Tag Archive for: Congress P5+1

PODCAST: Iran Nuclear Deal ‘worthless’ with ‘theocratic, totalitarian, genocidal imperialists’

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It was a fast paced discussion on the August 2, 2015 Lisa Benson Show on National Security with guest, former CIA director, Ambassador R. James Woolsey. Ambassador Woolsey is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. See his full bio, here. Host Lisa Benson was joined by Michael Weiser, foreign policy analyst and this writer.

The  discussion addressed  threats  not currently  covered by the media arising from the Iran nuclear pact  announced on July 14th and unanimously endorsed on the University Security Council on July 22nd. Ambassador Woolsey  called pending  Iran pact “ a worse than useless agreement “ and deemed the Iranian Islamic regime, “theocratic, totalitarian, genocidal , imperialists”. He contends that Iran may be less than a few months away from developing a nuclear weapons but less than the year the Administration believes would be delayed by a decade. When asked about what options Congress to prevent implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he suggested that an informed public has to get behind an effective campaign to get the message across to Congress to  overwhelmingly reject it

Among the important issues discussed in the Lisa Benson Show with Ambassador Woolsey were:

  • The Electronic Magnetic Pulse threat posed by Iran with a nuclear equipment missile to the US;
  • What  is required to protect the country’s vital electrical grid under the provisions of the  Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2015 (CIPA);
  • The Administration gutting  Ballistic Missile Defense against an Iranian Missile Attack;
  • What constitutes a better deal, without a military option; and,
  • How a Flexible Fuel strategy could upend  the OPEC Cartel, especially Russia, Venezuela and Iran.

The controversial Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  has been the subject of Hearing with Administration witnesses before both Senate and House  Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees before last Thursday summer recess. Disquieting information was revealed in those  regarding secret side deals between the UN Watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and  Iran, lifting of $150 billion in sanctioned funds $150 billion in sanctions relief ,retention of key parts of the nuclear infrastructure, 24 day prior notice inspections of known facilities, obligations to protect Iranian nuclear facilities against sabotage, and  lifting of conventional arms and ballistic missile sanctions. One of the disturbing revelations in Congressional  hearings on the Iran nuclear pact was the lifting of sanctions on 800 persons and institutions in Iran that included Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani  who  is responsible for  more than 500 deaths and hundreds casualties of American Service personnel in the Iraq War from Iranian developed IEDs .

These and hints of other undisclosed information by the Administration in those Congressional hearings have caused an estimated majority of Americans in recent polls to urge Senators and Representatives to reject the Iran nuclear deal. Congress will make a decision on whether to accept or reject the pact by mid-September vote under the threat of a possible veto by President Obama if rejected. 13 undecided Democrat Senators and 30+ Democrat members of the House hold the key to the outcome.

Here were some of the points raised by Ambassador Woolsey.

On  the Electronic Magnetic Pulse Threat and Requirements for Protection of the National Grid

Ambassador Woolsey  warned that  Iran or North Korea needs only launch a missile with  a low yield nuclear weapon to generate  sufficient gamma radiation in a low altitude explosion to knock out the critical several hundred strategic transformers and data control network for the national grid. That would paralyze critical industrial, communications, financial and medical networks in this country producing significant  mass casualties. Given the recent House passage of CIPA he was asked for how much time might be entailed to harden those key elements, Ambassador Woolsey suggested several months to a year at most. Further he drew attention to  Russia, China, North Korea and Iran planning to harden their grids against a possible EMP threat, whether natural or man-made.

The Gutting of Ballistic Missile Defense

When asked about the absence of a Missile Defense shield on the vulnerable East and Gulf coast of the US  Ambassador Woolsey noted the Administration’s decision withdrawing over the horizon radars and interceptors from  allies in NATO, Poland and Czechoslovakia. He noted the possible capabilities of  North Korea and Iran to launch Fractional Orbital Bombardment Systems,, developed by Russia, in southerly polar directions that would make a surprise attack extremely difficult to detect.

The  lack of a military option to force a better deal

When asked about the Hobson’s choice of conventional versus other means for Israel or the US as an option, Ambassador Woolsey responded, “there are  other approaches, and that we  and the Israelis are not entirely without means”.  However he noted that “the Administration took the threat of possible violence off the table” and “our government willing to use such measures”. That he said has unfortunately “made the Mullahs very happy.”

The Strategic Flex Fuels Weapon the US could Use against the Oil Cartel

While citing Iranians involvement with the drug cartels threatening our borders, he also raised a means of  attacking Iran, Venezuela  and Russia and the rest of the OPEC Cartel.  It has to do with the US energy revolution in producing natural gas from fracking. Ambassador Woolsey suggested that the Administration might adopt Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency credits for vehicle producers for producing so-called flex fuel powered vehicles, Vehicles powered by Methane produced from the abundance of cheap supplies of natural gas produced by fracking. That might have the effect of driving the price of oil below $40 a barrel.

Listen to this Soundcloud  discussion with Ambassador R. James Woolsey from the August 2, 2015, Lisa Benson Radio Show on National Security:

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared in the New English Review.

Obama and Iran vs. The U.S. Congress

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For the last six years Obama has promised the American people, Israel and other allies that Iran will not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. This was a firm commitment. Now it appears during the secret negotiations Obama is about to break his promise and is negotiating to allow Iran to continue to enrich Uranium and possibly Plutonium for the production of nuclear weapons. It appears the issue is not whether Iran will have nuclear weapons, but when.

Obama threatens to veto two Bills. One is a Congressional Sanctions bill which would provide for the reinstatement of sanctions if Iran fails to give up its nuclear weapons program or allow by this summer and which would prevent Obama from giving Iran a third extension during which time their nuclear program will continue. The other bill he threatens to veto is a Bill that would require Obama to obtain Congressional approval to an agreement which he knows he would not get unless it prevents Iran from building nuclear weapons. An agreement of this importance which affects the security of all Americans normally takes the form of a treaty that requires Senate approval and ratification. Congress has made it clear they will not allow an end run on such an important matter. All of this is occurring as Iran is expanding its terrorist stranglehold throughout the Middle East.

Because U.S. security as well as the security of U.S. allies is involved, a bi-partisan majority of Congressmen and Senators need to be able to review any agreement with Iran and either approve it or disapprove it. In addition if a satisfactory agreement to stop Iran’s nuclear program is no forthcoming by this summer Congress believes it needs to reinstate the sanctions Obama removed and/or create new sanctions.

So far the Obama administration has kept Congress and its allies in the dark. For this reason Congress has invited Prime Minister Netanyahu to address Congress in February to better understand what U.S. allies feel needs to be done to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. The problem has gotten even more serious as it is reported that Iran and Russia have entered into an agreement to provide Iran with an anti missile defense system and Iran’s backed rebels have taken over Yemen which Obama recently claimed as one of his successes.

The composition of the P5+1 negotiating group with Iran is a travesty.

The P5+1 consist of the U.S., Russia, China, Great Britain, France and Germany. Russia is building nuclear plants for Iran and sells it armaments. The parts to build centrifuges come from Siemens and other German companies. G.B., France and China purchase oil from Iran and have large business interests with Iran.

None of the countries most affected by Iran’s nuclear weapons program including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The United Arab Emirates or Jordan are involved in the negotiations which are kept secret. Even more disturbing the negotiations are kept secret from the U.S. Congress and the American people. It is imperative for Congress to be part of the negotiations that will affect the security of the American people for years to come.