Nunn Calls for Unity: Congress Should be an Asset, Not a Liability

United front - “I think the United States is being weakened around the world because of the perception and reality of an ideological split and profound distrust between the president and the Congress,” former Senator Sam Nunn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

--Regardless of the intent of the signers, the Cotton letter is “being interpreted around the world as a large part of the Republican Senate suggesting that the Ayatollah should not trust or make agreements with a U.S. president,” Sen. Nunn added. “I’m afraid what we’ve done is play right into Iranian strategy… If something breaks down – their goal is to split this very effective economic coalition.”

--On the argument that Congress has an important role in the Iran debate, and the charge from some lawmakers that they feel cut off from the administration’s efforts, Sen. Nunn said: “I think they make a legitimate point. But I also believe Congress has to try to be constructive, and not destructive. A president isn’t going to trust a Congress that announces its intent to basically stop everything he’s doing.” http://bit.ly/1B8yJdq

Second thoughts? - “Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said in an interview that he currently backs the legislation designed to give the Senate more input on a nuclear deal, but he cautioned that the Iran letter is making him think twice. ‘If I’m not convinced that this issue can be handled on the merits and not on a partisan basis,’ he said, ‘then I’m going to change my mind.’” Full story by Burgess Everett in POLITICO here. http://politi.co/1Gtox3G

--See also: “Republican Idiocy on Iran,” by the editorial board of the New York Times http://nyti.ms/1MuqHCl

Going viral - The New York Times provides a birds eye view of the online debate surrounding the #47traitors hashtag and the controversy over the open letter to Iran’s leadership: http://nyti.ms/1BvEQxu

Tweet - @WilliamSaetren: Frustrated by GOP letter to #Iran? Latest from @DuffelBlog is bound to make you smile: #http://t.co/5qehdQ7Wwn #IranTalks

2016 - “Potential GOP presidential candidates are embracing a hard line against President Obama’s engagement with Iran, making it an early litmus test for ambitious Republicans — and the most important foreign policy issue of the developing campaign,” report Ed O'Keefe and Mike DeBonis for the Washington Post.

--“The strategy could backfire — Obama may ultimately yield an agreement embraced by other world powers and the American public.” Full story here. http://wapo.st/1b4Jp86

A leaky nuclear navy - Nuclear incidents are on the rise in the U.K.’s nuclear submarine force, reports Jenny Foulds of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail. “Up to 451 safety incidents happened between 2008/9 and 2013/14, which involved at least 71 fires and major equipment failures… In the past year, the number of accidents has almost doubled from 68 in 2012/13 to 107 in 2013/14.”

--“These are described by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as ‘a major failure of nuclear weapons services’ causing an ‘actual contained release (of radiation) within buildings or submarine or an unplanned exposure to radiation.’ All of the safety incidents involved either the submarines’ nuclear propulsion systems or issues with nuclear weapons.” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1Bvy1vS

Kerry pushes back - “When [the Cotton letter] says that Congress could actually modify the terms of an agreement at any time is flat wrong,” Secretary of State Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday. “The letter erroneously asserts this is a legally binding plan. It is not… You don't have the right to modify an agreement reached executive to executive between leaders of a country.” http://reut.rs/1B7FCf4

Unicorn deal - “The people arguing now for a ‘better’ deal at some later date are the same people who in 2006 said 164 centrifuges was way too many and, that if we just held out long enough, we’d haggle the Iranians down to zero. Look what that got us.”

--“This is a fantasy, a unicorn, the futile pursuit of which ends with a half-assed airstrike against Iran, a region in flames, and eventually an Iranian nuclear weapon… Any military action against Iran will set its nuclear program back, at best, a couple of years. But the anger will last generations.” Jeff Lewis in Foreign Policy. http://atfp.co/1E89oT6

Tweet - @Cirincione: Happy Anniversary @plough_shares! I can't believe I've been lucky enough to be president for 7 years.

Quick Hits:

--“Megyn Kelly grills Tom Cotton on Iran letter,” by Nick Gass in POLITICO.http://politi.co/1ECUWrr

--“Congress Must Bind Iran's Nuclear Program ... or Else,” by Michael Krepon in Roll Call. http://bit.ly/1Gw0PUJ

Events:

--“A New Approach to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.” Featuring John Hamre, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); Joan Rohlfing, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Andrew Newman, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Everett Redmond, Nuclear Energy Institute; and Sharon Squassoni, CSIS. March 12 from 9:00-10:30 AM. Located at CSIS, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP by email at PPP@CSIS.org

--“A Nuclear Deal, Iran’s Regional Role and U.S. Relations with the Persian Gulf.” Featuring Richard LeBaron, former Ambassador to Kuwait; Alireza Nader, RAND; and Ilan Goldenberg, Center for a New American Security. March 16 at 2:00 PM. Located at the Atlantic Council, 12th Floor, 1030 15th St. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/1MFH1mO

--“Managing and Reducing 21st Century Nuclear Security Threats.” Featuring Duyeon Kim, Carnegie Endowment; former Sen. Sam Nunn (GA), Nuclear Security Initiative; former Sen. Richard Lugar (IN), Lugar Center; Desmond Browne, former U.K. Defense Minister; and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (NE). March 16 from 6:00-8:30 PM. Located at Georgetown University, Bunn Intercultural Center, 37th St. NW, Washington, DC. RSVP by March 12 online. http://bit.ly/1wJFnM8

--Senate Armed Services Committee, hearing on “Postures of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force.” With Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff, Air Force; Deborah Lee James, Air Force Secretary; and John McHugh, Army Secretary. March 18 at 2:30 PM. Located in room SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1AjlKFQ

--Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, hearing on the Energy Department budget. With Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. March 18, time TBA, Room TBA, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1itSTpx

--Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland, hearing on Air Force Force Structure and Modernization. With William LaPlante, Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition; Lt. Gen. Tod Wolters, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations; and Lt. Gen. James Holmes, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements. March 19 at 2:30 PM. Located in room S 222, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC. Webcast on committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1Muu2kZ

Dessert: The Economist has two new interactive charts on global nuclear stockpiles over time. Check them out: http://econ.st/1EeDKpH