Obama Losing Democrats On Iran Deal

  

In break with Obama, Ted Deutch oppposes Iran nuclear agreement

By Anthony Man
Sun Sentinel

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch said Tuesday he would vote against President Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran.

Before entering politics, Deutch was active in Jewish philanthropic efforts and in pro-Israel activities. His northwest Broward/southeast Palm Beach County district has one of the largest Jewish populations of any congressional district in the country. Israel strongly opposes the nuclear deal.
South Florida Republicans quick to trash Iran nuke deal; Democrats waiting to review details
South Florida Republicans quick to trash Iran nuke deal; Democrats waiting to review details
Deutch is the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa.

“Too many issues I have long raised as essential to any nuclear deal with Iran are not adequately addressed in this agreement. I will vote against it when Congress reconvenes in September,” Deutch wrote in an op-ed article for the Sun Sentinel. “There are different predictions about what will happen if Congress rejects this deal. But the consequences of approving it aren’t up for debate. Opening Iran up to foreign investment, increasing its oil exports, and unfreezing over $100 billion in assets means more money for Hamas for building terror tunnels in Gaza, more weapons for Hezbollah in Lebanon, more slaughter in Syria, and more violence worldwide.”

Also on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the full Foreign Affairs Committee introduced legislation Tuesday to block the nuclear agreement.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said Tuesday he would support the nuclear agreement.
 

In a speech delivered on the Senate floor, Nelson described himself as “a strong supporter of Israel.” Like Deutch, Nelson referred to Coral Springs resident Robert Levinson, the longest held civilian hostage in American history. 

 

“I wish that the 3 Americans jailed in Iran and Bob Levinson, a former FBI agent missing in Iran for eight years, had been a part of an agreement to return them. The Levinson family in Florida is anxious for information and help to return Bob. This is personal for me.”

“Unless there is an unexpected change in conditions and facts before the vote is called in September, I will support the nuclear agreement,” Nelson said. “The goal of the two-years of negotiations culminating in this deal was to deny Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This objective has been fulfilled in the short term….

“Would I prefer a deal that dismantles their entire program forever and ends all of Iran’s bad behavior? Of course I would. But how do we get the “better deal” that the opposition wants? We don’t if the sanctions fall apart. And that is exactly what would happen if we reject this deal. Iran will emerge less isolated and less constrained to build a nuclear weapon….

“This joint agreement declares that Iran will never ever be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. If they break their agreement, even in 10 or 15 years, every financial and military option will still be available to us and those options will be backed by ever improving military capabilities and more and better intelligence.”