Israel Matzav

If it's such a great deal, why does he have to threaten to veto any attempts to oppose it?

BREAKING: Obama says he will veto any legislation that blocks Iran deal.

— The Associated Press (@AP) July 14, 2015

If the Iranian nuclear deal is such a great deal, why does President Obama have to threaten Congress with a veto if they oppose it? If it were such a great deal, wouldn't Congress just pass it?

Oh wait... remember Obamacare... remember all the tricks they used to get it passed - like passing the Senate version in the House when they no longer had the votes in the Senate after @ScottBrown was elected? This is the foreign policy counterpart. Maybe they expect Congress not to read the agreement this time too....

In the meantime, Republican Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) has told Josh Rogin that President Obama had better prepare his veto pen (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

The newly announced deal between Iran and six world powers is “akin to declaring war on Israel and the Sunni Arabs,” and will be a huge problem for Hillary Clinton, according to GOP presidential candidate and Senator Lindsey Graham, who promised to not uphold the deal if he is elected next year.

“My initial impression is that this deal is far worse than I ever dreamed it could be and will be a nightmare for the region, our national security and eventually the world at large,” Graham told me in an interview early Tuesday morning, just after Iran, China, France, Russia, Britain, the U.S. and Germany confirmed they had reached terms for a historic deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

...

“If the initial reports regarding the details of this deal hold true, there’s no way as president of the United States I would honor this deal,” Graham said. “It’s incredibly dangerous for our national security, and it’s akin to declaring war on Sunni Arabs and Israel by the P5+1 because it ensures their primary antagonist Iran will become a nuclear power and allows them to rearm conventionally.”

...

In addition to the lifting of the embargo, Graham said lawmakers in both parties will be put off by the fact that the restrictions on Iranian enrichment expire over time. "There is no chance that this deal will be approved by Congress," he said, predicting rejection by "an overwhelming super majority in both the House and the Senate."

Graham also predicted that the deal would lead to an arms race in the Middle East and expanded hostilities between Shiite and Sunni Arabs all over the region. “If I had property in the Middle East, I would think about selling it after this deal.”

Lindsey Graham is considered one of the more moderate Republican Senators. It will be interesting to see what President Obama does to keep Democrats in line during the 4th quarter of his Presidency. Will Chuck Schumer finally break with him?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Charles Schumer, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Lindsey Graham

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:43 PM