Withdrawing from the JCPOA and reimposing these ridiculous sanctions -- ones that will cause extreme suffering for regular Iranians with no power to influence their toxic government -- is in service to one country and one country alone: Israel -- a tiny country of 8.7 million people with a fascistic right-wing leader unapologetically engaged in apartheid rule.
Meanwhile, we snub our nose at the most well-governed and economically vibrant countries in the entire world -- with the greatest respect for human rights and American values -- the member states of the European Union, representing over 500 million European citizens.
This is madness. And, frankly, it can't even be credibly described as "America First" policy -- it's "Israel First" policy dictated by AIPAC.
Do we want our foreign policy to reflect our valuable relationship with 500 million Europeans? Or do we want to cave to the anti-Iran hysteria of Bibi and his tiny apartheid state?
This is madness.
3
Trump's only directive to his policy creators: Leave the countries alone where the Trump Organization has financial interests and be sure to cover that up.
What a disgrace.
1
The world is growing tired & impatient with the crazy antics of this revolving door administration. Does anyone really think China, India, Pakistan, Japan and others nations are willingly going to surrender their sovereignty to a lying, racist philanderer?
3
I keep asking, wondering, what do these idiots that are running this country want in Iran's place. Another near too or failed state? Like those paragons of stability Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia. That's right take a country that is stable, seems to lean towards Western values, at least more than our good pal Saudi Arabia, and destroy it one way or another. I pray Iran can hold on till we get rid of these foolish, demonic, willfully blind, cast of characters in two years. I pray that Europe will find a solid way to do business with them. ... The United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia. The whole world has sided against us, rightly so, in this matter. They want no part of this nonsense. But they are forced too, because of our bullying tactics. Such a shame, it angers me to no end.
5
What is wrong with America?
How about oil sanctions against Saudi Arabia for its war on Yemen, for its Wahhabism propagating terrorism, for its support for Al Qaeda, for its blockade of Qatar, for its murdering Khashoggi?
Oh, wait, it's all about Israel and its enemy Iran.
6
This abject coward and draft dodger really thinks of himself as a tough guy. What a sad, sad joke.
2
That's what happens when u have no allies.
1
It’s all theater. A big giant wad of nothing. He does this to tell his base he did something when the reality is ... he did nothing
3
Bibi will be furious!
This is what stupid looks like. We take all the heat and China and India gets the benefit. They buy Iranian oil at discounted prices for internal use or to sell for profit. We get no benefit.
4
Iran spreads "death and destruction around the world."
Really? Proof? What an asinine comment.
America seems to have a bottomless pit of really stupid diplomats.
History shows that sanctions did not stop Iran in the past from flexing its regional muscle.
If the US is so concerned about "death and destruction", why has it not sanctioned Saudi Arabia for military ventures that have caused a famine that likely will kill millions in Yemen?
Oh ya, Trump's warm friendship with the bone knife guy, Mohammed Bin Salman.
3
This is being done for Israel, make no mistake. News media organizations are twisting themselves into pretzels trying to avoid stating the obvious.
Sheldon Adelson wants Iran “nuked”. Netanyahu implored a joint session of Congress to block the Iran nuclear deal that President Obama worked so hard to implement. He was outright racist in that address, saying (paraphrasing) that Persians are used to bazaars and haggling, and implying that they are dishonest culturally.
Why are we allied with Saudis who won’t even let women drive without a male relative, while we are arch enemies with Iran where women are doctors and lawyers, and there is even a seat in the Iranian parliament for Jews? We really shouldn’t let a handful of zealots run our foreign policy.
7
These are justified. I read that Iran just invited a dissident journalist to its consulate in Istanbul and a group of assassins there cut him up to pieces and dissolved his remains in acid. Oh wait...
8
NYT. I’ve been not happy with some articles lately.
But the of this article is nicely balanced.
I will never understand why anyone still believes the warmongering chicken hawks who portray Tehran as some kind of American Archnemesis.
We’re allied with the Saudis, for the love of God.
6
One more bent knee for Israel, Saudis, & Wall St. The lack of ethics here is dismaying.
