Issues Under Fire: Iran-P5+1 Deal Hibernates While Obama Struggles With Congress

Issues Under Fire: Iran-P5+1 Deal Hibernates While Obama Struggles With Congress 

Since the announcement and release of the Iran-P5+1 framework agreement last week, negotiating states have turned their respective attentions back to domestic and regional concerns. Hollande is focused on France's stalled economy, Xi is focused on cleaning up corruption in China, Putin is focused on protecting Russia from more sanctions, Cameron is focused on getting reelected and Merkle is focused on Greece paying its debts. Until the U.S. gets its act together, the Iran-P5+1 deal remains on hold. 

Unfortunately, President Obama, can't turn to other pressing concerns, of which there are many, due to Congress' insistence upon having the final word. Until Congress returns from its spring break to debate whether or not to allow the White House to proceed to the next step, there is little left to report. Until the White House can convince, cajole,  embarrass or strong arm Congressional saboteurs to stand down, one can only speculate as to where the deal stands.   

In the meantime, one can only imagine how the U.S'. negotiating partners must be evaluating the America political process going forward. One can only imagine how international negotiators are planning future engagements with an American system of government that appears dysfunctional and disorganized when it comes under pressure. 

One wonders, if other nations are reassessing its confidence levels in the U.S'. entire approach to foreign policy.  Based upon how the United States has comported itself to date in these Iran-P5+1 negotiations, one has to wonder if the United States can even be trusted from one administration to the next.  

Considering Congress has gone on record threatening to reverse any deal with Iran after the next presidential election, while GOP presidential are promising, if elected, they'd renege on any deal the Obama administration enters with the international community over Iran's nuclear program, its difficult to envision anyone placing much credence in the word of a U.S. President or the U.S. diplomatic corps. 

Bottom line: After President Obama dismissed Benjamin Netanyahu's latest demand to force Iran to recognize the State of Israel and its right to exist as part of any Iran-P5+1 nuclear agreement, this story has gone dormant. Undoubtedly, the action will pick again next week when Congress returns locked and loaded to attack the deal, so until then, we'll focus on tackling the disputable allegation of Tehran being a state sponsor of terror. Podcast Below!