On Tuesday, President Trump formally disavowed the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran. Officials have indicated the US intends to violate the deal with new sanctions against Iran. The White House, however, still insists that Iran fulfill all of its obligations under the treaty, even though the US isn’t a party to it, and isn’t fulfilling any of its own obligations.
The nuclear deal obliged Iran to substantially limit its civilian nuclear program, and to agree to a safeguards agreement giving the IAEA a level of access far beyond what any other country is expected to allow. US officials say Iran must keep this up.
Which again, is a galling position, because the US isn’t fulfilling any commitments, and has dishonored the treaty. To make this demand even more absurd, Iran has indicated it intends to remain a party to the deal anyhow, and will continue to honor the terms as they have throughout.
The White House comments seem to be about trying to present the survival of the deal as a US achievement, despite the US openly trying to kill the deal. It also allows the US to threaten to “punish” Iran for disobeying, even though the US is already set to punish them despite complying with the deal.
Perhaps Ivana’s lawyer should insist that Trump observe the conjugal obligations of his former marriage.
Ricardo, shall we check out every aspect of your sex life too,,Mueller, Mueller?
“…It also allows the US to threaten to “punish” Iran for disobeying, even
though the US is already set to punish them despite complying with the
deal…”
it’s a catcha-22
Well, He is bipolar.
This is straight from Roosevelt’s playbook in provoking the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Trump is probably already is rehearsing a draft speech that starts: –
“Yesterday, (Insert date) —a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America/Israel (delete whichever does not apply) was suddenly and deliberately attacked by (suitable derogatory label)…”
Tony, you mean like LBJ and the Gulf Of Tonkin attack?
No.
Tonkin was opportunistic. The Trump/Netanyahu action was a long time in the works, blatantly foretold and carefully staged.
This was a contest for ownership of the current POTUS between Netanyahu and Putin and Netanyahu is the clear winner. Putin gets a consolation prize of a much needed rise in oil and gas prices.
All we can do is tune in and rate the show.
Tony, by making mention of Putin in your argument you have harmed your credibility. By Po-Poing Tonkin as just “opportunistic” is incredible.
Trump is playing Netanyahu, not the other way around. So far, Trump has delivered nothing of substance. Now, you all can go right ahead predicting all manner of unpleasant outcomes — stroking yourself with your Trump-hate — but I’m gonna wait for actual results, as in, you know, ***reality***. Like peace in Korea.
Trump won. You lost. Minimum two years eight months to go. I understand that it’s painful, but just the same, try to get your head straight. MAGA.
So the things Trump has actually done like withdrawing from the JCPOA or bombing Syria or moving Israel’s embassy or escalating in Afghanistan and Yemen are nothing of substance but peace in Korea, which has yet to happen, is reality?
Withdrawal from the JCPOA, while causing much furor, has no material consequences. The sanctions were never really lifted, and Iran may choose to continue to abide by to the terms agreement. So, it’s just more Kabuki.
The two cruise missile strikes on Syria were military theater — ie more Kabuki — in response to false flag chemical weapons theater — ie jihadi Kabuki. Kabuki all around. Kabuki vs Kabuki. Reality tv. But militarily?,… a nothingburger.
And moving the US embassy to Jerusalem? Some people have strong feelings about this, but in the end it just acknowledges a heretofore unacknowledged reality: Israel has won, the Palestinians are defeated. Accepting this truth, or for that matter, any truth, means accepting reality, which is the essential first/next step for moving forward.
Trump needed the allies he found in the military (and the police), because everyone else in the elite classes wanted his head on a pike. So Trump gave Afghanistan to the generals, where they will persist in embarrassing themselves until they have had their fill, and take the lead in advocating for withdrawal.
The Saudi/Yemen thing is just stupid. Trump inherited it from Obama, and it will end when the Saudis decide they’ve had enough. Meanwhile, it remains a blood money gravy train for the US defense industry. I don’t support that, but Trump didn’t invent it.
I hope that the USA is not full of people like you, or the world really is lost.
You mean, thoughtful, ethically-disciplined, reality-connected pragmatists?
Or did you mean something else? Help me out here, Rosemerry.
That was easy. Just call anything distasteful he does “Kabuki”. You could be the next Sarah Huckabee.
Jeffrey, everyone has there own version of reality. Some of it we know about, as it lives in our conscious mind. The rest, not so much, as it is part of our subconscious. The subconscious is an amalgam of nature and nurture, fed from infancy by our parents and with the tools our culture provides like schools and conditioning. Your version of reality and mine clearly differ significantly. But that’s OK; without these differences there’d be no need to think or question anything. That would not be life as we know it and we would be dull creatures indeed.
No one cares about your thoughts, perceptions or conclusions, it is only your actions that harm others. Think whatever you like, just don’t drop bombs on people.
Actions are motivated by “…thoughts, perceptions or conclusions…”. , in large part by one’s conclusions about the feasibility of desired outcomes if certain actions are taken.
So the point to prevent, as in your example, dropping bombs, if you are sincere about this, is somewhere in the “thoughts, perceptions or conclusions” process of the bomb droppers. Better still, work to replace those with authority to drop bombs with more reasonable people.
Full disclosure, I have no authority to drop bombs.
I think I would be happier with a million dollars, I perceive that money is in the bank and I am motivated to go and steal it, which may include killing a few people who want to stop me.
As long as I do not act on my thoughts we can get along just fine.