4
Fitting that Trump used Game of Thrones font as he is the embodiment of King Joffrey the psychotic mad teen king. Of course will Jared still get his Saudi loans of TRump ignores the murder at the Saudi consulate. The Trump family was brought into the government to cash in on the presidency. The 2020 campaign will be run by the Trump family bring Eric and Don Jr into government operations so they too can cash in perhaps a chain of Trump hotels around the world and sold out condos in Kushner AND Trump properties ,they will leave office as the richest and most powerful family in the world , they have the US Treasury and the BOmb who would defy them.
2
The last thing the economy needs is a spike in fossil fuel prices. Keeping crude oil prices at $75 a barrel or less requires that Iranian oil makes it to the world market. By allowing some countries to use Iranian oil, it cuts the demand for oil in the remainder of the world market.
So, it appears we are placing tough sanctions on Iranian oil, while in fact it goes to market. Smoke and mirrors.
19
Smoke and mirrors indeed.
While a spike in oil prices could be harmful, nothing near the cost of its use is ever being exacted.
1
Of course, since we should be taking out ANY more oil from the ground, the economy is kind of a less important matter.
Can't maintain created jobs if humanity is, well, dead...
The Neoconservatives are once again directing foreign policy. Bolton is in a higher position to do harm and the money-loving President tears up international agreements that wiser heads took years to negotiate to address nuclear development in Iran. I remember how hard Secretary of State John Kerry worked to get all those counties to the table. England, France, Germany, our Democratic allies, are correct in abiding by this treaty. Those countries have retained an intelligent continuity that deals realistically with complex issues. This country lost that continuity as soon as Trump was elected. Obama wisely kept this country's options open in the Mid-East as much as he could, but the President's son-in-law was immediately set up as some kind of pasha with vague and ridiculously ill-defined powers over this sensitive area of the world.
47
My 18-year old Danish daughter is in Iran right now, traveling around the country for six weeks before continuing on to Israel. She writes home about the most friendly, helpful and hospitable people imaginable (and, yes, she also says everyone is amazed to see two teenage girls traveling independently). I'm absolutely fine with her visiting a civilized and highly educated country. I would not feel the same way about her traveling around Saudi Arabia.
143
@Jesper- or for that matter America, especially in white gun states or inner cities with guns galore.
1
@Jesper I had the same experience as you daughter in 1973, although not in Iran. Arab Muslims and Christians were the most hospitable people I've ever met. She'll probably have a different perception among Israelis as I did.
1
You are correct, and at the same time trying to pass Iran off as squeaky-clean on women’s equality (not to mention terrorism) is just plain daft.
2
Russia is being sanctioned for talking back Crimea after we reneged on NATO expansion after German unity; China is building islands in the South China Sea so it can then declare them as their own territory which they’ve always knew were theirs; North Korean workers are constructing uninhibited in Poland for Mr. Kim although NK is also under sanctions and then there is evil Iran who got caught by sneaky Israel still trying to figure out how to build a nuke even though they said they would not! Good job Israel! Only problem is: Israel is that country that has nukes but doesn’t talk about them so apparently that means they don’t exist! We don’t need sanctions, we beed a psychologist! Where is Freud when you need him?!
2
That Trump Thrones image aught to scare the bejeezus out of the Iranians. He looks so presidentially resolute. Give up Iran. The man has your number.
On such a serious matter, Donald throws out a cartoon for his first pitch.
As we have seen through out history opening up divergent cultures to free trade will create a homogenization of those cultures, this is anathema to a nationalist mindset, a common enemy is always better than the global good.
Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the Houthi rebels in Yemen are not terrorist. They are resistant groups fighting for the survival of their race. Mr "joker" Trump is putting pressure on a country that is doing what America should be doing. Supporting human rights, and survival of groups under attack by countries who openly committing genocide. Unfortunately, American foreign policy is still at a kindergarten level.
1
How is it possible to write an entire article on the return of Iran sanctions without mentioning Israeli activities to bring them back? Israel, along with Netanyahu, has been the strongest advocate in the world for reneging on the Iran deal, and yet there is not a single mention of the Israeli role beyond a passing reference to the occupied territories. How could a reader ever get a full understanding of this story without this information?
