They want final say over any future agreement. Ideally, they want none at all. They want Iran isolated and weakened. They want its government ousted.
They want Israel’s main regional rival eliminated. They’re willing to wage war to achieve their objectives.
Netanyahu said any deal with Iran must include “a clear and unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel’s right to exist.”
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf dismissed his demand out of hand saying:
Agreement with Iran “is only about the nuclear issue…(It) doesn’t deal with any other(s), nor should it.”
On April 3, The New York Times headlined “With Iran Deal in Hand, White House Makes Sales Pitch to Preserve It.”
Saying Obama briefed Republican and Democrat leaders by phone before agreement was announced.
He promised more updates as talks continue. Senior administration officials began promoting the deal.
“The intensity of the campaign reflects the steep challenge Mr. Obama faces in building support among lawmakers…skeptic(al about” any deal with Iran.
Fierce anti-Iranian sentiment may kill any eventual agreement. Congressional opposition could undermine months of administration efforts to achieve something it considers successful – true or false.
The Wall Street Journal reported cracks in the Democrat/Jewish alliance over any Iran deal and Obama’s dispute with Netanyahu.
Saying “(m)any US Jewish leaders are unnerved both by the new Iran nuclear agreement and the public falling out between President Barack Obama and his Israeli counterpart, developments that are creating a rift in the durable alliance between Jews and the Democratic Party in the run-up to the 2016 elections.”
They continue warning about a nonexistent Iranian threat to Israel. They want Obama’s relationship with Netanyahu softened.
They want US/Israeli relations strengthened – regardless of its permanent war on Palestine and outrageous human rights violations.
Some want Iran held hostage to Israeli demands. Expect Tehran to face enormous obstacles ahead to achieve any kind of fairness.
Expect Israeli and US-controlled IAEA chief Yukiya Amano to invent fake claims of Iranian backtracking to obstruct lifting sanctions.
Expect things Washington accepted to be reinterpreted otherwise. Expect Iran to face an uphill battle ahead achieving much less than it deserves, including:
- lifting all sanctions straightaway on completing a final deal with no triggering mechanism for reinstating them based on likely bogus backtracking claims;
- ending the charade once and for all about an Iranian nuclear weapons program the whole world knows doesn’t exist – stating publicly there’s none now, earlier or likely ahead;
- normalizing ties with Washington and other Western countries – including reestablishing diplomatic relations; and
- recognition of Iran’s sovereign independence and right to be accepted like Western nations treat other countries.
It’s hard imagining any deal ending 36 years of intense US anti-Iranian sentiment.
Not as long as Congress, Israel and its Lobby maintain strong opposition to dealing with Iran fairly.
Or Obama demanding much more than he’ll give – on top of America’s duplicitous history of violating treaties, conventions and deals it agreed to.
It remains to be seen if business as usual continues. Odds strongly favor it.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” http://www.claritypress.com/
