“I am optimistic over the future. This is a first step to overcome extremism in both our countries,” – Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a former conservative member of Parliament who teaches political science at Tehran University.
“It just stands to reason if you close the diplomatic option, you’re left with a difficult choice of waiting to see if sanctions cause Iran to capitulate, which we don’t think will happen, or considering military action,” – Benjamin J. Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to president Obama.
Despite a real breakthrough in negotiations with six world powers, despite a future option to reimpose sanctions if Iran fails to live up to its obligations in a final deal, there are now 59 votes in the Senate and a large majority in the House attempting to poison-pill the negotiations with threats of new sanctions while negotiations continue. 59! That includes a big tranche of Democrats. Where, one wonders, are the Democratic voices loudly supporting the best chance to avoid another war in the Middle East? Or the sane Republican ones?
We’re about to see who actually controls American foreign policy – a duly elected president or a lobby group.
The Dish 