February 12, 2018
The Trump Team’s Blinkered Obsession With the Iran Deal Is Poisoning the Well
When seemingly spontaneous protests erupted in cities across Iran, beginning in the last days of 2017, the prospect of a new, uncertain, and even hopeful chapter in the country’s tortured history seemed possible. But in Washington, there was little indication of change or opportunity. Instead, the same old debate about the Iran nuclear agreement unfolded.
As thousands of Iranians took to the streets, critics immediately bellowed that the protests proved that the Iran deal was a failure because it had not improved the lives of ordinary Iranians, or claimed that it legitimized the regime and was the reason such unrest had not come about earlier, practically blaming former President Barack Obama for the Islamic Republic’s continued existence.
Indeed, for many opponents of the Iran deal, it has become the single explanation for every (allegedly bad) decision Obama made on Middle East policy over his entire presidency, ranging from his restrained approach to the Green Revolution protests in Tehran in 2009 to his reluctance to become more militarily engaged in Syria. Such airbrushed history distorts the debate — and does little to illuminate what the United States should do next on Iran.
Read the full article in Foreign Policy.
More from CNAS
-
Russia Is Taking Advantage of the Destabilized Globe
Video
On tonight’s episode of W News with Catalina Marchant de Abreu, we cover the biggest stories from Davos and beyond. Donald Trump launched his new “Board of Peace” at the World...
By Rachel Ziemba
-
U.S. General Says Iran Is in a ‘Bad Place’ as Protesters ‘Rise Up’
Video
CNAS board of advisors member Ret. Gen. Philip Breedlove joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to weigh in on Iran’s mounting instability, the regime’s response to demonstrations and ...
By Philip Breedlove
-
What’s Behind the Protests in Iran?
Video
Anti-government protests in Iran that started over the country's economic situation have continued for a third week. "The Daily Report" breaks down who and what's behind the d...
By Elisa Catalano Ewers
-
Lebanon Is Disarming Hezbollah. The U.S. and Israel Can Do More to Help.
Commentary
This article was originally published in Foreign Policy. The Lebanese government is now at a pivotal point in its vital efforts to disarm Hezbollah and reassert full authority...
By Elisa Catalano Ewers
