Israel Matzav

'Name and shame'? Implement the sanctions!

You will recall that earlier this week I reported on the new US sanctions against Iran, and said that President Obama could provide cooperating country waivers at no significant cost.

Representative Howard Berman (D-Cal) disagrees about the cost of the waivers.

U.S. lawmakers said the new legislation significantly strengthens previous sanctions enacted by Congress against Iran.

It requires the U.S. Treasury to list the businesses linked to the Revolutionary Guard as well as the foreign firms doing business with them. It does the same for designated Iranian banks and Tehran's energy companies.

The White House could still employ a waiver for specific countries and international firms doing business with Iran. But lawmakers said this would come at a political cost to the White House and the international firms involved.

"The waiver has the name-and-shame effect, and there's a political-cost effect for the president," Mr. Berman said. "It undercuts the argument that he's serious about stopping Iran."

But House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind) is concerned that President Obama won't implement the legislation.

Let's go to the videotape.



Why can't all of Congress be like Mike Pence?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:56 PM