The Iranian Accord, 2015. Ratify it.

I have been hearing a great deal from Conservative leadership in the United States that, for the safety of the planet, the Iranian nuclear arms deal must be rejected by Congress. I accept that they may have a point but I also respectfully ask that they present their reason for the rejection, as a matter of courtesy. The sum of the reasons for rejecting the deal should demonstrate that the advantages of rejecting the deal more than compensate for the damage caused by rejecting the deal.

The cost of rejection? No country on the planet would ever again take any negotiation with the United States seriously. This includes economic, financial, military, political discussions. How would it be possible to maintain a leadership role in the world while no country takes Presidential action seriously? In addition to this, rejecting the deal removes all direct observational tools that the West would have acquired in the deal, thereby reducing Western ability to monitor the situation within the borders of Iran. I assert that the cost of rejecting the deal is high. I perceive absolutely no fact based logical argument being put forward against the accord, at all. All I see is that we "could have done better" or "the world will end" or "They will kill us". Are all purely emotional suppositions.

Every argument that I have heard in opposition to the accord is nullified with one simple verifiable fact. World leaders, including the power structures of Iran and Israel, realize that, if Iran posed a legitimate threat to world civilizations as perceived by the West, it would be incinerated one fine morning with enough time remaining to prepare a nice dinner. After which, over a pleasant desert, cognac and coffee, the principle parties involved could lament the total destruction of an entire civilization from the globe; one of the greatest civilizations in the history of man, as documented by those that study this sort of thing. An entire civilization obliterated, man woman and child. This outcome is inescapable with or without any treaty or signed or unsigned document of any kind; the West will not die easily. All of the signatories on the accord know this and the military and political power structures of the entire planet know this as well.

The capability to do this is well documented and it would be a shame to have done so without first having given Iranian leaders every chance in the world to encourage their populations and power structures to relinquish anti-social behavior. Every effort to and including financial aid should be offered up. Failure to having done this in advance would perturb the good taste of the cognac, and that would be a shame. We would then be obliged to spend multiple generations inventing stories explaining to our children why we were not just ordinary assholes who, without any attempt at diplomacy or direct contact, vaporized 77 million people and obliterated one of the oldest civilizations on the planet because "they would not do what we told them to do". So, who is supporting the agreement?

The leaders of the US, UK, France, China, Russia, Germany and Iran have, after nine years of negotiation that started in 2006 with economic sanctions on Iran, decided that the best way to proceed with the perceived nuclear material and technology problem with Iran's government is the Iran nuclear deal signed in July 2015. This will lift the Iranian sanctions in exchange for concessions by the Iranian government. They want the US Congress to ratify the accord.

This agreement is supported by the diplomats of those 7 countries. This is to say that the people most familiar with the use of international power have stated that this is the appropriate process and that this will reduce the likelihood of war. These people agree that the agreement should be ratified by the US Congress.

Subsequent to signing the accord

29 upper level U.S. Scientists praise the deal in an open letter to Obama. This includes 5 Nobel Prize winners. These are people that are paid to think about science and technology, at least some of whom are intimately familiar with the research, development and production of nuclear weapons. These people agree that the agreement should be ratified by the US Congress.

Finally, 36 retired generals and admirals also now support the Iran nuclear deal as well. Once again, this is not to argue that they are correct in their assessment. I am noting that a large number of military professionals of high rank have agreed that this is an important step in dealing with the perceived nuclear weapon threat. They do not rule out a military option. They say instead, that this agreement makes the use of a military option simpler and more effective, should it come down to that. They recommend that Congress ratify the accord.

Let me reiterate, These upper echelon military men have stated that ratifying the accord will make the use of the military option against Iran simpler and more effective, should it become necessary.

Power, Diplomacy and Balls: Terrified Republicans.