2
Here is a proposal for the other countries that are being bullied by the US. Ignore us : Bigly. For a change, hang together and impose sanctions on the US. Time to call a time out on the Big Bully. Thumb your nose at the waivers. Increase the amount of trade with Iran. Impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia. Get friendlier with Russia. Do more trade with China. And so on.. The US has an aging population and whose economic strength relies on a considerable amount of external consumption. Hurt it.
When people talk about the change in the governments after their founders had passed away like China's Mao, Soviet Union Stalin or Iran's Khomeini, I wonder what they think of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson's America and the way it has changed.
When he called the president of United States name in the parliament, overthrown prime minister of my country called him, his highness Harry Truman president of the United Stats. Today in the streets of Tehran and in the same parliament they call "death to America", so you tell me who is the loser here.
1
If Iran does not quickly change its behavior, the Trump Administration will immediately ratchet up the sanctions. Which will eventually include another total cut-off of the Iranian economy to the world's financial systems. Iran will then return to the feudal financial practices it was doomed to suffer following the terrorist takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979. Maybe this time they'll decide to join the world instead of terrorize it.
In the apparent absence of coherent foreign policy and diplomacy, this administration throws sanctions around like timeouts for four-year-olds--of course with far more serious consequences.
Inarguably, throughout decades, even centuries, the American government has shown little understanding of the Iran, it history, its people--regardless of whether the Iranian government in power is the US-installed Shah or the present Islamic Republic.
Equally certainly, the US seems to regard Iran and iranians with prejudice and bigotry, a not-well-concealed sense of superiority, and a disregard for Iranian sovereignity.
You'd think the US would know by now, would figure out that if the US is going to sleep with Israel whose goal is to annihilate Iran and to support Saudi Arabia regardless of heinous crimes against humanity...well, Iran is unlikely to sit with docility on the sidelines.
Who would? But the US again and again acts with ill-will and blind bullying. Withdrawal from the JCPOA and these subsequent sanctions are a grievous misstep that will yield nothing helpful. We need to listen to wiiser heads who favour the nuclear agreement, re-align with other signatories to the agreement, and pursue cautious, incremental diplomacy.
1
Another dog and pony show to gin up the base for Tuesday's election. Complete with a mystery list of exempt countries likely to be announced early next week at halftime on Monday Night Football. Classic Trump. Who will get the rose? A sense of breathless anticipation is already building. You can feel it in your bones.
As for the actual effect of the sanctions on Iran and the rest of the world -- whether a delicate and dangerous situation will be further destabilized -- the administration will start to think about that complicated question sometime next Wednesday.
1
While these waivers may displease Senator Lieberman, the policy continues and aggravates deliberate economic warfare against the whole people of Iran with no good effects, especially since it disincentives Iran to comply with the nuclear deal--and increases the probabilities of greater political tensions and military conflict. All of this is almost totally hidden from the direct view of the American people themselves, who, in the absence of serious leadership willing to speak the whole truth about our position in the Middle East, live in near total darkness about where we are going in that region of the world. It is stupefying to see a reasonably intelligent actor like Secretary Pompeo promote this policy, which as this statement makes clear, will only increase the hostility between this White House and Western Europe. My own view is that the whole policy is irrational since its aim isn't really to accomplish anything positive--and exists only to satisfy Mr. Trump's ugly passion for vengeance on the Obama government's signal foreign policy achievement. Israel's bleatings from the sidelines merely distract from this significant and alarming fact.
3
Waivers were granted to those who were going to buy oil anyhow. That is showing them... that the Trump policy sieve is there for the taking.
2
Yes, Iran is supporting Syria in its fight against Syrian dissidents who are trying to break the country.
Same way, US is supporting Israel with bombs and arms and dollars when Israel has openly said the 2 nation policy is dead.
So, Iran and US are both de-stablizing the Middle East. Could anyone explain the fairness or legality behind the rule that just because US doesnt like Iran ideologically, every other country in the world should follow its rule ?
1
I’m not a fan of Iran, but if Trump wanted to further alienate the US’s former allies — that is, the majority of western nations that used to have an excellent relationship with the US — there could hardly be a better way of doing so than to tell them with whom they can trade.
