Oregon’s Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley on Sunday became the 31st senator to announce support for the Iran nuclear deal, as momentum builds behind the agreement the Obama administration and other world powers negotiated with Tehran.
Merkley’s backing puts supporters within reach of the 34 votes required to uphold a presidential veto of a congressional resolution disapproving the agreement, which curbs Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief.
Republicans are unanimously against the deal. But with an overwhelming number of Senate Democrats in favor, some have now begun aiming to amass 41 yes votes, which would allow them to kill the disapproval resolution outright in the Senate and protect Obama from having to use his veto pen.
A vote on the nuclear deal the U.S. and other world powers negotiated with Iran is scheduled for early September.
Merkley said that while he thinks the deal has “significant shortcomings,” it is the best strategy to block Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“Because of these shortcomings, many have argued that the United States, instead of implementing the agreement, should withdraw from it, persuade our partners to set the agreement aside and work together to negotiate a better deal,” Merkley said in a statement. “However, the prospects for this are slim. All of our partners … believe that the current deal — in regard to its central goal of blocking Iran’s pathways to a nuclear bomb — is sound. They have committed the good faith of their governments behind the agreement and intend to honor the deal as long as Iran does likewise, with or without the United States.”
(AP)
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4 Responses
It would be interesting to know how many registered (Jewish) Democrats, will be changing parties.
When I grew up, it was unheard of for a Jew to be a Republican. All Jews were Democrats, of course. The real elections in my area were the Democratic primaries, as the winners there were assures of the Jewish vote in the general election.
Now look at what those Democrats, to whom American Jews gave their hopes and campaign contributions, have done.
Look up the Yalkut Shimoni, Sefer Yeshaya, Perek 60, end of 499. That seems to be what’s really going on.
I wouldn’t worry do much…We have a secret weapon (in addition to tshuva, tefillah and tzedakah)….That secret weapon is the Iranian’s themselves. They have thrown caution to the winds and trip over themselves in trying to see who can dare the west more. No sooner was the deal signed, then the Iranian Quds General Solemani (who under the embargo is not allowed entry into any of the negotiating countries) went to Russia to make a deal for Iran to acquire S-300 missiles (also not allowed). The response from the west was a deafening silence. Emboldened by this accomplishment, the Ayatollah couldn’t hold himself back from declaring “Death to America”. The west was a little more vocal. They expressed “dismay” with the Ayatollah’s words. Now so-called “moderate” Iranian President Rhuhani, has made certain that the Iranian parliament wouldn’t vote on the deal with the west. His reasoning…a vote for it would make it “legally binding”. In order to make certain that it would not be “legally binding”, Rhuhani lowered the agreement to merely the level of a “political understanding” (For those who don’t know… under Islamic/Shah-aria law, a “political understanding or “hudna” is a temporary measure which can easily be broken. Since this just happened yesterday. no one has picked up on it and it will likely remain below the radar. Now the Iranians will be emboldened to take further steps. WE may very well “Luck out” and have the Iranians become a bit too “chutzpadik” and the waken the “American Lion”.
@ Mottel1,
Yes, you’re right. Be”H.
Additionally the defensive missile shipment from Russia that was supposed to be completed by the end of the year has hit a “snag.”
It seems that they are haggling over the price now.
Their arrogance will be their defeat, Be”H.