Why the Iran Deal Makes War More Likely

The Iranian regime is one of our most dangerous foes.

It has declared the United States to be the Great Satan. It has repeatedly proclaimed its intent to wipe Israel off the map. It has perpetrated violence against American servicemen and civilians alike. It has sown conflict across the most volatile region of the world. And it has oppressed its people by some of the most ghastly methods imaginable.

Given the threat posed by this rogue regime, preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability is absolutely critical. It is a goal shared across party lines as well as amongst many of our friends and allies abroad. All of us here prefer to prevent Iran from acquiring this capability by diplomatic means if possible, rather than by armed conflict.

In light of this shared desire to resolve the Iranian threat without a war, I examined the Obama administration’s proposed agreement hopeful—if skeptical—that I could support the deal. Nevertheless, the duty incumbent upon us as Senators is not to accept or reject this deal based on knee-jerk reactions or blind partisan loyalty, but rather to determine our stances based on thorough examination and reasoned judgment. Regrettably, after much study I have concluded that this is a catastrophically bad deal that I must strongly oppose.

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Far from blocking the Iranian regime’s path to nuclear weapons capability, this agreement actually secures what Mark Dubowitz, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, calls a “patient pathway” to nuclear weapons capability. Consider the timeline. From day one, the Iranian regime will be allowed to enrich uranium using thousands of centrifuges and to conduct nuclear research and development.

After eight years, Iran will be allowed to begin building hundreds of advanced new centrifuges annually and will be allowed to expand its ballistic missile program.

After fifteen years Iran will be permitted to:

• Stockpile significant quantities of enriched uranium;

• Use advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium on an industrial scale;

• And build heavy water reactors according to the State Department’s own fact sheet.

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