One can easily imagine the US’s reaction if the EU, say, declared that they are imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia, say, and further declared that if the US doesn’t also impose sanctions then the EU would punish the US. The US would go absolutely ballistic about economic sovereignty etc.
Bully foreign policy. Egad. Please, rational Americans, remove the teeth of this appalling administration on Nov 6.
3
Trump sanctions—sure looks like pay to play. Unfortunately, what he's taking at the barrel of a gun the U.S. will be forced to give back, and then some, once he's out of the picture.
So what price is trump offering to sell US (Saudi) oil to other countries? 5 times or 10 times the price they pay for oil that doesn’t have to be shipped on our oceans in leaking tankers? Are we offering fair deals to those countries or one sided deals that benefit only US? Maybe those countries can buy oil from trump’s other BFF putin. Why does the world buy into this USA phony power story? The US should not be allowed to starve another people into doing the US’s bidding. trump has weakened the US & now would be a good time for the world to stand up to trump’s bullying. If Iran’s nuclear program was being regulated (per agreement) then those countries should not fear trump & should continue with an agreement without US. This was all & always about Obama & Saudi money in trump’s pocket. Saudi Arabia wants control of Iranian oil fields to control prices & is using trump to get that control.
1
Digging into the detail, it is a bad deal. That the Obama administration has openly crowed on how they lied (fact check?) makes it obviously bad. I am an admirer of the Obama administration, but the heart throb write up's have gone too far. They did make mistakes.
And seeing what Iran has wrought in Syria, this is an unrepentant dictatorship.
Looking around the web, I guess I'm not the only one to see a possible trademark "misuse". It does, however, misdirect the seriousness of the sanctions this administration wants to incur upon Iran's regime. Is this deliberate or just plain sloppy planning?
The Obama "agreement" was a joke, and even Obama still doesn't get it - the Iran theocracy had no intention of honoring it. Agreements are reciprocal, not unilateral. But sanctioning a country's citizenry is a hopeless goal. Ultimately, the people suffer the consequences and we gain nothing. Except spite. Let Iran back into the community of nations.
Saudi Arabia overcharges for oil, be-head and dismembers Mr. Khashoggi and disposes of his body, uses the same forms of punishment to people who commit crimes or speak against the prince or Islam, commits acts of inhumanity against people who can’t defend themselves, mainly children, but Iranian people get sanctioned to death. Iran has done everything that was dictated on the nuclear deal and every country that signed that deal agrees that Iran is complying also. What is trump trying to prove?
1
I do not approve of the sanctions on Iran. That being said, this is no different than anything else the Trump Administration has done. Strictly about optics.
Funny thing is that the US has no real reason to be antagonistic towards Iran. The US is merely reflecting Israel’s policy towards Iran. Iran has no real reason to be antagonistic towards Israel. It is a Persian culture with no historic baggage with Jewish culture. The primary reason for Iran's antagonism towards Israel is Iran’s desire to burnish it’s Islamic credentials by supporting Arab causes.
Religion - the opiate of the masses, the tool in the hands of the rulers and the bane of modern day existence.
Now why does Mr Xi not spread China’s godless communism to Iran? That may be the best solution to this gordian knot. Or may be Iran going back to its Zoroastrian roots?
Once again the World Bully Boy does what it does and what it wants to do to whoever it wants, regardless of the hurt , harm and damage it may do to those who are the mothers, fathers and children which are the families just trying to get by and get through life and living as best they can.
Who suffer the most.
these things that have been and are being done are often done despite the validity of any precvious agreements , promises, treaties or conscensus given or made, America does what it wants and continues to do them.
Because it can.
Ask Cuba about the sanctions imposed on the country since 1962 because it briefly housed an allies Nuclear Weapons for a few weeks...56 YEARS AGO.
Not to mention the part of Cuba that America will not relinguish after winning the war against Spain (who ruled Cuba) in 1898...120 years ago.
Globally, for much of the last 70 years, America has waged War , toppled Leaders and hurt , harmed and killed millions of people across the planet for the good the bad and ugly reasons that it has and does.
Because it can.
