Senate Republicans Slam Kerry On Iran: You've Been 'Bamboozled,' 'Fleeced'

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry bluntly challenged critics of the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran on Thursday, calling it "fantasy, plain and simple," to think the United States failed to hold out for a better deal at the bargaining table.

"Let me underscore, the alternative to the deal we've reached isn't what we're seeing ads for on TV," he said at the first public hearing on the controversial deal to lift economic and other sanctions in exchange for concessions of the Islamic state's nuclear program. He was referring commercials aired by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee urging lawmakers to reject the deal.

"It isn't a better deal, some sort of unicorn arrangement involving Iran's complete capitulation," Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He spoke after Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee and other Republicans spoke scornfully of the administration's claim that the only alternative to the deal that was reached was a war with Iran.

"You've been fleeced," Corker, the committee chairman, said as Kerry sat nearby at the witness table. He said he was depressed after hearing the secretary of state and other administration officials make the same claim Wednesday in a closed-door briefing for lawmakers.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/john-kerry-bob-corker-senate-iran-nuclear-deal

[sakabatou]

1. Oh the irony

[think]

3. Indeed. /nt

[still_one]

2. Kerry is dealing with those idiots just fine.

[Adrahil]

4. Been listening to it.

Kerry and his colleagues are doing well countering their bullshit.

[jonno99]

5. Well, his responses haven't help very much to deflect their criticism:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/11754379/Iran-nuclear-deal-Kerry-disturbed-by-Ayatollahs-vow-to-defy-US-in-Middle-East.html

[blm]

11. He's knocked down every BS talking point the warmongers had.

Or haven't you been listening?

[jonno99]

12. There are BS talking points on both sides - imho

I don't trust any regime who continues & encourages the whole "death to America" theme.

Do you?

[blm]

15. Sorry to disappoint your 'feelings' - I pay attention to facts.

And the fact is that every mechanism is IN PLACE should Iran break any part of the deal.

I don't trust anyone here at DU who sides with war-profiteers and warmongers over the first deal that comprehensively contains Iran's nuclear interests.

[jonno99]

20. Ummm - "Death to America" sounds like warmongering to me. nt

[blm]

25. The equivalent to USA RWers "Nuke them all"

Do you want all Muslim countries to base negotiations on our GOP voting base and FOX news?

[jonno99]

26. Fair point. nt

[geek tragedy]

18. There's the war pigs' red herring--of course no one trusts Iran. That's why there are inspections nt

[jonno99]

23. I don't trust the structure of the inspections regimen.

I've read all of Kerry's responses & arguments. What I find amazing is the ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that he has in our ability to monitor what they are doing. That is too big a gamble for too dangerous an adversary.

You throw out the 'war pigs' slur as if that is the only alternative. I'd be very happy to continue with the status quo - that is, sanctions until Iran chooses to behave like responsible members of the international community.

[blm]

27. Utter horsesh!t. It's not just Kerry, it's NUCLEAR EXPERTS and treasury experts and

5 other nations and their experts.

But you just stick with your RW talking points and we'll keep fighting you.

[geek tragedy]

28. there are no guarantees in life, and the status quo is not an option.

Iran is closer to a bomb today than it would be under the agreement.

if the US backs out, the EU, China and Russia will still be lifting their sanctions.

AND Iran gets to tear up the agreement and develop a nuke

until Iran chooses to behave like responsible members of the international community

you realize that not all US sanctions are being lifted, right? This is only the nuclear-related sanctions.

Our leverage goes down if we back out of this agreement. So, that would eliminate sanctions as a way of getting Iran to abandon its nuke program.

Which leaves what you're really after, the US and Israel launching a war against Iran.

[jonno99]

33. "Which leaves what you're really after, the US and Israel launching a war against Iran."

Wow thanks Dr Freud, I didn't realize that deep down, I'm really hoping for more war in the ME. Sheesh!

Sorry - I can't deal with this level of sophomoric discourse.

BTW FYI - I sincerely hope that Kerry is right. I would be ecstatic to be in the wrong on this one...

[geek tragedy]

37. You're arguing against a diplomatic solution.

Sanctions against Iran are going to be lifted no matter what Congress does. By Germany, by France, by China, most certainly by Russia.

You seem to have trouble comprehending this.

So, when you insist that the deal be rejected, you are arguing in favor of lifting sanctions against Iran without Iran making any concessions in return.

Which rules out any kind of diplomatic solution, leaving only a military one.

This isn't about Kerry, this is about the rest of the world vs the rightwingers in Congress and Israel.

You are siding with the rightwingers like Netanyahu and Tom Cotton.

I'm siding with Obama, Moniz, Kerry, and the entire UN Security Council.

There is only one way to guarantee that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon--and that is to launch a war of aggression, invasion, conquest, and occupation, with Iran being ruled from Washington and Tel Aviv.

Those that want a guarantee will not be satisfied with anything less.

[jonno99]

38. "this is about the rest of the world vs the rightwingers in Congress and Israel"

So if we could just get rid of those annoying poopy-heads, there'd no more trouble in the ME?

"There is only one way to guarantee that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon--and that is to launch a war of aggression, invasion, conquest, and occupation, with Iran being ruled from Washington and Tel Aviv. "

If you say so....

Thanks for your input.

