Iranian foreign minister's super passive-aggressive response to Tom Cotton

Republicans are an embarrassment to America.
http://centerforamericanpolitics.blogspot.com/2015/03/iranian-foreign-ministers-super-passive.html
Mike Ghouse


http://www.vox.com/2015/3/9/8180933/zarif-cotton-letter

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in MunichJoerg Koch/Getty Images
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Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has published an official response to the Republican letter to Iran's leaders, signed by 47 senators, warning that Congress or a future president might overturn a nuclear deal if they dislike the terms. (You can read the full text of the letter, organized by Sen. Tom Cotton, here.)

Zarif's response is presented as an official government statement, so it's written in an awkward third person, but Zarif still fires off some zingers. Here is the full text, with the most notable lines bolded (the main points are summed up below):

Asked about the open letter of 47 US Senators to Iranian leaders, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Javad Zarif, responded that "in our view, this letter has no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy. It is very interesting that while negotiations are still in progress and while no agreement has been reached, some political pressure groups are so afraid even of the prospect of an agreement that they resort to unconventional methods, unprecedented in diplomatic history. This indicates that like Netanyahu, who considers peace as an existential threat, some are opposed to any agreement, regardless of its content.

Zarif expressed astonishment that some members of US Congress find it appropriate to write to leaders of another country against their own President and administration. He pointed out that from reading the open letter, it seems that the authors not only do not understand international law, but are not fully cognizant of the nuances of their own Constitution when it comes to presidential powers in the conduct of foreign policy.

Foreign Minister Zarif added that "I should bring one important point to the attention of the authors and that is, the world is not the United States, and the conduct of inter-state relations is governed by international law, and not by US domestic law. The authors may not fully understand that in international law, governments represent the entirety of their respective states, are responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs, are required to fulfil the obligations they undertake with other states and may not invoke their internal law as justification for failure to perform their international obligations.

The Iranian Foreign Minister added that "change of administration does not in any way relieve the next administration from international obligations undertaken by its predecessor in a possible agreement about Irans peaceful nuclear program." He continued "I wish to enlighten the authors that if the next administration revokes any agreement with the stroke of a pen, as they boast, it will have simply committed a blatant violation of international law."

He emphasized that if the current negotiation with P5+1 result in a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, it will not be a bilateral agreement between Iran and the US, but rather one that will be concluded with the participation of five other countries, including all permanent members of the Security Council, and will also be endorsed by a Security Council resolution.

Zarif expressed the hope that his comments "may enrich the knowledge of the authors to recognize that according to international law, Congress may not modify the terms of the agreement at any time as they claim, and if Congress adopts any measure to impede its implementation, it will have committed a material breach of US obligations.

The Foreign Minister also informed the authors that majority of US international agreements in recent decades are in fact what the signatories describe as "mere executive agreements" and not treaties ratified by the Senate.

He reminded them that "their letter in fact undermines the credibility of thousands of such mere executive agreements that have been or will be entered into by the US with various other governments.

Zarif concluded by stating that "the Islamic Republic of Iran has entered these negotiations in good faith and with the political will to reach an agreement, and it is imperative for our counterparts to prove similar good faith and political will in order to make an agreement possible."

The substantive points here are that the US has a commitment to uphold its international agreements even if it changes administrations, or if Congress doesn't like it, or of the deal is an executive agreement rather than a full treaty. Zarif also points that any agreement would technically be not just with Iran but also with the other states that are party to the Iran talks: the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China.

It's also noteworthy that Zarif defends the Obama administration against the letter and clearly states that he understands it was meant to undermine the president. This is surely deliberate, and aimed at reassuring the Americans he understands what's happening, and perhaps also at Iranians who might not see it as readily.

A number of the lines, though, are just Zarif having fun with Sen. Cotton, whose letter took on a strangely condescending tone given that Zarif and many other members of the Iranian government were educated in the US.Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in MunichJoerg Koch/Getty Images
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Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has published an official response to the Republican letter to Iran's leaders, signed by 47 senators, warning that Congress or a future president might overturn a nuclear deal if they dislike the terms. (You can read the full text of the letter, organized by Sen. Tom Cotton, here.)

