sequester. The President is in his second term and after the next midterm will not owe favors to anyone. Presidents in their second term are looking at the history books and tend to make groundbreaking changes there. There are some holy grails of diplomacy that justify historic notice. (1) Ending the embargo of Cuba. (2) Negotiating North Korea into regular relations with the US. (3) Completing the list of nations that are signatories to treaties banning weapons of mass destruction and who fulfill their treaty obligations. (4) Negotiating an end to the Israeli/Palestinian conflct. (5) Normalizing relations between the US and Iran after 34 years of hostility. (6) General build-down of armaments by all nations. (7) Denuclearization of warfare.
Those are not necessarily in any order.
President Barack Obama now is going to want to earn that Nobel Peace Prize he was given in his first year.
And John Kerry is going to want to end his political career with similar huge accomplishments.
Oh, I should have made clear that the “they” I referred to is the Iranian government. Our government is, of course, trying to lift voter approval with a foreign policy triumph.
Bloomberg: Iran Agrees to Historic Deal with Powers to Rein in Nuclear Work
Most details so far.
Can Congress botch this all up w/o the President’s consent?
Only if Democrats are scared and divided.
However, it is such a strong deal, it should be easy for Democrats to sell. Centrifuges stopped for six months and perhaps negotiated for longer. Arak reactor suspending startup for six months and possibly changing fuel production. IAEA inspections. Pretty intrusive stuff in terms of national sovereignty.
The President is just trying to distract from the balky Obamacare website, according to the senior Senator from the Lone Star State.
I wonder if any of the talking chuckleheads will ask Sen. Cornyn about this demented bit of lunacy?
Because of strong opposition from Israel, Knesset members, US Congress key members and Saudi Arabia, this was a do or die moment in Geneva.
From my diary a few days ago – Historic Moment: Iran Nuclear Talks to Succeed.
Don’t take your eye off the ball.
Now the way is clear for us to invade Syria, which was Obama’s intention all along.
But only if he gets the Contras on board.
You’re laughing, but the tens of thousands of US troops languishing in Libya aren’t.
That is why they are asking for the Contras support, Reagan promised it.
Syria was being discussed in another room in Geneva. The same bunch plus Saudi and Israeli representatives. All at a low level for now. I don’t know who is going to be more disappointed about the Administration’s acknowledgement of the limits of US power–the neo-cons or the lefties. But don’t worry. Peace in the Persian Gulf only means that the Fifth Fleet will relocate from Bahrain to Darwin, Australia. And the Sixth Fleet will still be in the Mediterranean to protect Israel.
It is now in US interests to restore Assad to power temporarily in order to crush the al-Quaeda jihadis that took advantage of the civil war (at the encouragement of the Saudis).
The diplomatic actions of Russia and Iran (including Iran’s flexibility on the nuclear issue) have altered US calculations on the desirability of war in Syria (even the US public opposes it).
In fact, at this point it seems that the US public is war-weary enough that some other agreements might be reached.
Now if only the USA would now go one step further and resolve the Palestinian/Israeli festering abscess.
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○ CNN Breaking News: Historic Iran Nuclear Deal
The GOP has been weighing in, Cornyn has gotten hundreds of replies to this stupid tweet
Amazing what WH will do to distract attention from O-care
— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) November 24, 2013
Yes @JohnCornyn, Iran and all six world powers including Russia conspired to help Obama divert from Obamacare.
— Mike Signorile (@MSignorile) November 24, 2013
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_289563/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=t6SMOF8T
“WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States and Iran secretly engaged in a series of high-level, face-to-face talks over the past year, in a high-stakes diplomatic gamble by the Obama administration that paved the way for the historic deal sealed early Sunday in Geneva aimed at slowing Tehran’s nuclear program, The Associated Press has learned.
The discussions were kept hidden even from America’s closest friends, including its negotiating partners and Israel, until two months ago, and that may explain how the nuclear accord appeared to come together so quickly after years of stalemate and fierce hostility between Iran and the West…..”
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○ Israeli Minister Bennett Warns of Islamic Terrorist Bomb in New York, Nuclear Missile Strike on Rome
○ Facebook Naftali Bennett and JPost article Naftali Bennett Out-Bibi-ing Bibi in DC
○ Israel denounces Iranian nuclear deal, says it will review options
And central Asia!
Oui, thank you for your continuing and extensive coverage here at the Frog Pond! And not just at the Frog Pond. Here is Richard Silverstein of Tikun olam saying “Special thanks to reader, Oui, whose research helped support and shape this post” for this yesterday–Brandeis President’s Hypocrisy.
I know not everyone follows the details of the Middle East scene and it’s obviously difficult for those conflicted or confused by the ocean of hasbara here in the US but you have been an inspiration to me.
The Peace Train Keeps Rolling!
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Much appreciated kafkananda!
On the Brandeis topic, we were the lonely voices in a hostile confrontation with the Israeli Likud and hasbara crowd.
Fortunately, more support and a very crucial one seems to come forward:
○ Brandeis Faculty Members’ Visit to Al Quds University
○ Brandeis tosses Nusseibeh off board for not condemning militant rally at his school
Excellent tweets on Iran
https://twitter.com/NegarMortazavi
Negar Mortazavi @NegarMortazavi
Iranian-American Journalist, TV Host, Commentator | Tweeting about #Iran in English & Persian | Brandeis Alum | UN Veteran
From Tehran, in Washington · facebook.com/negarmore