Which is no reason at all and can never be regarded as a right or legimate thing one can do, just because it can be done. Such a thing is bereft of any reason at all.
Just as anyone , anytime can do anything to anyone ...because they can, most don't or won't.
Because it's wrong, it hurts others, damages and harms and laws are enforced to prevent them being done.
America can't be the exception to the rules most follow.
Kudos to Trump undoing Obama's appeasement. Another promise kept.
In what way is Saudi Arabia less noxious than Iran? It’s killing more innocent people than Iran, and Iran is not butchering US residents.
On another note, how much more disrespect can we show our European allies. They negotiate in good faith, then we threaten them with punishment if they keep their word.
Do honesty, loyalty to allies, and compassion make one a ‘globalist’? Or just a good American?
1
Almost 40 years ago American embassy workers were held hostage by Iranian students for a year. Those hostages were well fed and none were intentionally injured and all returned home safe. And yet the US has held a grudge for all this time pushing Iran further and further into isolation. A foreign policy that is apparently driven by hate and fear but not reason. My sons travelled all over Iran four years ago and were treated so respectfully by the Iranian people. It is such a shame that we have spat in the face of those moderates like Rouhani and Zarif who put so much on the line for the JCPOA only to be double crossed by that lying and cheating bully called America.
3
@Cliff
So very true. The Iranians were upset because in 1953 the US helped in ousting the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in favour of the Shah of Iran.
2
Another senseless example of Trump’s ‘art of the deal’. Squandering the opportunity to evenhandedly sanction Iran. The brown on Trump’s nose is not suntan.
1
The waivers go only to his supporters and cronies, have no doubt.
How many times has this kind of diplomatic heavy handed bullying ever worked? Almost never. Trump is showboating. The Iranian people disapprove the trump as much as most Americans with moral compasses and decency as guides. A perfect recruitment tool for the Iranian Republican guards because they have the money to pay salaries. If you want to stop Iranian hegemony in the Middle East, then get involved. Diplomats have brains that work. Use them.
Thomas Ederbrink writes much better articles than this. The message is lost.
There are thousands of people within the middle class sector in Iran that have lost everything. Their savings have dwindled and they are FLEEING the country with their countries. I personally know of a few people like this. People I never thought would leave. But they have to for their children. Soon the currency will skyrocket where no one will be able to leave the country. It reminds me of the days after the revolution. I personally inherited a considerable inheritance due to my mothers passing last year and before we could do anything about the Estate paperwork, our assets of over $1M have disappeared. I am lucky to be well off, but I TOO have lost a lot of wealth. The journalist is incorrect by 2/3 currency, it is 4/5.
What the sanction will gain is diaspora, homelessness, hunger - for no reason but our President (yes, I'm a proud US born citizen) wants to please his Saudi and Israeli friends. I challenge him to go without food for over 24 hours and see what he will say then.
Sadly, the people of Iran have lost hope and see very dark days coming. Please keep them in your prayers - and VOTE!
Iran could end the sanctions very easily. Just give the Trumps a plot of land and let them to build Trump Tehran.
2
With erratic decisions and fickle tweets of Mr. Trump the US looks more like a rogue country than a world-leading country. His behavior is admissible on the world stage only because the US has the strongest military; someone should remind him of it.
Is there any country in this world that we do not have some kind of sanctions on ?
Everything Trump does is merely a PR stunt. These semi-sanctions are a way of making him look tough while (thanks to all the exemptions) not causing too much economic turmoil before the midterms. Iran has become a popular bogeyman that is always easy to demonize, and of course the move will be seen as pro-Israeli, something beneficial right now for Trump given the slaughter of Jews last week by a white nationalist. So basically, this is a campaign event.
Although an attempt to limit Iran's excursions in violence elsewhere is understandable, how come is the U,S, so violent against millions of Yemenis...by supporting militarily an aggressive Saudi Arabia's war, and causing untold human suffering? Hypocritical. And why take unilateral action by throwing a reliable Ally, Europe, under the bus? All that is being achieved against rhis Iranian Theocracy is adding insult to injury to the very own Iranian people. But bully Trump seems unperturbed by pesky moral details, given his thoughtless and ego-driven misadventures in the world. Diplomacy is painfully lacking, as if Trump's aim were an excuse to create a war 'a la Bush-Cheney'...just because he can. And a thug ready and willing to send troops to the border, to shoot people if they throw stones, with no scruples, is an ever present danger to all of us. Is everybody looking the other way? What's going on?
And just what might Trump “allow to occur” next and his omnificent omnipotence? He is now the poster boy for being a BULLY. His drunk on power raging is not only hurting the image of America on the world stage, it’s an insult to anyone with a shred of integrity, a sense of honor, and respect for the sovereignty of other countries.
Many in Congress (read as GOP!) are now undeniably complicit in this travesty, but unwilling to act out of fear of losing their jobs. True Americans, I hope, will step up and boot the incompetent swamp people from office by voting on 6 November.
This damaging insanity needs to end ....NOW.
No waivers for European allies?
Iran should ask Trump to build a tower or two by the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf. That will make Trump a friend.
1
I don't understand. The US withdrew from the deal. So how can they dictate to other countries who remain in the deal whether they can or can not do business with Iran?
6
If foreign companies are prevented from using American banks and insurance companies, this may have the effect of reducing use of American banks and insurance companies (and of the dollar more generally). If I were a Malaysian businessman exerting to (say) Chile, I might well seek to have the contract in yuan and handled by a Chinese bank for fear that at some point my government might annoy the US and I would be punished in retaliation. Even if we assume that the US government is no longer concerned about Iran's nuclear capabilities, these sanctions may not be in the long-term interests of the US.
3
I expect that the eight countries that are reprieved will use their time to load up on oil. The second consequence will be an increase in the price of oil and a subsequent increase in gas prices in US. I am not sure that this disruption won't have an negative effect on trade and the economy in general.
2
Instead of policy, Trump is handing out national chits that act as temporary passes (renewable if nations hold to his line of personal punishments and targets and are silent about his complicity in the tragedy in Yemeni--the deaths of children every 15 minutes from starvation and malnutrition--no help for them as he announced when Syrian children were gassed).
This pass book approach to international relations mirrors the absence of order and dependable process in Trump's approach to domestic immigration, visas, offshore drilling, justice, tariffs and voting. His approved aid supports the death of children in Yemen; his approved policy supports family separation, tearing children from the arms of their mothers and putting them in cages.
This is a man who would embarrass our military by ordering US soldiers to shot rock throwers (yet there are no rock throwers--and troops are not allowed to kill civilians, even those protesting). The sad confusion of an oppositional-defiant mind that sees every issue in personal terms, embraces being the victim and thrives on conflict cannot create policy that makes the world safer. His alliances are power-driven by his fetish worship of dictators in North Korea and Russia. His rush to win them over weakens America and diminishes the values upon which the nation's greatness was built!
7
We're granting a waiver to "currency manipulating" China, a nation whose own economic machinations The Donald cites with every breath he isn't expending on Democrats and caravans, but not to our allies in Canada and Western Europe. What in heaven's name does our feckless leader think he's doing?
32
"What in heaven's name does our feckless [alleged] leader think he's doing?"
Wait. He thinks when he's doing?
1
What about the international deal we struck with Iran and its validity? At what cost to our future dealings with the rest of the world we adopted Mr. trumps proposed course of action?
11
GHWB used to be called by a family moniker "Poppy"; Trump is just Poppycock.
This idiot tweets with a Game of Thrones reference to something very serious and as usual, you do his bidding for him. You are the New York Times, please cover what is necessary but try to refrain from being a bullhorn for a circus side show. You can still cover the presidency without enabling him. We (and by we I specifically mean easily influenced, low information voters) do not need to know every single whim, outburst, and moronic display via twitter. Make him release official statements like the last 300 years of presidents managed to do. He is turning the White House into a cartoon - you are helping him do it.
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@Scott S.
I have often thought this myself. I agree, the msm are helping him be a buffon.
I do not get it.
@Scott S. - Wall St owns both parties and the NYT.
@Scott S. If you consider that the NYT is 'enabling' the President, then I am missing it. Maybe you and I receive different editions.... The one I see is a left wing liberal opinion bulletin.
