From Peace Action (http://www.peace-action.org/):
Urge your Members of Congress to oppose sanctions that would kill the Iran nuclear deal!
Take action now at http://org.salsalabs.com/o/161/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=22449!
As you may have heard, President Trump announced his plan to “decertify” the Iran nuclear agreement. He’s done so despite key figures in his administration advising otherwise. Secretary of Defense James Mattis considers the deal an important part of U.S. national security interest. When asked by Senator Angus King (I-ME) if he believed it was in the U.S. national security interest to remain with the deal, he replied “Yes, senator, I do.”[1]
The leader of the U.S. Strategic Command, General John Hyten stated plainly: “The facts are that Iran is operating under the agreements that we signed up for under the JCPOA.”[2]
While this decertification does land a significant blow to the deal, it does not automatically bring it to an end. Congress will have 60 days to vote on legislation to re-impose sanctions waived under the nuclear agreement. If this passes, then the deal is very likely dead.
There are indications that this vote could be close.
n top of Trump’s key military advisors urging him to stick with the agreement, Congressional Republicans are starting to think twice about walking away from the deal. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) [3] said he thinks Trump should “enforce the hell out of” the deal rather than back out of it. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) said “I don’t think we should relieve Iran of its obligations.” Even noted hawk John McCain (R-AZ) said he is “still looking” at the question.
This is an all-hands-on-deck movement. With Republicans increasingly questioning the president’s reckless approach to foreign policy, getting the swing votes on our side and those already with us to speak out in defense of the agreement is extremely important.
Please contact your Members of Congress today and urge them to uphold the Iran nuclear agreement.
If the U.S. backs out of the Iran agreement, that would put war with Iran back on the table. At the same time, it would send a terrible signal to North Korea about the U.S.’s ability to stand by its international commitments, which could unravel any hopes of negotiating a similar agreement to scale back North Korea’s nuclear program.
The ball is now in Congress’ court. Will they listen to the more that 80 nuclear policy experts, key members of Trump’s own administration, and foreign policy leaders from around the world calling on the U.S. to stick with the deal?
It’s up to you and I to make them listen. Your activism around the Iran nuclear agreement was crucial to initially getting the deal through Congress and preventing a war. Now we need your activism again to protect that historic achievement.
Sources:
[1] W.J. Hennigan, “Pentagon chief says keeping Iran nuclear deal is in U.S. security interest,” Los Angeles Times, 10/3/2017
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