(Project Syndicate) Richard N. Haass - The framework just adopted by Iran and the P5+1 leaves unanswered at least as many questions as it resolves. Major issues have yet to be settled. A formal, comprehensive accord is supposed to be completed by the end of June. The history of arms control suggests there will be occasions when Iran, which has a record of withholding relevant information from UN weapons inspectors, is suspected of not living up to the letter, much less the spirit, of what was negotiated. Agreement is needed on the process for judging Iranian behavior and for determining appropriate responses. The agreement says nothing about Iran's missile programs or support for terrorists and proxies, much less about what it is doing in Syria or Iraq or Yemen, or about human rights at home. Iran is a would-be imperial power that seeks regional primacy. A nuclear agreement might even make this reality worse, as Iran could well emerge with its reputation enhanced and a long-term option to build nuclear weapons intact. The writer, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, previously served as Director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department.
2015-04-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive