Obama calls GOP criticism of Iran deal 'ridiculous' 'sad'

[webfact]

Obama calls GOP criticism of Iran deal 'ridiculous' 'sad'
By JULIE PACE

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — President Barack Obama unleashed a blistering and belittling rebuke of Republican White House hopefuls Monday, calling their attack on his landmark nuclear deal with Iran "ridiculous if it weren't so sad."

Standing before television cameras during a trip to Africa, Obama suggested the bellicose rhetoric from some GOP candidates was an attempt to divert attention from Donald Trump, the wealthy businessman-turned presidential contender whose popularity is confounding the Republican field.

"Maybe it gets attention and maybe this is just an effort to push Mr. Trump out of the headlines, but it's not the kind of leadership that is needed for America right now," Obama said during a news conference in Ethiopia.

Obama's comments marked his most direct engagement in the race to succeed him. Until now, he's largely limited his commentary to policy differences with Republicans, often sidestepping the names of specific candidates.

But the president's unsparing criticism Monday — targeting candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz, as well as Trump — underscored his sensitivity to efforts to scuttle the Iran accord, which he hopes will be his signature foreign policy initiative. It also raised the prospect of an aggressive role for Obama in the 2016 presidential campaign.

"In 18 months, I'm turning over the keys," Obama said. "I want to make sure I'm turning over the keys to somebody who is serious about the serious problems that the country faces and the world faces."

The president was asked specifically about Huckabee's assertion that Obama had agreed to a nuclear deal that would "take the Israelis and basically march them to the door of the oven," a reference to crematoria in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. The Israeli government staunchly opposes the agreement and views an Iranian nuclear program as a threat to its existence.

Obama said the comments from Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, were part of a broader pattern from Republicans. He also singled out Cruz, the Texas senator, for saying the nuclear deal makes Obama — not Iran — the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

"These are leaders in the Republican Party," Obama said, seeming incredulous. He suggested the GOP was breaking longstanding American tradition of not playing "fast and loose" with facts during serious foreign policy debates.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, said she was "offended personally" by Huckabee's comments. His remarks should be "repudiated by every person of good faith," she said during a campaign stop in Iowa Monday.

Huckabee dismissed the criticism, arguing that what was "ridiculous and sad" was that Obama wasn't taking Iran's threats to destroy Israel seriously.

"I will stand with our ally Israel to prevent the terrorists in Tehran from achieving their own stated goal of another Holocaust," Huckabee said in a statement.

While Huckabee's comments were aimed at Obama, some members of the GOP field — Trump most notably — haven't held back in their criticism of each other as next week's initial Republican debate draws near. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called on his colleagues Tuesday to tone it down.

"We have to campaign with joy in our hearts — not anger," Bush said during an event outside Orlando. "We shouldn't say outrageous things that turn people off to the conservative message. Our message is the one of hope and opportunity for everyone."

The White House is the midst of an intense lobbying campaign to prevent Congress from blocking implementation of the Iran deal. Lawmakers have until mid-September to review the accord, which aims to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from international economic sanctions.

The Republican candidates are united in their opposition to the deal, saying Obama has left Iran on the brink of building a bomb and done nothing to address Tehran's support for terrorism. Some, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, have vowed to immediately scrap the agreement if elected.

Obama's unprompted analysis of Trump's effect on the Republican field marks a shift for the president. He's largely steered clear of opportunities to weigh in on controversial statements Trump has made in recent weeks about Mexican immigrants and the war record of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was taken prisoner in Vietnam.

Obama brought up on his own Trump's suggestion that McCain wasn't a war hero because he was captured. Praising McCain's heroism, the president said Trump's remarks grew out of a political culture where those types of comments are tolerated.

"When outrageous statements are made about me, a lot of people outraged about McCain were pretty quiet," he said.

Obama has a long history with Trump, who was a driver of the "birther" movement that claimed the president wasn't born in the U.S. Trump's claims pushed Obama to release a copy of his birth certificate in 2011.

For years, Trump has been a sought-after surrogate and fundraiser for GOP candidates. As a candidate himself, he's unexpectedly emerged this summer as a leading contender for the GOP nomination, tapping into voters' discontent with Washington.

