© Gary Cameron/Reuters
Even before the upcoming August recess on Capitol Hill, the dogs of war, unleashed by remote control from Tel Aviv, predictably are trying to tear the Iran-P5+1 nuclear deal to shreds from all sides.
It does not matter that the
National Iranian American Council - which happens to be widely respected in Washington itself - has forcefully come out in defense of the deal.
It does not matter that the Obama administration can count on the combined efforts of the so-called E3 ambassadors (Britain, France and Germany) in Washington, who are exhausting themselves to explain the obvious: This is an international treaty, already approved by the United Nations, and not a parochial squabble decided in Idaho.
On the other hand, it does matter that the Obama administration has not been forceful enough to
defend its strategy as well as the result of such a long and treacherous negotiation.
So there are now two narratives shaping the battle ahead in Washington.
1) Iran is a rogue nation, an existential threat to Israel, and it cannot be trusted. It will breach the deal, so the deal must be rejected to the benefit of... perpetual sanctions, or war.
2) Iran is a rogue nation, it cannot be trusted, but we have all the verification mechanisms in place and as soon as Iran "cheats" - as it will - we launch immediate "snap back" sanctions.
No wonder, under these circumstances, Washington simply cannot be trusted by Tehran.
Comment: One word: hilarious! This must be the proof Ukraine's leaders have been looking for this past year and half: Putin has invaded Ukraine!