INTO THE FRAY: Decertifying Iran- A moral imperative. But now what?

For your perusal, my latest INTO THE FRAY column:

Decertifying Iran- A moral imperative. But now

(Kindly consider “liking”, sharing, tweeting – please use hash-tag ‪#‎IntoFray)

As the experience of 2003 shows, Iran will only abandon its nuclear program if confronted by what it perceives to be a tangible military threat

It appears this week on the following sites (in alphabetical order):

ALGEMEINER: https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/10/20/decertifying-the-iran-deal-a-moral-imperative-but-now-what/
ISRAELI FRONTLINE: http://www.israelifrontline.com/2017/10/fray-decertifying-iran-moral-imperative-now.html
ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/21149
ISRAEL NEWS ONLINE: https://israelnewsonline.org/into-the-fray-decertifying-iran-a-moral-imperative-but-now-what/#.Wenm_deWY2w
ISRAEL RISING: https://www.israelrising.com/decertifying-iran-moral-imperative-now/
ISRAPUNDIT: https://www.israpundit.org/into-the-fray-decertifying-iran-a-moral-imperative-but-now-what/
JERUSALEM HERALD: https://www.jerusalem-herald.com/single-post/2017/10/19/INTO-THE-FRAY-Decertifying-Iran–A-moral-imperative-But-now-what
JEWS DOWN UNDER: https://jewsdownunder.com/2017/10/20/fray-decertifying-iran-moral-imperative-now/
MEDIUM: https://medium.com/@martinsherman/into-the-fray-decertifying-iran-a-moral-imperative-but-now-what-51f6210f6930
JEWISH PRESS: http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/columns/into-the-fray-martin-sherman/into-the-fray-decertifying-iran-a-moral-imperative-now-what/2017/10/22/

Several short excerpts:

In a large country with multiple facilities and ample experience in nuclear concealment, violations will be inherently difficult to detect. Devising theoretical models of inspection is one thing. Enforcing compliance, week after week, despite competing international crises and domestic distractions, is another. Any report of a violation is likely to prompt debate over its significance—or even calls for new talks with Tehran to explore the issue – Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, Wall Street Journal, April 7, 2015.

…in 2015, Congress passed the Iran nuclear agreement review act to ensure that Congress’s voice would be heard on the deal. Among other conditions the law requires the president of his designee to certify that the suspension of sanction under the deal is appropriate and proportionate to…measures taken by Iran to terminate its illicit nuclear program. Based on the factual record…I am announcing today that we cannot and will not make this certification we will not continue down a path whose predictable conclusion is more violence, more terror, and the very real threat of Iran’s nuclear breakout – President Donald Trump, October 13, 2017.

Iran flouts international resolutions barring development of missile technology
Iran flouts international resolutions barring development of missile technology

Last Friday, the US president, Donald Trump, refused to certify the July 2015 nuclear Iran “deal” concluded in Vienna on July 14, 2015 between Iran, and the P5+1(the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany), and the EU on the other…Dubbed with the wildly inappropriate misnomer the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” (JCPOA) the “deal” is—as we shall see—anything but “comprehensive”. Moreover, it could hardly be designated a “plan of action” when a far more fitting characterization of it would appear to be a “plan of inaction”…

…In light of the record of Iran’s gross misconduct, it is patently clear—or at least, it should be—that no US president could, in good faith, certify that Iran was in compliance with its JCPOA commitments or that continued US adherence to the JCPOA—particularly the suspension of sanctions against Iran—was “vital to US national security interests”…After all, how can anyone certify that Iran is in compliance with its pledges to not “advance its nuclear weapons program” or is not in “material breach of the agreement”, when this is impossible to verify, given the fact that Tehran has barred inspection of its military sites—the very sites in which one might suspect militarized Iranian endeavor is taking place.

As usual your talkbacks/comments/critiques welcome,
Best wishes,
MS

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