While some GOP candidates stepped up their criticism of Trump after his comments on McCain — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called him a jackass — the businessman's standing with voters does not appear to have been significantly damaged. He is still expected to be among the 10 candidates who qualify for the first Republican debate on Aug. 6 based on their standing in national polls.
___

Associated Press writers Josh Lederman in Washington, Catherine Lucey in Iowa and Sergio Bustos in Florida contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-28

[ezzra]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

[Ulysses G.]

His pathetic deal is "ridiculous and sad". He has endangered the whole world to satisfy his own ego.

[malathione]

Others, GOP or not, call Obama ridiculous and sad.

From my point of view, it is sad and ridiculous to empower and enrich a regime that both exports terrorism and terrorizes its own people.

[MZurf]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Pretty rich blaming Obama for not sending in ground troops in Libya and Syria after W invaded Iraq on the orders of Cheney (Halliburton)! I'm sure a lot of Americans would have supported an invasion of those two countries as well

And you can be damn sure that if he had sent troops in the biggest critics would have been the same people that now whine about the Iran deal.

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

[Loptr]

If it is so ridiculous and sad, then he should release the terms of the secret side-deals associated with the Iran treaty... You know, just like the top-secret TPP legislation that just got rammed through Congress without disclosure of the details to the general public...

Not sure what pisses me off more, the secret, back room deals or the fact that the US will be giving Iran more $$$ as a result of this deal as the US has given Israel since 1948, which pisses me off too...

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/07/27/iran-deal-worth-more-than-all-u-s-aid-to-israel-since-1948/

[kamahele]

His pathetic deal is "ridiculous and sad". He has endangered the whole world to satisfy his own ego.

"His deal" is actually an international agreement which was negotiated by the US, China, Russia, France, The United Kingdom, Germany and the EU with the backing of the UN. This deal which you describe as pathetic and as endangering the entire world actually eliminates the ability of Iran to build a bomb for decades. The international sanctions against Iran worked in bringing them to the bargaining table where a deal was made to restrict their ability to develop a nuclear weapon. We now have a deal which includes monitoring and the re-imposition of sanctions if Iran back peddles. I know that you probably have bought into the Israeli propaganda, hook, line and sinker but we owe thanks to all the leaders that put this deal together which reduces the need for military action against Iran that Israel would love to goad America into taking on their behalf. Thank you Mr. Obama, Mr. Kerry and the European and Asian leaders who put this deal together!

[malathione]

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

Let me answer your question by asking you a counter question: What has the Iran deal solved??

Does it guarantee that Iran will not get a nuclear device? Do you think that Iran will not spend at least a part of the funds it gets on Hezbollah to go around the world blowing up innocent people?

A solution. you asked. The sanctions regime was working. It bought Iran to the table. There was no immediate need for a weak deal. If Obama wasn't in such a hurry, he could have dealt from a position of greater strength, possibly. There was no immediate danger of Iran developing a bomb.

Ask yourself, do you think Iran now respects Obama? I'd seriously doubt it.

[kamahele]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Yes, Obama is responsible for every bad thing happening in the world. Well ,at least according to you. I think that Muammar Gaddafi is to blame for destabilizing Libya and Assad for destabilizing Syria through their brutal dictatorships, although you might through George Bush in there as well due to his invasion of Iraq. I hope someday you return to mother earth from the Tea Party LSD party you are attending.

[Pinot]

His pathetic deal is "ridiculous and sad". He has endangered the whole world to satisfy his own ego.

"His deal" is actually an international agreement which was negotiated by the US, China, Russia, France, The United Kingdom, Germany and the EU with the backing of the UN. This deal which you describe as pathetic and as endangering the entire world actually eliminates the ability of Iran to build a bomb for decades. The international sanctions against Iran worked in bringing them to the bargaining table where a deal was made to restrict their ability to develop a nuclear weapon. We now have a deal which includes monitoring and the re-imposition of sanctions if Iran back peddles. I know that you probably have bought into the Israeli propaganda, hook, line and sinker but we owe thanks to all the leaders that put this deal together which reduces the need for military action against Iran that Israel would love to goad America into taking on their behalf. Thank you Mr. Obama, Mr. Kerry and the European and Asian leaders who put this deal together!

Trying to respond to Republicans about Iran agreement is the same as trying to respond to them about the abortion issue. They had their minds made up about where they stood, before the agreement and they're not going to consider any reason a negotiated deal that Obama has his name on, as an alternative to Iran's nuclear development. Doesn't make any difference how good it is or how many countries approve it...Obama did it, it's bad.

