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Was Netanyahu Right to Fight the Iran Deal?

(Weekly Standard) Elliott Abrams - Netanyahu has always seen the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons program as existential for Israel. In that case, how could he not try to win the argument? Actually, Netanyahu has won the argument: most Americans are highly skeptical of the Iran deal and don't like it, and it will be disapproved in both houses of Congress. In the last months opinion has shifted against the deal, and he can take some credit for that. In fact, Netanyahu's fight against the agreement with Iran may well help Israel now, because there is a broad sense in Washington that Israel must be further assisted to counter the advantages Iran has gained. Aid may increase; more sophisticated weapons may be sold to Israel; in Congress, non-nuclear sanctions against Iran may be increased and extended in time; demands for tougher IAEA inspections may grow. Americans well know that Iran and the murderous jihadists of ISIS and al-Qaeda constitute threats to both our country and Israel. Americans don't appear to blame an Israeli prime minister who argues about his country's security. On the contrary, Americans can distinguish between narrow personal or political feuds, and battles over matters of principle and national security. The writer, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor.
2015-09-07 00:00:00
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