We Are Kowtowing to Iran

The Ceasefire MOU with Iran has been signed by President Trump and should be of concern to every American. I have been a staunch supporter of our president, but I consider this MOU and follow-on “negotiations” to be dangerous for America and the rest of the free world. Let’s look at the 14 points of agreement and why they all should be unacceptable.

An MOU (memorandum of understanding) is a non-binding agreement on a shared goal and actions to reach it. It lays the foundation for a future binding agreement.

Here is a thumbnail summary of the MOU points and the concerns that most Americans including me have with them.

• Terminate military operations on all fronts including Lebanon.
  • Making the ceasefire permanent is good, but we should not be so arrogant as to assure Israel will not defend itself against the Hezbollah. This gives Iran incentive to continue to support Hezbollah. The situation in Israel and Lebanon should have nothing to do with the US-Iran MOU.
• The US and Iran must respect each other’s sovereignty and not interfere with each other’s internal affairs.
  • Very little will change in the long run as long as the current regime is in power. Trump promised the Iranian people from the beginning that we would give them a path to democracy and freedom. Iran’s theocracy government will continue to kill their domestic protestors as we turn our backs on them.
• The US will continue to negotiate toward a final deal for sixty days with provision to extend indefinitely.
  • This is crazy! Iran has proven for decades to lie and string out meetings with no ultimate decision. They are a defeated country playing the victor, and the US is going along.
• The US will remove the blockade of Hormuz within 30 days of signing the MOU and remove its forces from the region upon signing of the final deal.
  • The US should not allow Iran to transit Hormuz until they have signed a final deal. That is the only thing that will keep the negotiations from stretching on for months if not years.
• Iran will ensure safe passage of all ships of other countries through Hormuz for 60 days, after which Iran and Oman will collaborate on future administration of the strait.
  • Again, crazy! This means that, after 60 days, Iran and Oman can decide to charge fees or be selective on the transit of ships through the strait. The UN Law of the Sea has long declared Hormuz to be international waters owned by no particular country.
• The US and regional partners will provide at least $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction and economic development. Details of the source of these funds will be negotiated in the final deal within 60 days (or more).
  • It is up in the air as to how much of, or if, the funds will be contributed by the US. As is often said, money is fungible, and Iran can use it in any manner to build back its arsenal. Iran should not receive a dollar until it has signed an acceptable final deal, and adequate verification by the US is assured for decades to come.
• The US will terminate all sanctions against Iran as part of the final deal.
  • Sanctions should be lifted sequentially as Iran adheres to the final deal agreements over the next few years. Iran has no integrity as proven over the last half-century. Why would they change now, unless forced to do so?
• Iran affirms it will not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The current enriched material disposition will be negotiated as a part of the final deal. Other matters pertaining to Iran’s nuclear needs will also be negotiated.
  • Iran could still end up with nuclear capability for energy and other “peaceful” uses. How can we ever trust this evil government to be transparent about any remaining nuclear material. They should have NO nuclear material.
• Pending the final deal, the US and Iran will maintain the status quo of its nuclear program, and there will be no new sanctions imposed on Iran.
  • Iran has been successfully deceptive in numerous ways for decades. Why would they not be currently producing more missiles, drones, and other weapons at a surging rate? But we are trusting them. The MOU should have included hundreds of US inspectors roaming their country immediately.
• The US will allow immediate crude oil exports by Iran.
  • Resumption of oil exports by Iran will gain them up to $150 million per day or about $9 billion during the 60-day negotiation period. Oil export bans, along with denied access to Hormuz, should be the case until the final deal is signed. Immediate, unrestricted exports means no incentive for Iran to finalize the deal.
• The US will immediately release all frozen assets to Iran.
  • Frozen assets should remain frozen until the final deal is reached. Again, this would be a great incentive for Iran to complete the deal. These frozen assets amount to over $100 billion worldwide. This, plus the $300 billion offered in point six above should be a huge carrot to hold in front of Iran during negotiations, instead of just handing it over to them for signing an MOU.
• The US and Iran will develop a mechanism to monitor the success and compliance of the MOU and the final deal.
  • The mechanism should be mandated by the US in the MOU, not a mutual agreement.
• After beginning immediate actions toward the ceasefire, opening Hormuz, release of frozen assets, and mechanisms of compliance; negotiations will begin on the other aspects of the MOU.
  • There should have been no MOU, but just a final deal that included the best interests of the US and the free world with little regard for one of the most evil nations in world history.
• The final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution.
  • A UN Security Council resolution is meaningless; it is just a formality with no enforcement power.

The US was in position to take down the blight of the entire world, virtually eliminate terrorism, foster real peace in the Middle East, and raise the global economic tide, but we are settling for a rather hollow MOU and a wink-wink promise from Iran to behave rationally.

I fully understand that there are many below-the-surface nuances about this conflict and the deal-making of which I have no knowledge. Our leaders in Washington are certainly closer to the issue than I. But, I am not alone in my concern. A Fox News Poll last week shows Americans of all political persuasions doubting the deal’s ability to stop Iran’s nuclear program. The majority of Democrats (73%), Independents (69%), and Republicans (53%) are not confident in the deal.

Iran’s Shia clergy ruling class is about as far from American culture as can be imagined. These mullahs care little about their country’s people, the non-muslim world, or international standards of moral behavior. They live for their own personal power and the survival of Islam. Lying, cheating, deception, and killing are a way of life for them. The only thing they respond to is overwhelming power and destruction. I don’t believe the MOU and subsequent negotiations will ever bring results acceptable to the US. We will either revert to more military action or accept conditions far short of our interests in the region. In my opinion, we are the greatest, most powerful country in history presently kowtowing to an impotent, yet wicked and corrupt, country that needs to be taken down for the sake of the civilized world.

Furthermore, if President Trump doesn’t finish the job in Iran according to his original objectives, the mid-term and general elections will be devastating for Republicans.