Iran Nuclear Deal 7-31-2015

31, July 2015                        Iran Nuclear Deal A deeply insightful article in the Economist made the astute observation that Israel’s main concern is not a hostile Iran but a friendly one. If close ties develop between our two countries to fight a common enemy, ISIS, then many Americans will question the logic of our unconditional support for Israel sending it billions of dollars of aid each year. Israel has done its utmost to meddle in our domestic politics and weaken the negotiating strength of President Obama. It has not paid a price for opposing our government’s stated position of halting Israeli settlements and lifting the crippling siege of Gaza. Likewise, Saudi Arabia is fearful of the Iran nuclear deal because our rapprochement would weaken the decades strategic alliance with the US. The Saudis cost us billions by driving up OPEC oil prices in the 70s and then cost us billions by driving down oil prices in the last six months. The Saudis fan the flames of extremism across the Middle East and much of the world. Meanwhile, they cling to a medieval theocratic view of the world that is at odds with our way of life. They crushed the pro-democracy movement in neighboring Bahrain and silence voices of dissent in their own country. Let the Iran deal go forward and ignore the polarizing influence of Israeli leaders and the Saudi royalty.