When it comes to criticism of Iran’s nuclear deal, President Obama says it’s either my way or war:

I’m hearing a lot of talking points being repeated about “this is a bad deal” — “this is a historically bad deal,” “this will threaten Israel and threaten the world and threaten the United States.”  I mean, there’s been a lot of that. 

What I haven’t heard is, what is your preferred alternative?  If 99 percent of the world community and the majority of nuclear experts look at this thing and they say, this will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, and you are arguing either that it does not, or that even if it does it’s temporary, or that because they’re going to get a windfall of their accounts being unfrozen that they’ll cause more problems, then you should have some alternative to present.  And I haven’t heard that.  And the reason is because there really are only two alternatives here:  Either the issue of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon is resolved diplomatically through a negotiation, or it’s resolved through force, through war.  Those are the options.

Now, you’ll hear some critics say, well, we could have negotiated a better deal.  Okay.  What does that mean?

Well, how about not giving Iran everything it wants for starters? Be it on sanctions, enriching uranium, the arms embargo or inspections, the Obama Administration has given ground again and again for the sake of a deal. 

His assertion that no deal would lead to further American involvment in war is ridiculous. Obama was no more prepared to initiate military action against Iran than he was to enforce red lines in Syria. I doubt most Republican administrations (especially if Rand Paul were to prevail) would initiate military action against Iran unless Iran attacked us first. 

But of course Obama’s comment ignores the fact there is already war in the Middle East as can be attested by the millions of Syrian refugees and persecuted Christians and a nuclear agreement with Iran isn’t going to change that one bit. What will change is that a nuclear arms race in the Middle East will accelerate and it will be left to Obama’s successor and or successors to clean up the carnage that will soon be wrought.