Why, you may ask, do I still read the NYT ? Because I am interested in what others think and secondly, the NYT's international coverage is more ample than other news media.
If US wants these countries (China, India & Turkey) to stop buying Iranian oil then it needs to offer them the same quantity of oil at the same price they were getting from Iran. Trump would demand no less if US were placed under such restrictions.
36
When are the sanctions going into affect against Saudi Arabia which overcharges for oil, commits war crimes in Yemen, tortures its own people, murders journalists, treats women like slaves, brought you 9-11, and spreads Wahabi hate worldwide?
128
@Joe B.-when it will be monetary advantageous to Trump.
Once Trump can't make any money off the Saudis he will dump them and try other rich oil countries including Iran,.
1
As soon as someone excavates "covfefe"'s head from its imaginary autocrat-loving sand beach.
Ostriches look at him and be like, "He cray."
@Joe B. Trump backed us into a religious war among Shiites and Sunnis, a war no different than Protestant and Catholic horror many suffer.
Sound and fury signifying nothing that Trump can use on the campaign trail...in addition to all the other nonsense he's said and done that is purely for election purposes. Let's see how many of these bags of hot air survive past Nov. 7
11
Just like with healthcare, Obama may have had good intentions, but seriously failed on execution. The Affordable Healthcare Act turned out anything but affordable (though not without Republican co-responsibility).
The sunshine clauses of the JCPOA allow Iran to restart nuclear weapon development in about ten years. That would no doubt provoke a absolutely horrible war between Iran with the Sunni Arab countries and Israel. These sanctions make total sense.
Europeans are reliving Munich.
1
@Harry Mazal With the treaty, they can re-start weapons development in ten years. If they follow the US example and denounce the treaty, they can start now. Why is that better? We had ten years to come to a further agreement, and now we are permanently on edge. Making President Trump feel good about himself, and making John Bolton a happy bunny, is not a sufficient reason.
1
Again with the Munich reference.
The sunshine clause was on nuclear enrichment, a right granted to any country that is a signatory of the NPT as Iran is and Israel is not. The ban on the development of nuclear weapons was permanent.
The Affordable Health Care Act turned out the way it did becuase of Republican meddling. Democrats were hoping for a single payer system Republicans did everything in their power to stop that from happening.
Trump is quick to pile on and sanction Iran, but for what?
Iran agreed to a multinational (including US) mandate to abolish nuclear weapons program. Trump tore it up just to spit in Obama's eye, like the ignorant school yard bully he is. What has Iran done to deserve this since then? Just be a politically convenient whipping post for Trump.
Yet Saudi Arabia, who gave us 15 of the 9/11 hijackers, who murdered and dismembered a WaPost reporter, who are responsible for tens of thousands of dead Yemeni civilians and millions more facing starvation, they get just get more weapons deals.
US foreign policy is a disgrace.
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@Jim W
Let's not forget Netanyahu and the Israeli/AIPAC stranglehold on the US government that is really behind this.
As with tariffs, the Administration will grant waivers for political reasons. Countries and firms will reserve a block of suites at Trump’s DC hotel for the meetings where other bribes will be offered and accepted.
29
Yup, the President really does thing that it's all one big television spectacular, and he's the star. Unfortunately, the stars of the show are the only ones that really have a world to live in, everyone else is just 'red shirts'.
5
Where is the list of waived countries?
19
@Mike S Mike, this isn't intended for people who are interested in facts. All Trump's people want to hear is, "I've reimposed sanctions on Iran..."
8
@Mike S
Did you realize that the list was not released by the. Administration?
Well, I guess this is preferable than a shooting war. We should be glad that POTUS is busy on campaign trail. Rather than, say, stay in Washington, and do real damage trying to be president.
17
It's appropriate, the use of the GoT font and the accompanying imagery.
The similarities of a fictional account by a delusional comic-book character can't be avoided.
17
Trademark violation another crime to add to trump’s list. he does not have an original idea or thought in his body. Soon he will have the evangelicals using bibles that have trump’s names substituted every where it says God & Jesus. No violations because he is after all above the law & there is no conflict of interest.
1