And let's not forget how well that Sheldon Adelson money spends.

Huckabee says, we've marched the Jews to the oven doors? Oh, my Buddha. You can't step out of the Republican dogma line. Any Republican candidate that dares to say the deal is okay, will lose. I know they're all going to lose anyway, but let' not be pedantic, I'm trying to make a point. Obama couldn't negotiate any deal acceptable to Republicans.

War is not an alternative for Republicans, it's always the only answer. War fought without them with other people's children. All war, all the time. Bomb them. Turn the place to glass is the only possible acceptable outcome.

Just let them rant. That's what they do.

By the way, linking Breitbart (above) isn't a real journalistic reference, it's a Koolaid flavor.

[arjunadawn]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Pretty rich blaming Obama for not sending in ground troops in Libya and Syria after W invaded Iraq on the orders of Cheney (Halliburton)! I'm sure a lot of Americans would have supported an invasion of those two countries as well

And you can be damn sure that if he had sent troops in the biggest critics would have been the same people that now whine about the Iran deal.

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

Fallacy of the call to hypocrisy; it is worn to defend Obama's actions by noting the poverty of another president's actions because, really, no point is made. So, they both suck.

[Steely Dan]

Aside from the hard core progressive ideologues, and the Iranians everyone else knows full well this deal is absolutely stupefying in its incompetence. The web is awash with satire and parodies of this so called deal, which is a sure sign that there is a vast difference between how it is being presented by its proponents compared to the reality of the situation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421416/iran-deal-worst-political-blunder-ever

[Linky]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

If Israel wants a say then it can join the UN and start complying when then the UN says it has acted in bad faith, in the least.

Until Israel starts acting to world standards it can shut the hell up.

The countries of the world that matter consider this a great agreement. No one cares what people with a bigotted agenda thinks.

[Linky]

Aside from the hard core progressive ideologues, and the Iranians everyone else knows full well this deal is absolutely stupefying in its incompetence. The web is awash with satire and parodies of this so called deal, which is a sure sign that there is a vast difference between how it is being presented by its proponents compared to the reality of the situation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421416/iran-deal-worst-political-blunder-ever

The Australian govt has stated the agreement is a good step forward and are happy.

Which is good news for UlyssesG as he has previously stated how intelligent the Aussies are.

[simple1]

Aside from the hard core progressive ideologues, and the Iranians everyone else knows full well this deal is absolutely stupefying in its incompetence. The web is awash with satire and parodies of this so called deal, which is a sure sign that there is a vast difference between how it is being presented by its proponents compared to the reality of the situation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421416/iran-deal-worst-political-blunder-ever

The web is awash with outrageous right wing accusations against Obama, as summarised in the last sentence in your link.

I posted the link below in another topic concerning the agreement, with no response, that IMO is a good rational summary of the pros and cons - do you or others disagree with the article, if so why?

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/07/iran-nuclear-deal-obama/398450/

[thaibeachlovers]

He sees the writing on the wall for Obamacare, and the Iran deal is his last chance for a "legacy". If the GOP scuttle that he will have nothing, ZERO. He couldn't even close Guantanamo jail.

A reasonable man would be working with the GOP trying to do a deal, but Obama is anything but reasonable. The US would be better off if he'd stuck with being a community organiser and letting Hillary be pressy. At least they'd have got a third term of Bill.

[thaibeachlovers]

Aside from the hard core progressive ideologues, and the Iranians everyone else knows full well this deal is absolutely stupefying in its incompetence. The web is awash with satire and parodies of this so called deal, which is a sure sign that there is a vast difference between how it is being presented by its proponents compared to the reality of the situation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421416/iran-deal-worst-political-blunder-ever

The Australian govt has stated the agreement is a good step forward and are happy.

Which is good news for UlyssesG as he has previously stated how intelligent the Aussies are.

They probably want to sell Uranium to the Iranians. Goodness knows they need to sell something as they are broke thanks to Labour.

[thaibeachlovers]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Pretty rich blaming Obama for not sending in ground troops in Libya and Syria after W invaded Iraq on the orders of Cheney (Halliburton)! I'm sure a lot of Americans would have supported an invasion of those two countries as well

And you can be damn sure that if he had sent troops in the biggest critics would have been the same people that now whine about the Iran deal.

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

Minimum of un notified inspections of ALL sites. Plus releasing the 4 US hostages.

[dexterm]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

As a rule of thumb, count the body bags of US armed forces under GOP and under Obama, who has had a history of extracting US ground troops from conflicts...ones that have usually been started unnecessarily by GOP.

And GOP are all gung ho to start yet another war with Iran.

Edited July 28, 2015 by dexterm

[thaibeachlovers]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

As a rule of thumb, count the body bags of US armed forces under GOP and under Obama, who has had a history of extracting US ground troops from conflicts...ones that have usually been started unnecessarily by GOP.

And GOP are all gung ho to start yet another war with Iran.

Yes, the body count of US soldiers has gone down, while the body count of people in countries in which the US started wars has increased dramatically. Well that's OK then, as long as it isn't US bodies.

[arjunadawn]

There will be war. Period! A fool's review of history would note this buffoonery cannot long be sustained.

Every act, every step, every offer toward some means of reconciling the fears or the West with the nuclear ambitions of Iran have been thwarted, diverted, protested, or otherwise obfuscated for nearly 15 years by Iran and its occasional self serving allies. Though it appears that this deal is one last ditch good faith effort to avert war it really only graduates capitulation. The only conceivable next step would be to provide targeting coordinates for Tehran (indeed, this nuclear framework actually provides ballistic missile technology to Iran; you really cannot make this crap up). It is inconceivable that the West does not realize the exit ramp for averting war is in the rear view mirror and this desperate seemingly good faith act only escalates the slide toward that end.

[Thorgal]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

I'm not bigoted against Jews. I'm against bigoted and irrational reporting.

What do we have till now in this thread ? Breitbart, Associated Press, Krauthammer, Pulitzer...all members who push the geopolitical agenda of Lex Judaica.

I've only expressed my regret not to hear sufficiently the voice of the average American patriot. And it can be the opposite of what the mass media and politicians covers.

I'm convinced that this voice represents a deeper national concern and righteous feeling in not engaging the American children into another reckless foreign war by making a diplomatic and peaceful deal with Iran.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Thorgal

[arjunadawn]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

As a rule of thumb, count the body bags of US armed forces under GOP and under Obama, who has had a history of extracting US ground troops from conflicts...ones that have usually been started unnecessarily by GOP.

And GOP are all gung ho to start yet another war with Iran.

Yes, the body count of US soldiers has gone down, while the body count of people in countries in which the US started wars has increased dramatically. Well that's OK then, as long as it isn't US bodies.

The simplistic standard that just removing troops from a given area results in peace or decrease in bodies is evidenced no where in history. Thus measuring some form of success by recalling all the troops home results in a false conclusion. To wit, look at Iraq. IMO we should never have been in any of these places. It was just none of our business and the entire premise for warring in Iraq remains a valid point on every single subsequent issue- we should never have been there. But once there, the belief that simply removing the soldiers becomes a cause for celebration is wrong. Its a convenient metric to use, but ultimately says nothing.

40% of the Democratic House supported the call to war. The Democratic Senate approved the call to war. History is not as demagogic as some posters. History will judge the war has already been started and the initial disadvantage went to the West because of their refusal to note it.

[Ulysses G.]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

I'm not bigoted against Jews. I'm against bigoted and irrational reporting.

Yeah, sure. You have no problem with bigoted and irrational reporting when it supports your views. You don't announce the religion of the reporters either.

[Steely Dan]

Aside from the hard core progressive ideologues, and the Iranians everyone else knows full well this deal is absolutely stupefying in its incompetence. The web is awash with satire and parodies of this so called deal, which is a sure sign that there is a vast difference between how it is being presented by its proponents compared to the reality of the situation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421416/iran-deal-worst-political-blunder-ever

The web is awash with outrageous right wing accusations against Obama, as summarised in the last sentence in your link.

I posted the link below in another topic concerning the agreement, with no response, that IMO is a good rational summary of the pros and cons - do you or others disagree with the article, if so why?

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/07/iran-nuclear-deal-obama/398450/

The Atlantic article is built on several false premises. The binary choice deal or war is a cynical reductionist ploy designed to put opponents of the deal over a barrel. Shame that credible willingness to go through with military action if necessary wasn't used instead on the Iranians to force a better deal. Incidentally the U.S has in effect been at war with Iran for 36 years and the death to America policy from Iran didn't end with the deal signing. In effect Obama has bankrolled the enemy to the tune of $100 billion.

