Friday Letters: Iran nuclear deal a strong success

“Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons capability threatens America, Israel, and the world. That threat has only become worse during the current Administration. A continuation of its failed engagement policy with Iran will lead to nuclear cascade. In solidarity with the international community, America must lead the effort to prevent Iran from building and possessing nuclear weapons capability.” — GOP Platform on Iran

The GOP Platform doesn’t specifically call for tearing up the year old 5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran, but Donald Trump has made that dramatic photo op a day-one feature of his proposed reckless presidency. Instead of the bizarro GOP platform fantasy on Iran, let’s explore the achievements of our year-old 5 + 1 boy.

• The 5o percent chance before the agreement of a preemptive strike on Iran by Israel is now nearly zero.
• Predictions Iran would not honor the agreement have proven false, according to all sources, including the Atomic Energy Agency.
• Predictions Iran’s foreign policies would become radicalized have proven false.
• The agreement has paved the way for renewed communication and dialogue aimed at resolving the Syrian civil war.
• According to Secretary of State John Kerry, Iran has even become more helpful in resolving issues regarding Islamic State in Iraq.
• Detente with Iran proved crucial in resolving the issue of 10 sailors who drifted into Iranian waters last January.

The biggest problem so far has not been the Iranian hardliners who don’t trust America. It has been the American hardliners like Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and even my own senator, Mark Kirk, who intimidate U.S. banks from doing business with Iran and tried to sabotage the sale of U.S. airliners there. Their attempts to restart the path to war provide some justification for the distrust of their Iranian counterparts.

If Trump ascends to the presidency, he’ll special order the largest pair of scissors ever made to tear up not only the Iran Agreement, but every sensible foreign policy the GOP couldn’t stop Obama from achieving.

Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn