[pjw] NEWS: Trump's Reckless Decision Puts US on Path to War with Iran (Commondreams 5/8)

[Peace and Justice Works]

PJW supporters
Below is a piece by Trita Parsi about President Trump's declaration that 
the US will pull out of the Iran deal.

I'm actually a bit more optimistic because of the countries who often act 
as lapdogs who are still part of the Agreement and oppose Trump's move, 
the fact that Trump's bull-headedness led North and South Korea to talk to 
each other despite him (not because of him as he claims), and because Iran 
has been following the terms of the Agreement, per the IAEA. But that's 
not a reason to relax or ignore the War Party's goals of starting 
something big, so do pay attention to the last sentence...

"Unfortunately, we must now redouble our efforts to prevent Trump from
leading us to war with Iran."

As a reminder, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition is at the corner of SW 
Yamhill and Broadway every Friday at 5 PM. (Going on 17 years).
dan h
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/05/08/trumps-reckless-decision-puts-us-path-war-iran
Published on Tuesday, May 08, 2018 by Common Dreams
Trump's Reckless Decision Puts US on Path to War with Iran

Trump has taken a functioning arms control deal that prevented an Iranian 
nuclear bomb and turned it into a crisis that can lead to war
by
Trita Parsi


In anticipation of President Donald Trump's announcement that he will 
withdraw the U.S. from its commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of 
Action (JCPOA) on Tuesday, the following is a statement from Trita Parsi, 
president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC):

Donald Trump has committed what will go down as one of the greatest acts 
of self-sabotage in America.s modern history. He has put the United States 
on a path towards war with Iran and may trigger a wider regional war and 
nuclear arms race.

This is a crisis of choice. Trump has taken a functioning arms control 
deal that prevented an Iranian nuclear bomb and turned it into a crisis 
that can lead to war.

"For decades, Washington has insisted that the Iranian leadership is 
addicted to enmity with the United States. Now it may become fact for the 
world that the opposite is true and it is America that is addicted to 
enmity with Iran."

This is not America first, this is Trump leasing out America.s foreign 
policy interests to the highest bidder. The only parties applauding this 
move are Benjamin Netanyahu and Mohammed Bin Salman, who have consistently 
chosen to undermine regional security to advance their own short-sighted 
political fortunes. Trump.s reckless decision is a betrayal of the 
national interests of the United States of America that could haunt us for 
generations.

Not only has Trump opened a pandora.s box of consequences in the region, 
we now know the administration hired the private Israeli intelligence firm 
Black Cube to target former U.S. officials who supported the agreement. 
This Nixonian campaign was likely an illegal attempt to discredit the Iran 
deal. Anything short of a full investigation by Congress and the Justice 
Department of Trump.s efforts with Black Cube would be an affront to our 
democratic system.

Perhaps the most absurd aspect of President Trump.s Iran policy is his 
attempt to claim solidarity with the Iranian people, even as he bans 
Iranians from the U.S. and his top advisors openly support the MEK 
terrorist group that is universally reviled by Iranians. The Iranian 
people overwhelmingly supported the nuclear deal, at least until the 
sanctions relief that was promised failed to materialize, and will be the 
party most impacted by Trump.s decision.

Many were hopeful that the nuclear deal would facilitate broader change in 
Iranian society over time by empowering moderate forces in their demand 
for social and economic justice. By diminishing the excuse of sanctions 
and raising expectations for economic improvement, the nuclear deal 
appears to have added pressure on Iran.s leaders to meet the public.s 
political expectations. However, a potential opening for accelerated 
progress in Iran has now been slammed shut by Trump, an action that will 
redirect attention from the Iranian government to the United States. This 
will not just empower hardliners, it will force Iran.s political elite to 
paper over fissures on key social and political issues while cracking down 
further on any dissent. This is potentially the biggest crime of Trump.s 
decision . limiting the agency of Iran.s own people to choose peaceful 
political evolution in order to address their grievances.

It is our profound hope that the Europeans, Russians and Chinese are able 
to sustain the nuclear accord in spite of Trump.s decision . though we 
recognize that this is a tall task given the effect of U.S. sanctions. We 
also hope that Congress will shake off the politicization of Iran policy 
and move to restrict Trump.s nuclear sabotage. However, given that Senate 
Republicans and even a handful of Democrats voted for Iran-hawk Mike 
Pompeo to join John Bolton on Trump.s war cabinet, this may not be 
possible until a new Congress is sworn in.

Iran has remained compliant with the nuclear deal as verified by the IAEA 
in 11 reports since January 2016, and its people want more economic relief 
. not less. Under the JCPOA, Iran.s commitment never to pursue a nuclear 
weapon never expires, while other far-reaching constraints stretch out for 
decades. After Trump.s breach of the accord, the U.S. . not Iran . is now 
the outlier when it comes to Iran.s nuclear program. If the deal dies as 
is highly likely, the U.S. will find little to no support in addressing 
Iran.s soon to be expanding nuclear program.

For decades, Washington has insisted that the Iranian leadership is 
addicted to enmity with the United States. Now it may become fact for the 
world that the opposite is true and it is America that is addicted to 
enmity with Iran.

For those in and outside of the Iranian-American community who worked for 
years to prevent war with Iran, and then succeeded in protecting the 
nuclear deal from sabotage until today, this move comes as a bitter blow. 
Unfortunately, we must now redouble our efforts to prevent Trump from 
leading us to war with Iran.


Trita Parsi is founder and president of the National Iranian American 
Council and an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign politics, 
and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He is author of Losing an Enemy - 
Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy; A Single Roll of the Dice - 
Obama's Diplomacy with Iran; and Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings 
of Israel, Iran, and the United States.