I read a Globalpost article By Michael Moran, Why Israel and Saudi Arabia really hate the Iran deal. He gave me food for thought. I have reduced it to the components that I could use. It was a good article, filled with the nutrients needed to build and interesting structure. Here is what I build with it ______________________

Apparently the Executive Branch of the US government has just wrapped up a deal with Iran that is supposed to reduce the danger that Iran poses to 'the west'. This has met with some pretty strong criticism from people within the US and from some World governments, notably Syria and Israel. Each country has it's own constituency and its own problems. For whatever reason some of the upper echelon of these countries have expressed their misgivings. I have no idea whether this is political posturing for some hidden treasure or if they are indeed unhappy with the deal. Frankly, I don't care because I don't know enough about their situations and culture and I can not do anything about it anyway. I do know something about the American culture and what is traveling around the blogosphere and newspapers. In America we have one group in particular (New Conservatives) who have lots of people that are outraged that we would 'appease the enemy'.

I would like to expose these 'hardliners', these defenders of liberty for what they are. Fearful cowards, but more than just fearful cowards, they are ignorant jerks that do not understand power or its use. I am being generous here. War is the last resort of someone who has already lost. This is nothing new for those that study conflict. For these conservatives however, the only 'acceptable' outcome To the US 'negotiation' with Iran would be war. For war is the only definitive way to solve 'the problem', whatever that means. These are people that accuse the American President of weakness and even traitorous behavior when he allows anyone in his administration to have any contact with someone in a 'hostile country'. Any compromise is seen as defeat, even saying hello on the street is seen as defeat.

Only those that are strong have the option of being generous with their opponents. I am not speaking of a perception of strength, I am speaking of real demonstrable strength. America has finally begun to behave as if it were strong; strong enough to talk with those that disagree and even strong enough to throw them a face-saving bone once in a while. America has started to behave as if it is not afraid of the boogie man anymore and has the quiet confidence of a country with real power. Absolute power.

This is the image that Barak Obama is now projecting. He has started to show respect for those that disagree, he will listen to them and even try to help them out once in a while, he will show them real respect. I am pleased, for this is the stance of a person that controls real power, the winning hand. His position is so strong that he can even grant them some concessions if it will help them manage their own internal public relationship challenges. Why not? They will have to come around eventually, there is no choice. They know that and we know that. Why make it difficult on them? It is not courteous. We have real power we do not need to strut around on the world stage like a 13 year old bully taunting his prey.

Frankly, I am sick and tired of the New Conservatives total lack of confidence in American power; They are the ones that think we are weak and cannot afford to negotiate. They are the ones that make Americans look fearful and weak to the rest of the world. This is more than just an appearance. These people are afraid and fear does make one weak and vulnerable. These are the people that are so afraid of being perceived as 'weak' that we cannot treat our opponents on the world stage with the utmost courtesy and respect. These are the people that think America is so weak that we cannot give them concession that will make it easier for them to manage their own people.

Let me remind our terrified and insecure Conservative cowards that America has the power to vaporize any of these 'problems' in just a couple of hours for a cost of a couple of billion dollars and without the loss of a single American. We can do this in the afternoon then go out to dinner that evening. I am not exaggerating  at all. We can afford to be courteous and respectful with our 'opponents' because anything short of that, is a straightforward admission that we are just asshole bullies and nothing else.

The Iranian culture deserves a HUGE amount of respect. Now, in addition to just being assholes, the 'War Monger Conservatives' are also demonstrating that they are dumb-fucks as well. Read some history about the rise of civilization on the planet and the place that Iranian culture played in that rise. Dumb people seldom win conflicts. A battle once in a while but never the conflict. You give our opponents confidence and you destroy the confidence that is rightly ours.

Now, you 'New Conservatives', stand up straight and stop acting like terrified little children. We have real power and everyone on the planet knows it. Grow some balls. Treat the 'enemy' with the utmost courtesy and respect. Offer to talk anytime and give them the concessions the need to effectively govern their people. This is very important because one afternoon, on one cloudy day, we might have to annihilate their entire civilization from the planet and that would be sad.