THE FACT sheet distributed by the Obama administration about the nuclear agreement with Iran is notable for its omissions. Not unusual, but what is uncommon is that this is the WaPo house editorial, and it strikes me as critical of el Presidente.
The 2,000-word document, like President Obama's televised statement Saturday night about the deal, stresses Iran's pledge to cap its enrichment of uranium, delay the completion of a plutonium-producing reactor and accept additional inspections -- measures that will guard against an attempt to produce a bomb while negotiations continue.
I guess this is the statement the Mullahs flagged as erroneous.
What the White House didn't report is that the text of the accord makes several major concessions to Tehran on the terms of a planned second-stage agreement.
For the children, you know?
Though White House officials and Secretary of State John F. Kerry repeatedly said that Iran's assertion of a "right to enrich" uranium would not be recognized in an interim deal, the text says the "comprehensive solution" will "involve a mutually defined enrichment program with mutually agreed parameters." In other words, the United States and its partners have already agreed that Iranian enrichment activity will continue indefinitely. In contrast, a long-standing U.S. demand that an underground enrichment facility be closed is not mentioned.
O.K., so a couple of minor details were overlooked by our ace negotiating team. Waitaminute....Didn't I see something that said the Champ was heavily invested in the negotiations?
I'm sure there will be a red line drawn. Soon. Very soon.
The most troubling part of the document provides for what amounts to a sunset clause in the comprehensive agreement. It says the final deal will "have a specified long-term duration to be agreed upon," and that once that time period is complete, "the Iranian nuclear program will be treated in the same manner as that of any non-nuclear weapon state party" to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
And if the parties happen to not agree on the timeframe? Oh, wait - the WaPo explains why it don't really matter.
Iran thus could look forward to a time when there would be no sanctions and no special restrictions on its nuclear capacity; it could install an unlimited number of centrifuges and produce plutonium without violating any international accord.
Just like any other country, except all those other countries have intelligent life forms in charge.
Administration officials say they regard Iran's agreement to the words "long-term" in the sunset clause as a significant concession. In theory, this might mean 15 to 20 years. Iran, however, has proposed a far shorter period; we are told it was three to five years.
Great! A three-to-five year extension on the nation of Israel. Assuming the Mullahs choose to follow any of the agreement's restrictions.
Whatever the final compromise,
Right. Didn't Champ say that once? Iran having the bomb was a red line?
The United States should retain the ability to block the expiration of controls with its veto in the U.N. Security Council.
Oh, I feel better now!
The interim arrangement, as we have said, is worthy because it
You gonna lead the negotiations, Ms. Graham?