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Diplomacy Works
By maudeaster on 2015-04-10 10:54:44
What a relief that diplomacy won last week! And that we are now looking at a good plan to allay concerns about Iran’s
nuclear development and at the potential for US-Iran cooperation in calming the crises of the Middle East — from Iraq to
Yemen, from Afghanistan to Syria. Kudos to President Obama, US lead negotiator Wendy Sherman and [caption
id="attachment_6768" align="alignright" width="228"] : ; Wendy Sherman[/caption]
Secretary of State John Kerry. Shame on Senator Schumer for co-sponsoring the Corker legislation aimed at undermining
this victory for diplomacy. Please join me in calling Senator Schumer to urge him to remove his name from this
destructive legislation: 518-431-4070 or 202-224-6542. And please call Senator Gillibrand, too, who hasn't decided
whether she will support the Corker bill: 518-431-0120 or 202-224-4451. Why do I think the Framework Agreement
with Iran should allay fears about Iran’s nuclear development? Iran will give up 97% of its nuclear stockpile and reduce
its centrifuges by 2/3. Iran has agreed to unprecedented inspections and will not build new facilities for the purpose of
enriching uranium for 15 years. In return the US and European Union nuclear-related sanctions will be suspended once the
IAEA has confirmed that Iran has taken key steps. sestarrencocne nz Why did these negotiations succeed? Diplomacy
takes time and very skilled negotiators to create an agreement that allows all parties to survive with their critical needs met
and without humiliation. The New York Times article, An Jran Nuclear Deal Built on Coffee, All-nighters and Compromise
by David Sanger & Michael R. Gordon gives a glimpse into the lengthy and creative process that achieved this breakthrough
agreement. Successful diplomacy also requires respect for each party’s view of the history of their relationship. I feel that
one key to this negotiation’s success was President Obama’s acceptance that Iranians as well as Americans have reasons to
feel a lack of trust. Thomas Freidman’s interview with President Obama captures his understanding that Iranians have not
forgotten the US-orchestrated 1953 overthrow of their democratically elected Prime Minister Mosaddegh and American
support for the Shah who came to power in that coup. I think President Obama was also wise enough to realize that it was
insulting and non-productive to insist that Iran not be allowed the same civilian nuclear
enrichment that all countries are guaranteed under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), to which it is a party --
especially in light of the US turning a blind eye to the nuclear stockpile of the Middle East’s only nuclear power, Israel,
which has even refused to sign onto the NPT. And in light of US disregard for its obligations under the NPT to reduce its
own nuclear stockpile. See Larry Wittner’s article, Who are the Nuclear Scofflaws? [caption id="attachment_6766"
align="alignright" width="309"] é os = Women Against War's Billboard[/caption]
My basic view is that diplomacy is the main tool which keeps us safe i in the world. When US interests are in conflict
with those of another country, settling that conflict through diplomacy is the way to keep us—and other human beings safe
from the violent destruction of warfare. If we are foolish enough to rely on military means to resolve a conflict, 99% of the
time, we’ll end up at a negotiating table to end the fighting — with all the horrible deaths in between and all the seeds of
future conflicts sown by the pain of the warfare. So what is the appropriate role for Congress? I believe that any move to
resort to a military solution to a conflict should require Congressional approval -- in my mind not just Pentagon action, but
also the US feeding a conflict by providing military weaponry or surveillance support to warring parties -- as we are
currently doing in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and beyond. But non-military, peace-making, solutions 10 conflicts, solutions that our
State Department should be crafting very day, should not be undermined by imembers of
Congress whose political posturing is the enemy of compromise and the long range, complex considerations needed for
negotiations to succeed. So Senator Corker and Schumer and others trying to undermine this deal with Congressional
oversight and even new sanctions — please back off now! Let negotiations proceed for a final agreement at the end of June.
