From Tom Cotton, Republican Senator from Arkansas and author of a letter to Iran’s rulers that was signed by 47 other Republican senators, referring to a decision to extend negotiations for another day:
The decision to extend the nuclear negotiations in the face of Iranian intransigence and duplicity proves once again that Iran is calling the shots.
The Wall Street Journal, “Both Sides Scramble for Iran Pact,” 4/1/15
Senator Cotton has clearly made up his mind about both the Iranians and the negotiations. The Iranian leadership is evil, and anything that comes out of the negotiations will inevitably be in their interests, but not ours. Cotton apparently has no understanding of the concept of negotiations. We don’t always get to negotiate with angels, and if we did, there probably wouldn’t be any need for negotiations. In a negotiation, both sides have to give up something to get something. In these negotiations, Iran wants an easing and eventual end of sanctions, and some latitude for a nuclear program for what it avers will be peaceful purposes ( a right it has as a signatory of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty). The US, France, Great Britain, Germany, China, and Russia want to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear weaponry. Obviously the negotiations present multiple complexities and ambiguities among the different parties, and they have been difficult, contentious, and time-consuming. That’s not to say they might not ultimately be worthwhile, but Senator Cotton is determined to undermine them before they have a chance to reach fruition.
Perhaps Cotton’s stance can in part be excused by his age; he’s only 37 years old. Or perhaps he’s just one of those morons who is never going to see any viewpoint but his own. What is harder to fathom is why the Republican party has let this rookie speak for the entire party. Are there no older, wiser, Republicans counseling to wait until the negotiations play out before the party pronounces judgment on either Iran or the prospective agreement?
