Here in #Outsiders, the team has been assessing the daily developments and will have a new "View of the week" released for tomorrow. I also worked on local outreach efforts with members of Congress in order to share with them perspective on the deal and how it is beneficial to The United States. The OC4Peace team I support has been at the forefront in civic action in gathering petitions and engaging with the community.
The opposition is fierce. The key has been to distinguish between the Islamic Republic & the People of the Country. This sense of change is ever so evident. I shared some of these with Congressman Rohrabacher's Office and was hopeful to have a meeting at his offices. I do appreciate the response he sent and have noted this here for reference as I hope he takes the ideas I shared is taken under advisement by him:
Thank you for contacting me with your views regarding the Iran nuclear deal. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
As you may know, on July 14, 2015, Iran and the six powers that have negotiated with Iran about its nuclear program finalized a "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," (JCPA) that attempts to ensure that Iran's nuclear program will be used for purely peaceful purposes, in exchange for a broad suspension of U.S., European Union, and United Nations sanctions.
Since the JCPA was not submitted to Congress before the July 10, 2015, deadline laid out in the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which was enacted into law earlier this year, an automatic 60 day congressional review period has been triggered. As such, Congress is expected to vote on the deal sometime in September.
One of the major flaws in this deal is the relinquishing of the international sanctions regime. These sanctions, which have been in place since 2006, have crippled the Iranian economy and helped slow the growth of its nuclear industry. On November 24, 2013, the strategy of sanctioning Iran was validated as Iranian leaders were forced to the negotiating table with the major world powers. However, through the proposed JCPA agreement, Iran will gain access to $100 billion to $150 billion in hard currency without the limitations and safeguards even President Obama once claimed were necessary for an effective deal.
It is naive to believe that Iran, one of the largest state sponsors of terrorism, will not utilize the additional flood of money to further fund terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah that threaten U.S. interests and our regional allies. This is a high cost for the illusion of peace and only temporarily limits Iran's nuclear program. While I desire a peaceful resolution to the situation in Iran, and certainly support diplomacy before pursuing any potential military action, it is my belief that this current deal is counterproductive to achieving our ultimate goals and threatens U.S. and international security.
As a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, you can rest assured that I will continue to closely monitor this issue and keep your concerns in mind. Again, thank you for giving me the benefit of your views. Please continue to keep me informed on any other federal issues of concern to you.
Sincerely,
Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress
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