An exceedingly civil and thoughtful response. In light of so respectful a reply, I retract all Pro-Trump needling which I so enjoy dishing out to TDS sufferers.
I will be looking forward to hearing your point of view in future, mutually respectful exchanges.
Kudos, Tony.
Thanks. I read a few of your other posts and found them informed, thoughtful and thought-provoking. I’n glad to have bumped into you digitally.
And, BTW, I see Trump’s ascension as a unpredictable but wholly necessary jolt to our establishment’s cozy indifference to the real problems we face, and a wake-up call to an electorate that is so easily distracted by factional non-issues. Now that Trump has gone full speed into the iceberg, those on the ship of state may be forced to concentrate on a collective solution to saving themselves individually.
Bullshit, liberally dispersed, is a great fertilizer!
We now hope that EU nations still keep on trading with Iran. But at this time i do not expect that Iran will be secure and safe from a US and/or Israeli-US attack without having the arms the two very belligerent and lawless countries have.
Russia has, thus will not ever be attacked even if the West manages to change govt there.
Chutzpah, anyone? Anyone? We have plenty of left-overs, the chef went a little crazy after the shoe incident…
Okay but the moratorium on buying conventional and ballistic missile technology is also abrogated.
I’d love to see the look on the Orange One’s face when Iran starts buying Su-30’s and hypersonic weapons from Russia as punishment for withdrawing from the deal.
Putin is a complete wuss.
400 NEW US ICBMS ON THE WAY
Nope, they don’t have the guts.
Prez. Trump allowed BIBI to decide USA foreign policy. This was a mistake!
Prez. Trump still far and away better than hillary. 🙂
In this case the wicked one would have been far and away better than Trump. Although I’m sure she would have liked to kiss bibi’s ass like Trump did, she would have remained loyal to her party and stuck with the deal. Sometimes “the Hillary would have been worse” argument doesn’t apply.
The Crooked One would be doing nothing to ease the flow of illegals across the border, would have done nothing to ease the unemployment rate, would have done nothing to get out of one-sided trade deals that hurt America, would have done nothing to lower taxes for working Americans,etc.
But she would have kept the JCPOA intact and that is what I commented on. I can’t stand the witch and I wasn’t defending her. Again, she would have kept the JCPOA intact and that is ALL that I commented on.
who cares about Party loyalty – you mean the John McCain type of loyalty to the Republican President?
I didn’t say it like it was a good thing, only that is what she would have done.
Zio-Trump either has a sense of humor or is insane. I think the latter
The gall of the empire!
US drops out of the agreement but still talks like it’s in control.
The US should just shut up.
Is our President suddenly discovering that the Iran agreement is codified in a resolution of the UN Security council which means that he nor Iran can violate that law without consequences? If he truly pulls us out then every other country has the right to impose sanctions on us.
Yes, they can–but they’d have to grow a pair first. Something I’m skeptical of…
They can’t – some of them are female.
This is typical American behavior. The U.S. also expects all other states to comply with international law yet shows complete disregard for international law.
This is a laugh. It is sort of like Israel abusing a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty for non-compliance, while it is itself not a member and not in compliance either.
Iran…. Ahahaha! Wait, what your serious, well you can go f yourself!
This is typical of US behavior in international deals, not just Trump. The even worse action is the “punishment” of countries who wish to continue the agreement and trade as they have been with Iran which has done everything demanded of it. It is ironic than the poor FLOTUS Melania has a special project against bullying. She could perhaps start right at the White House.
In addition to, and in support of my comments below:
https://original.antiwar.com/smith-grant/2018/05/10/israel-uses-intelligence-cutouts-to-target-the-us/
No frequent visitor to this site can be under the least illusion as to Israel’s malign influence in the US and across the globe.
Five thousand years, the same story. The same as today.
This ‘demanding’ something that’s a sure thing — like Stossel’s ~getting in front of a parade so as to look like you’re leading it.
Next moves most likely include flat lies about non-compliance, or overdramatizations of inevitable ‘glitches’ that won’t constitute non-compliance in reality. Less likely but possible: public self-congratulation that the parade is behaving.
This may or may not be Trump’s idea or style (I’m still not paying attention to him, in particular) — melodrama, half-truths with conspicuous omissions, etc., depicting misbehavior of long established propaganda targets is an older pattern. Is it not?
We should simply admit that Trump is not in control of the Mid-East strategies any-longer and deffer to Israel on policy, this might reduce confusion.
With United States not being a partner to the Iran deal Obama and 4 other countries agreed to . What do you mean the United States is not going to fulfill its part of the deal . Trump is going to take us back to Obama’s promise while he was first running for president . Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons period . This is a completely different deal than what Obama and the 5 + 1 finally agreed to .where Iran could develop their missiles and not make them nuclear for 10 years or so . Obama’s deal was sorta hoping Iran would have different leadership and they might forget about going nuclear in a few years . Now Trump Is back to Obama’s original campaign promise Iran is never going to have nuclear weapons period .. If this means war so be it . Iran won’t have any nuclear bombs for the war no matter how upset they get .
Hmmm lets think about that for the longest time……….NO!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4dea668a311c3d337be8c8a01d0c1cf8adecc198d470658fc738588a150c1b59.jpg
too bad iran has always complied with inspections. someone needs to fill frump in and bring his backward mind up to speed. now on another note, DEMAND israel have iaea inspections.