Decertification Isn’t Repeal: Trump stays in the Obama Iran deal; Bolton says it’s a lost cause
Trump did decertify the Iran deal, however as expected he passed it off to Congress for them to fix the deal by making it tougher or something:
NY POST – In a sharp but expected departure from US policy, President Trump said Friday he would decertify the deal on Iran’s nuclear program and kick it back to Congress so lawmakers could make it tougher.
“As president of United States, my highest obligation is to ensure the safety and security of the American people,” the president said, adding that he is determined that “Iran will never get a nuclear weapon.”
Trump wants lawmakers to change legislation — known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act — that requires the president to certify every 90 days that Iran is in compliance with the 2015 deal.
Trump’s new strategy includes three key goals:
- Rework the deal to make it harder for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
- Ensure that it addresses the Islamic theocracy’s ballistic missile program to lessen the threat of attacks on Israel and other nations.
- Counter Iranian support for terrorists and other bad actors in the region who the White House says contribute to Mideast instability.
The complicated move puts the Trump administration on a political and diplomatic tightrope.
The US will technically remain in the pact even though Trump’s repeatedly slammed it as “embarrassing” and the “worst deal ever.”
But by refusing to certify the merits of the deal, he’s putting its fate on lawmakers’ shoulders and asking them to deliver something the GOP-led Congress has failed to give him — a major piece of legislation.
But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was wary about the prospects of a new accord.
“What we are laying out here is this is the pathway we think provides us the best platform from which to attempt to fix this deal. We may be unsuccessful. We may not be able to fix it. And if we’re not, then we may end up out of the deal,” he said, Reuters reported.
Bolton suggested on Twitter that anything short of withdrawal is a lost cause:
If Trump decertifies #IranDeal, Congress may then try somehow to “fix” deal or otherwise set policy. This is a lost cause. Must withdraw.
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) October 13, 2017
He firmly believes the best fix is a total repeal:
If Congress really wants to “fix” Corker-Cardin legislation (Iran Nuke Agreement Review Act), the best fix is total repeal. #IranDeal
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) October 12, 2017
Obamacare still in place. Iran deal still in place. Embassy is still not in Jerusalem. Trump and Congress are not even knocking it “in the park.” They can’t even get on first base.
