Scowcroft to Congress: Seize this Historic Opportunity

An epic opportunity - “Congress again faces a momentous decision regarding U.S. policy toward the Middle East. The forthcoming vote on the nuclear deal between the P5+1 and Iran (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) will show the world whether the United States has the will and sense of responsibility to help stabilize the Middle East, or whether it will contribute to further turmoil, including the possible spread of nuclear weapons.”

--“My generation is on the sidelines of policymaking now; this is a natural development. But decades of experience strongly suggest that there are epochal moments that should not be squandered. President Nixon realized it with China. Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush realized it with the Soviet Union. And I believe we face it with Iran today.” Read the full piece from Brent Scowcroft in The Washington Post here. http://wapo.st/1MEEA3Y

GOP anti-diplomacy psyche - “Since the nuclear deal with Iran was announced on July 14, Republicans have attacked it with fire-and-brimstone zeal,” write Nicole Hemmer and Tom Switzer for The New York Times. “President Obama has fired back, arguing that opposition to the deal stems from… ‘A mind-set characterized by a preference for military action over diplomacy.’”

--“Since the early 1950s, many conservatives — conditioned to think in Manichean terms of absolute victory or total surrender — have opposed major peace initiatives on the grounds that they were forms of surrender and appeasement. Rather than making the world safer, they argued, such diplomatic deals weakened America’s global standing… But in the face of such foes, American interests have in the past been advanced best through diplomacy, not isolation.”

--“In hurling brickbats at the president, the modern-day inheritors of the hardline tradition — from the Republican leadership to Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer — are simply reminding Americans of earlier episodes of right-wing rejectionism. Today, those past backlashes against important diplomatic overtures appear discredited and foolish.” Full story here. http://nyti.ms/1WUtXyV

Tweet - @dylanotes: Another New Jersey Representative, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, announces support for the #IranDeal

Beyond 15 years - “Although several key restrictions on Iran’s uranium-enrichment capacity and its stockpile of enriched uranium will expire after 15 years, the [JCPOA] establishes several other restrictions and tools that will help constrain and provide deep insights into Iran’s nuclear program far beyond the first 15-year period...The United States, it P5+1 partners, and countries in the region also have a number of options to strengthen the deal and dis-incentivize Iran from ramping up its uranium enrichment 15 years after implementation of the JCPOA.”

--“If Congress rejects the deal, Iran’s nuclear program will be free of the long-term restrictions and more intrusive monitoring system mandated by the JCPOA. On the other hand, the JCPOA provides a solid formula for blocking Iran’s ability to build nuclear weapons for at least 15 years, and the time necessary to pursue and implement complimentary initiatives to head off the possibility that Iran will try to pursue an expansion of its nuclear program over the long-term.” Full brief by Kelsey Davenport at Arms Control Association. http://bit.ly/1Jofxjw

Isolating America - “Serving as the United States ambassador to the United Nations… I spend virtually every day interacting with foreign diplomats – diplomats who are tracking the debate in Congress like they tracked the World Cup soccer pairings last year,” writes Ambassador Samantha Power for Politico. “And from this vantage point, I believe that rejecting this deal would significantly weaken our ability to achieve our broader foreign policy goals.”

--“If Congress rejects the deal, we will project globally an America that is internally divided, unreliable, and dismissive of the views of those with whom we built Iran’s sanctions architecture in the first place… We should not underestimate the political capital we will lose – political capital that we draw upon for influence – if we walk away from this deal.” Full story here. http://politi.co/1fI3C5a

Tweet - @Cirincione: Potential for Democratic Filibuster on #IranDeal Angers Key Republican - I'll refrain from comment on irony of this. http://nyti.ms/1hhtWUU

Scholars urge support for Iran deal - More than 70 Middle East and foreign affairs scholars have penned a letter to Congress in favor of the Iran Deal, stating that it helps resolve more problems than Iran’s nuclear program. “The region suffers from a diplomacy deficit, and the mere fact that the U.S. and Iran can talk to each other again is in and of itself a stabilizing factor for the Middle East and an encouragement for regional rivals to pursue dialogue instead of proxy fights.” Full letter here. http://bit.ly/1EkIptL

Quick Hits:

--“Leaked report cites design flaws in plant built to treat nuclear waste,” by Joby Warrick for The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1NWEofk

--“Haunting Map Shows All Nuclear Bombs That Exploded Since 1945,” by Jared Greenhouse for The Huffington Post. http://huff.to/1U6Mr04

Events:

--“Faith Call on Iran Deal.” Join faith leaders for a national conference call on the Iran nuclear deal with featured Speaker Marie Harf, Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Secretary of State John Kerry. Panelists include Jim Winkler: General Secretary, National Council of Churches, Diane Randall: Executive Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Marie Dennis: Co-President, Pax Christi International. Call Details: 8:00 - 8:45 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 27. RSVPs are required. Register for call-in information here. http://bit.ly/1MDuhgO

--“International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition,” featuring City of Nagasaki and City of Hiroshima. Sunday, August 30th from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Webcast. Information on access here. http://bit.ly/1JVKRbd

Dessert:

Remember When Australia Pretend-Nuked a Rainforest? - “During the Cold War, nuclear states tested atomic weapons in almost every conceivable environment — deserts, oceans, space, islands. Scientists already knew nukes’ effects on cities. But how would they affect jungles?

--“The Australian government wanted to know. So in July 1963 Australia conducted a simulated nuclear test in order to find out.” Steve Weintz has the full story for War Is Boring. http://bit.ly/1hhuTfX