Goeorge Orwell in 1984:
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
Seem as if the “deal” with Iran falls neatly and clearly into the construct of Orwell’s prescient sentence.
Per CNN (bolding emphasis mine):
US negotiators are working to quickly release the text of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, even as they downplay the significance of the specific language in the document, US officials told CNN.
The officials described the text of the agreement as incredibly vague, mainly intended to create a more favorable environment for the highly technical, in-person talks to come. They added that the framework is aimed at providing Iran the ability to sell it politically to their internal audience.
Additionally, the officials said that the text of the memorandum of understanding — which Vice President JD Vance told CNN Monday is one-and-a-half pages long — didn’t reflect critical back-channel commitments Iran has made to the US, which they argued gave them more confidence in signing on to the arrangement.
“People shouldn’t read too much into the language of the MOU,” one of the officials said, describing the agreement as a “political document.”
“What’s more important than the actual document is the understandings we have with each other, and that’s why it’s important to get it done, that we can create the environment to go and talk about all these things, because it basically says we will release sanctions, we will do a deal with nuclear, we will unfreeze funds,” the same official said. “But we’ll release sanctions when, you know, based on progress. We’ll release funds once we’ve agreed on the mechanisms to do so.”
The official added that the president’s team of negotiators “came up with language that allows (Iran) to say what they need to say for their domestic politics.”
What. A. Crock.
The full text of the “Agreement” is here: Read the 14-point draft agreement between the US and Iran | CNN. Some highlights below:
Point 1: “The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, together with their allies in the current war, declare upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon…”
Point 3: Negotiate a final agreement within 60 days (“extendable by mutual consent”)
Point 4: Immediately end naval blockade and “prevent any interference or obstruction against the Islamic Republic of Iran”
Point 5: Iran has 30 days to restore shipping passage in the Strait of Hormuz.
Point 6: “The United States undertakes, together with its regional partners” $300 billion to rebuild Iran “as part of the final agreement”
Point 7: remove ALL sanctions against Iran as part of final agreement
Point 8: “The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that it will never produce nuclear weapons.” Nuclear issues to be addressed in final agreement.
Point 10: “The United States… immediately after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding… will issue waivers for exports of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical products and their derivatives, and all related services, including banking, insurance, transportation, and the like.
Point 11: “The United States undertakes that, in light of the progress of negotiations towards a final agreement, frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be released and made fully available.”
My Summary: Basically, the MOU includes Lebanon and Israel without their consent, we immediately end the blockade, we immediately allow Iran to sell its oil and other exports and immediately release frozen assets of Iran (before a final agreement is reached). In return, Iran opens the Strait within 30 days and “reiterates” it will never produce nuclear weapons.
No mention of enriched nuclear stockpile removal. No mention of Iranian missile stocks or launchers. No mention of reform in the Iranian regime (now run by harder liners that the OG hardliners). Yes, mention of US and “regional partners” providing Iran with $300 billion.
But don’t worry. Because “People shouldn’t read too much into the language of the MOU,” one of the officials said, describing the agreement as a “political document.”
This isn’t a deal. It’s a capitulation. Let’s label is as such.
And then there’s this little tidbit:
Heckuva a deal Trumpie.
Let’s remember, Trump is literally perhaps the worst “dealmaker” ever. Pretty much every deal he ever made with his businesses resulted in failure, bankruptcy or bailout. For someone who shouts “fake news” at every opportunity, his only “success” was posing as a “fake” business manager who fired people on a tv show.
For the life of me, I don’t understand why Dems don’t push back on this mythical “Art of The Deal” thing that Republicans supplicants always bring up when referring to Trump. Just tell the media and everyone that every deal Trump has ever made has resulted in failure. MAKE THEM DEFEND THEMSELVES.
Dems also need to point out the failure of this war and, again, relate it back to corruption, national security and why we can’t have things people actually want from our government.