The next fallacy is that the deal makes war less likely, on the contrary it is more likely. The Saudis and UAE are already looking to procure nuclear weapons. Anyone looking to attack the Iranian nuclear installations will also be aware that this option becomes more difficult after an arms embargo on Iran ends in five years.

Then we have the 2011 opinion of a former Mossad chief. Well today find me any voice in Israel that thinks the deal is a good one.

http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=251&x_article=3057

Edited July 28, 2015 by Steely Dan

[Linky]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

I'm not bigoted against Jews. I'm against bigoted and irrational reporting.

Yeah, sure. You have no problem with bigoted and irrational reporting when it supports your views. You don't announce the religion of the reporters either.

Why should he, you imply it doesnt matter.

[BKKBobby]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Pretty rich blaming Obama for not sending in ground troops in Libya and Syria after W invaded Iraq on the orders of Cheney (Halliburton)! I'm sure a lot of Americans would have supported an invasion of those two countries as well

And you can be damn sure that if he had sent troops in the biggest critics would have been the same people that now whine about the Iran deal.

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

Minimum of un notified inspections of ALL sites. Plus releasing the 4 US hostages.

Inspections of all sites including military sites? Theres countries that have the capacity and the willingness to get their hands on the information it would produce - to use it against Iran.

I dont know any country that would allow inspections of their military sites.

[chuckd]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

If Israel wants a say then it can join the UN and start complying when then the UN says it has acted in bad faith, in the least.

Until Israel starts acting to world standards it can shut the hell up.

The countries of the world that matter consider this a great agreement. No one cares what people with a bigotted agenda thinks.

"If Israel wants a say then it can join the UN and start complying when then the UN says it has acted in bad faith, in the least."

Sorry, Linky, but you screwed the pooch yet again.

Israel has been a member state of the United Nations since 11 May 1949.

Your rant was for naught.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/foreignpolicy/mfadocuments/yearbook1/pages/admission%20of%20israel%20to%20the%20united%20nations-%20general.aspx

[chuckd]

Unlike you, most people are not bigoted against Jews. You whine every time someone quotes an article from one. In America - maybe not your country - Jews have a right to an opinion, although they rarely agree with each other. What you want is one who agrees with you.

Charles Krauthammer is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist, author, political commentator, and physician. His weekly column is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers worldwide. He is one of America's best known writers.

I'm not bigoted against Jews. I'm against bigoted and irrational reporting.

What do we have till now in this thread ? Breitbart, Associated Press, Krauthammer, Pulitzer...all members who push the geopolitical agenda of Lex Judaica.

I've only expressed my regret not to hear sufficiently the voice of the average American patriot. And it can be the opposite of what the mass media and politicians covers.

I'm convinced that this voice represents a deeper national concern and righteous feeling in not engaging the American children into another reckless foreign war by making a diplomatic and peaceful deal with Iran.

You don't have access to Google?

[ggold]

President Obama has allowed the destabilization of Libya and Syria and has failed to negotiate a Standard of Forces Agreement with Iraq, creating a security vacuum. Either unwittingly, or by design, Obama's actions have created the environment for, and facilitated the success of, ISIS and paved the way for a caliphate. ISIS will always be "Obama's War."

Obama has released the al-Qaeda combatants from Guantanamo, the most egregious being the Bowe Bergdahl swap, allowing them the opportunity to return to the radical Muslim jihad.

He is now pushing an agreement with Iran that would provide that government with the return of more than $100 billion in assets, the ability to purchase conventional and ballistic weapons and the installation of a missile defense system from Russia and ultimately would allow it to develop nuclear weapons, all of which would aid the radical Muslim jihad.

The one thing that Obama has done to deter the jihad was the execution of Osama bin Laden.

His foreign policy has also emboldened Russia and weakened Israel.

Obama has undermined our military and placed our national security in jeopardy.

Obama will be recorded not as "one of our best," but rather as the most destructive president in history

Pretty rich blaming Obama for not sending in ground troops in Libya and Syria after W invaded Iraq on the orders of Cheney (Halliburton)! I'm sure a lot of Americans would have supported an invasion of those two countries as well

And you can be damn sure that if he had sent troops in the biggest critics would have been the same people that now whine about the Iran deal.

We hear a lot of noise coming from the loony right about the Iran deal. Let me ask you guys what a better solution would have been??

They should have left the sanctions in place, and kept Iran isolated. That would have been enough to topple the islamic regime.