Fecteau: The Providence Journal Editorial Board is Wrong on the Iran Deal
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The critics of the Iran deal mischaracterize its terms. While offering no alternative, their criticism is empty. Surprisingly, The Providence Journal even jumped on the band wagon with their recent op-ed on the subject.
The Providence Journal does have a number of reasonable gripes. With this deal, several key requirements are lifted for Iran. After 15 years, Iran will be eligible to conduct research on advanced centrifuges. Five years from the deal’s inception, Iran will be able to purchase conventional arms with more liberty. After eight years, Iran can purchase intercontinental ballistic missile technology.
These points are slightly deceiving. If the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA or UN nuclear watchdog) confirms Iran is abiding by the terms of the Joint Plan of Action (the Iran deal), specific economic sanctions will be lifted.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHowever, a number of countries, including the United States will continue to maintain sanctions on Iran for human rights abuses, support of terrorism, and ballistic missile technology.
Furthermore, critics of the deal fail to mention Iran has to abide the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it remains a party. In accordance with the treaty, Iran is entitled to a peaceful nuclear program, and a weaponized program remains outside the parameters.
With the ongoing inspections by the IAEA for upwards of 25 years, Iran still can be held in noncompliance, and sanctions could come back with teeth. Even beyond the end date, Iran will have to remain in compliance with IAEA standards and safeguards (inspections) or face crippling multilateral economic sanctions once again.
In addition, the United States will – likely -- be covertly monitoring Iran to ensure full compliance. To alleviate the concerns of allies in the region, the US could provide some of this intelligence to our allies.
To the critics, diplomacy is certainly not appeasement; conservative icon President Ronald Reagan didn’t appease the Soviet Union when both countries negotiated an accord in the 1980s. In fact, Reagan was hailed as a hero for taking a hardline stance against our Soviet foe (wonder what The Providence Journal thinks of that?).
The Iranian nuclear deal doesn’t solve all issues with Iran. Iran has a deplorable human rights record, and its support for terrorism within the region is without question. Nevertheless, the chants of ‘death to America’ (strangely) have become more perfunctory than meaningful.
To depose this regime, we need a new approach.
In 2013, I traveled to various parts of Iran. I found people deeply in love with American culture. They yearned to become part of the international community, and looked upon their government with disgust. The Iranians relate more to the United States than we realize, and should use that leverage to encourage the Iranian government to end their support for regional and global terrorism.
Eventually, a new generation of Iranians will emerge willing to compromise, and capable of changing the dynamics of the hardline government, but this takes time.
Absent of a nuclear deal, we could be dragged into another war we cannot afford to fight, nor have the will to fight. If there is another conflict, Iranians would likely rally around their government, and seek to expel US forces from Iran (kind of like Iraq, huh?), ensuring their unadulterated hatred for decades to come.
While newspapers such as The Providence Journal don’t endorse war with Iran, their lack of alternative puts us on war footing yet again. I am sure many on The Providence Journal editorial board opposed the Iraq War, but it is completely disingenuous to attack this specific deal without offering any concrete alternative.
The deal is far from perfect, but certainly a historic milestone that should be celebrated.
Matt Fecteau ([email protected]), of Pawtucket, lost to U.S. Rep. David Cicilline in last year’s Democratic primary. He is a former White House national security intern and Iraq war veteran.
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