[geek tragedy]

40. If you can think of a non-unicorn way of guaranteeing that a country with oil wealth and

a modestly advanced education system will never develop technology pioneered during the 1940's, please share it with the class.

As things stand, you are agitating against the only credible alternative to regime change via war of aggression, without presenting a credible alternative.

And, no one said that Republicans and their fellow travelers in Israel are the only cause of turmoil in the Middle East.

[skepticscott]

22. We DON'T trust Iran..that's why we have the fucking deal in place!

Why is that such a hard concept for so many people? Why do people pretend that this deal just says to Iran "please promise not to make a nuclear bomb" and depends on Iran keeping their word, and nothing else?

[zipplewrath]

34. It's not really about "trust"

The deal has inspections in it and there are provisions for re-implementation of the sanctions. And Russia can't unilaterally stop them.

In reality, Iran will probably stick to the deal to a great degree. I mean they could be stupid, but really they get more than they have to give up in this deal. The negotiations were very narrow and focused only on the nuclear weapon capability, which is something they need the least. They are still free to be a major power in the region.

And once they are up and running and making money hand over fist, they may be too addicted to the cash to decide to go back. Only time will tell but if I were a betting man I'd put money on them avoiding the re-imposition of sanctions for a good decade or more.

[jonno99]

35. I hope you're right - truly. nt

[vlyons]

42. The option to wage war is always on the table

but why must it always be the ONLY option that the warmongers are ever satisfied with considering?

[jonno99]

45. I guess because, by definition, they are warmongers...nt

[karynnj]

24. The daily Telegraph leans right and that comment is out of context

Here is the full interview - http://english.alarabiya.net/en/media/inside-the-newsroom/2015/07/21/Full-transcript-of-Al-Arabiya-interview-with-Secretary-of-State-John-Kerry.html

Note that he is speaking to a Sunni news network and he is answering their concerns. The fact is that some in Iran have said outrageous things. The hardliners there - like our Congress want to derail this. Imagine if Zarif were asked if he could deal with an America where the Chair of the Senate Armed Services committee sang "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran". It and many recent intemperate comments have been made in the US. Denying them would not work and it is tricky to explain that they don't reflect the official position on this deal. (If it did, Iran will not make a deal and the debate is moot - therefore, in answering, about all you can do is what Kerry did.)

[Comrade Grumpy]

31. Nothing he says is going to deflect their criticism. nt

[Darb]

41. Uh, I think you might want to recheck your supplier

of talking points. I think you sound a great deal like a certain group of rubes that shall remain nameless do to the risk of alert monkeys crying to the mods.

Jussayin'

[GoCubsGo]

6. I guess their hero, Pootie Poot, was fleeced, as well.

Because Russia and several other countries were also in on the deal. I wonder if Corker and his fellow nutbags have the guts to tell Putin, Merkel, and the others involved, to their face, that they were fleeced.

Wait. I don't wonder at all. I know damn well they don't.

[jonno99]

8. Actually it appears the the Russians will benefit by now being able to sell arms to the Iranians.

So no, Pootie Poot probably feels pretty good about it...

[blm]

32. You mean like Reagan and Poppy Bush did?

.

[jonno99]

36. Yep.

[pampango]

43. Bad move by all three - Reagan, Bush I and Putin. n/t

[turbinetree]

9. Yea..................

Bobby Corker and crew forgot that little important detail----------------he really is a piece of work, just trying to score political points

[hopeforchange2008]

16. Pootie Poot took me a sec, and then it was roflmao. Thanks for that! /eom

[turbinetree]

7. So...........................

this guy Corker, who has been running around and has offered what alternatives---------------what are the alternatives there Bobby------------what do you have in mind?

Let's remind everyone what this right winger did during the UAW union drive in Tennessee, I know its small comparing nuclear devices and there capabilities but that one small involvement says a lot about this person's modus operandi.

And has been reported that he is a moderate ------------------check again----------

[Jack Rabbit]

10. These guys believed Cheney's fantasy about WMDs

They are also well paid by the oil companies to secure foreign oil and the war profiteers to create armed conflicts.

In short, I don't believe them and see no good reason why I should. Their judgment is poor to begin with and made worse by the intoxicating effect of corporate-supplied campaign cash.

[al bupp]

13. Unfortunately, it's not just the repubs giving Kerry a hard time

And yes, it's you, Bob Menendez that I'm talking about! He is being quite obtuse, IHMO.

[bigdarryl]

14. Soon Menendez will be going to prison so fuck him

[geek tragedy]

17. Crooked war pig Bob Menendez, screw him nt

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

19. No, it's America that has been "bamboozled and fleeced" by Republicans.

[C_U_L8R]

21. God bless John Kerry

for having the dignity and grace to put up with these Republican idiots.

[YvonneCa]

30. I agree. It's amazing how he is...

...so calm and dignified as he rips their argument to shreds!

[MADem]

29. That's a somewhat loaded word, "bamboozled."

If one is even tangentially aware of the films of Spike Lee.

[cosmicone]

39. This is just theater to appease the teahadi-nutcase-likudophil base

In the end, the senate will approve the deal. They have been checkmated by Obama.

[SCVDem]

44. If Iran launches one nuke

Then Iran will cease to exist!

Mad? Or MAD?