Iran Deal

While everyone--including Israel--tries to get a handle on what just happened last night (which appears to largely be a secretly-forged US deal with the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism using the P5+1 as backdrop while tossing Israel under the bus) the mainstream media is trying to report the story without resorting to a full Obamagasm.

Speaking of terrorism, it's as if it no longer exists.  Iran may still be harboring al Qaeda operatives such as Ali Saleh Husain or Saif al-Adel.  They were most recently tied to a plot to derail a train traveling between the US and Canada.  Their Hizballah proxy reportedly has cells around the world.  But evidently this is no longer a concern because nobody is including it in reports. 

As to the deal, many outlets are covering it relatively fairly but there are a few examples of political opportunism: 



Here's ABC News:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized the deal, as have congressional Republicans.

So, the leading detractors are the evil Israelis and some GOP congressional extremists. In truth, some congressional Democrats and neighboring Arab states have also criticized--or shall we say expressed concern--over the deal.   Here's how "Faux News" reported it:

Congress expressed bipartisan concern Sunday about the deal the United States and allies reached overnight with Iran to halt that country’s nuclear program. ...Corker was joined on the show by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., also a member of the chamber’s foreign relations committee. “We are very concerned as to whether Iran will live up to these agreements,” Cardin said. “Congress needs to be prepared.”

Meanwhile, here's how the network of defecating in Palin's mouth reported it:

While the administration has urged Congress to hold off on any new sanctions and give the accord a chance to prove its worth, several members of Congress criticized the deal when it was announced.

At bit more neutral in the setup, but NBC went on to quote only two Republicans in that report.

But it's far from a full Obamagasm.  The WaPo is playing up the "skepticism" angle, quoting Dem Senator Menendez, while the LA Times admitted that both Republicans and Democrats had expressed doubts along with Arab states and went on to describe what could be the prime reason a deal was reached:

“This negotiation is not the art of fantasy or the art of the ideal. It’s the art of the possible,” Kerry said in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. The alternative “if you didn’t do what we’re doing, they would be marching forward” with the nuclear program and “moving closer to a weapon.”

Actually the other alternative would be kicking the Ayatollah's backsides back to the Stone Age.  Let's not forget that Obama had set a hazy red line, then clear red line (and even some secret ones) on Iran's nuclear program.  Only recently they released assessments saying the Iranians were only a few months away from having enough enriched material on hand for a bomb (breakout) to press for the 'historic deal'.  Surely some of this is about avoiding another embarrassing broken promise. 

But it's clear from the public reaction to the proposed bombing of Syria that a war-weary West wants nothing to do with any attacks on Iran. To wit--none of the coverage today is quoting any administration officials as holding to the 'all cards are still on the table' rhetoric, ie, threatening military action.  They would say it if pressed but they aren't volunteering it--only saying the sanctions will come back. 

With a military threat effectively off the table the Iranians got a sweet deal: the ability to tell their public that they have a right to enrich while getting a relaxation of sanctions, which should help their economy.  They got a 6 month reprieve (there are inspections, but everyone saw how well those worked in Iraq and Libya under the dictators).  They also get to laugh at the Israelis, who appear to have been frozen out of the secret dealings and appear to have been left twisting in the breeze, at least on the world stage.

Now the Ayatollahs know the Israelis are the only credible military threat left on the table.  Netanyahu is making a point to say that Israel is prepared to 'stand alone', ie, go it alone.  But they know the "pain in the ass" would take a great risk to attack Iran without US backing due to the international wrath such a move could bring in the midst of this most recent peace in our time.  The Persian powers are indeed subtle, nuanced and cunning, and right now they appear to have made some decent chess moves.