The most current laughable thought is that the cease-fire with Iran is holding. It is a cease-fire in name only. Let’s call it a “CFINO.” The only question about it is when — or if — President Trump will call a halt to it and resume bombing the hell out of the Iranians. He appears to not want to do so.
U.S. Central Command said it acted in self-defense when, a few days ago, Iranian missiles, drones, and small boats approached the USS Harry S. Truman and its carrier battle group. No damage was sustained by the U.S. ships but the Iranian “navy” lost a few of its attack boats and several missiles and drones.
The UN can be relied on for only one thing: they can turn the most serious issues in the world into a comedy.
An F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS George H.W. Bush attacked three oil tankers approaching Iran, crippling all three ships.
And Mr. Trump characterized it as a “love tap” when U.S. forces carried out retaliatory strikes on Iranian targets. Mr. Trump insists that the CFINO is still in effect which must seem strange to those getting shot at and shooting back.
The United Arab Emirates, having just completed a strategic agreement with Israel, was struck by Iranian drones and missiles, wounding at least three people. The UAE’s crime, in the fevered minds of Iran, is its agreement with Israel.
Meanwhile, the Saudis and the Kuwaitis have reportedly withdrawn their objections to Mr. Trump’s “Operation Freedom” which promises to enable shipping — other than Iranian shipping — to resume through the Strait of Hormuz. The two nations had objected to the use of our bases in their territories — like NATO did — to free up the Strait, but those objections have been withdrawn.
According to the plan for “Operation Freedom,” the U.S. will clear a narrow passage of mines and escort ships through it. This will make the Iranians very unhappy, which is all to the good. If it happens.
The Iranian counter-proposal to the U.S.’s latest counter-counter-counterproposal didn’t arrive on Friday. The Iranian “negotiators” said they wouldn’t obey any false deadlines. To no one’s surprise, whenever it arrives, it will contain nothing new. They will never compromise on their “right” to develop nuclear weapons.
The UN can be relied on for only one thing: they can turn the most serious issues in the world into a comedy. Last week it made Iran one of the 34 “vice presidents” who will review the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Last June, Iran was found in violation of the Treaty for failing to protect enriched uranium. It was also in violation of the Treaty in 2003 for building “full-scale hemispherical implosion systems” for nuclear weapons.
And, like they always do, the Iranians talk about their “right” to nuclear weapons and what they would do with them. Thanks to my friends at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) we know that at least two members of the Iranian parliament have done so recently.
For example, one of Iran’s top nuclear scientists, Fereydoon Abassi, said that while he had not received orders to build a nuclear weapon, he would do so when ordered. He also said that Israelis should leave their country because none of it will be immune to attack.
In another example, a member of Iran’s parliament and a member of its National Security and foreign policy committee Abolfazl Zohrevand, said last year that Iran must be able to produce as many nuclear weapons it needs within a day and that Iranian missiles need to be built to deliver them.
These remarks, and many others like them, have been repeated in the past few months by other members of the Iranian parliament.
So what does Mr. Trump believe can be a result of a nuclear negotiation with Iran? It can’t, and won’t, be an agreement to give up its nuclear ambitions even if the Iranians promise to do so. Iran can be counted on to produce nuclear weapons as soon as it can.
Fortunately or not, the Iranian Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 requires Congress to review any proposed agreement with Iran and gives Congress 60 days to do it. Given Iran’s past conduct, no agreement should pass congressional muster unless American inspectors are given a free hand to inspect anything and everything they want to in Iran. That will never happen. The Act also says that no sanctions can be lifted for the same 60-day period.
As I have written elsewhere, Mr. Trump is about to be tied up in his authority to conduct the war against Iran under the War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973 over former president Nixon’s veto. The war may come to a crashing halt if Congress interferes. Which it is sure to do when it comes back from its latest vacation.
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