Cory Booker Admits Iran Deal Blunder

My good friend Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey, along with other members of Congress who supported the deal, believe they can mitigate the damage done by this disastrous agreement by supporting new legislation in Congress to make it official U.S. policy that all options, including military action, are available to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The Iran Policy Oversight Act of 2015 also authorizes additional aid to Israel, requires biennial reports on Iran’s nuclear breakout time and its support of terrorism, and requires the appointment of a State Department official to monitor Iran’s compliance with the deal.

Rather than improve a bad deal, this legislation is really an admission by Mr. Booker and others that they made a terrible mistake in supporting the agreement. If the Iran deal did not endanger Israel as opponents warned, why is it necessary to provide more aid to Israel? If you trusted the president’s assurance that Iran can’t build a nuclear weapon for at least 15 years, why are reports needed to assess its nuclear breakout time? If we were also assured Iran won’t cheat, why is a monitor needed?

Support for this deal will not undo the damage done with constituents. The Iran deal was the signature foreign policy legislation of our time. Playing politics with Israel’s survival is not quickly forgotten.

For weeks I made the case personally and in print to Mr. Booker and other lawmakers with whom I am friendly. They had an obligation to oppose the Iranian nuclear steal because it was flawed and harmful to the interests of the United States, and dangerous for Israel and America’s other allies. All but four Democratic Senators chose to support the deal and, much more gravely, joined the filibuster preventing the catastrophic agreement from even coming to a vote. Now, supporters understand the consequences of what many of their constituents see as a betrayal of faith in their judgment.

I refer to the agreement as the Iran “steal” because Iran is going to get $100 billion dollars or more for practically nothing. Anyone paying attention to the news has heard the Supreme Leader of Iran say his country’s policies toward the United States will not change and he remains committed to the destruction of Israel. Iranian crowds are still incited to chant “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

http://observer.com/2015/10/cory-booker-and-democrats-new-legislation-admits-iran-deal-blunder/