Iran Focus
London, 6 Oct – On October 5, Republican Senator Tom Cotton told the Washington Post that military action against the Iranian Regime was “a credible option” and the renegotiation of the nuclear deal should be a discussion between the United States, European partners, Israel, and Arab allies.
This came just ten days before Donald Trump must decide whether or not to recertify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement — which places restrictions on the Iranian Regime’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
When questioned on whether the military option was a good idea, Cotton replied that the US certainly had the option and it need not be like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the American public.
He said: “Most of your argument [against] is that we don’t have a credible military option, which is simply false. President Obama often implied that the only choice we had was capitulation under the [nuclear deal] or a decade of occupation after forceful regime change through the introduction of 150,000 mechanized troops, like we do in Iraq — that’s simply not the case.”
He continued: “We have a number of calibrated military strikes — like Ronald Reagan conducted against Libya, like Bill Clinton conducted repeatedly against Iraq like Donald Trump conducted against Syria. Like Ronald Reagan conducted against Iran itself, by blowing up half of its navy and several oil platforms.”
One of Cotton’s biggest concerns about the nuclear deal is that even if Iran was in complete compliance (evidence show that this is not true), it still allows the Regime to develop nuclear weapons in less than a generation, which is why he advocates for renegotiation.
He said: “Ultimately put Iran in the position of being a legitimate and lawful nuclear power in a mere 13 years.”
He continued: “I would say they’re [Iran] not complying, fully, and verifiably, and transparently… and it clearly is not in our vital national security interests. Iran’s role in the region is a campaign of imperial aggression across the Middle East. So, it’s time for a new approach.”
Cotton is believed to have met privately with Trump to put across his views on Iran and how the nuclear certification should go.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the administration would place several options before Trump with regard to the nuclear deal, which could include military action but is more likely to include decertification with and without the rollback of sanctions.