Zarif's response is presented as an official government statement, so it's written in an awkward third person, but Zarif still fires off some zingers. Here is the full text, with the most notable lines bolded (the main points are summed up below):

Asked about the open letter of 47 US Senators to Iranian leaders, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Javad Zarif, responded that "in our view, this letter has no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy. It is very interesting that while negotiations are still in progress and while no agreement has been reached, some political pressure groups are so afraid even of the prospect of an agreement that they resort to unconventional methods, unprecedented in diplomatic history. This indicates that like Netanyahu, who considers peace as an existential threat, some are opposed to any agreement, regardless of its content.

Zarif expressed astonishment that some members of US Congress find it appropriate to write to leaders of another country against their own President and administration. He pointed out that from reading the open letter, it seems that the authors not only do not understand international law, but are not fully cognizant of the nuances of their own Constitution when it comes to presidential powers in the conduct of foreign policy.

Foreign Minister Zarif added that "I should bring one important point to the attention of the authors and that is, the world is not the United States, and the conduct of inter-state relations is governed by international law, and not by US domestic law. The authors may not fully understand that in international law, governments represent the entirety of their respective states, are responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs, are required to fulfil the obligations they undertake with other states and may not invoke their internal law as justification for failure to perform their international obligations.

The Iranian Foreign Minister added that "change of administration does not in any way relieve the next administration from international obligations undertaken by its predecessor in a possible agreement about Irans peaceful nuclear program." He continued "I wish to enlighten the authors that if the next administration revokes any agreement with the stroke of a pen, as they boast, it will have simply committed a blatant violation of international law."

He emphasized that if the current negotiation with P5+1 result in a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, it will not be a bilateral agreement between Iran and the US, but rather one that will be concluded with the participation of five other countries, including all permanent members of the Security Council, and will also be endorsed by a Security Council resolution.

Zarif expressed the hope that his comments "may enrich the knowledge of the authors to recognize that according to international law, Congress may not modify the terms of the agreement at any time as they claim, and if Congress adopts any measure to impede its implementation, it will have committed a material breach of US obligations.

The Foreign Minister also informed the authors that majority of US international agreements in recent decades are in fact what the signatories describe as "mere executive agreements" and not treaties ratified by the Senate.

He reminded them that "their letter in fact undermines the credibility of thousands of such mere executive agreements that have been or will be entered into by the US with various other governments.

Zarif concluded by stating that "the Islamic Republic of Iran has entered these negotiations in good faith and with the political will to reach an agreement, and it is imperative for our counterparts to prove similar good faith and political will in order to make an agreement possible."

The substantive points here are that the US has a commitment to uphold its international agreements even if it changes administrations, or if Congress doesn't like it, or of the deal is an executive agreement rather than a full treaty. Zarif also points that any agreement would technically be not just with Iran but also with the other states that are party to the Iran talks: the UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China.

It's also noteworthy that Zarif defends the Obama administration against the letter and clearly states that he understands it was meant to undermine the president. This is surely deliberate, and aimed at reassuring the Americans he understands what's happening, and perhaps also at Iranians who might not see it as readily.

A number of the lines, though, are just Zarif having fun with Sen. Cotton, whose letter took on a strangely condescending tone given that Zarif and many other members of the Iranian government were educated in the US.

GOP senators explain why Iran can’t trust America in open letter

This is the dumbest things the Republicans have done, of course what have they done that is smart?

Mike Ghouse

Updated by Zack Beauchamp on March 9, 2015, 10:10 a.m. ET @zackbeauchamp zack@vox.com

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Over 40 Republican Senators have written a letter to Iran's leadership — in which they America-splain, for multiple paragraphs, the very basics of how the US constitution works.

The letter, first reported by Bloomberg View's Josh Rogin, warns that Congress or a future president could overturn President Obama's nuclear negotiations with Iran if they dislike the outcome. Apparently meant to downplay the Obama administration's authority to negotiate with Iran, the letter is part of an ongoing congressional Republican effort to prevent Obama from reaching what they see as a bad deal with Iran.

"It has come to our attention while observing your nuclear negotiations with our government that you may not fully understand our constitutional system," the senators write. While the bulk of the letter is a vaguely condescending retelling of Schoolhouse Rock — term limits are explained at one point — it goes on to argue that any nuclear deal that Congress doesn't support would be a mere "executive agreement," and hence could be altered or revoked entirely by Congress or a future president. Here's the whole thing:

The letter is clearly designed to make Iranian leaders more wary about any deal with Obama: if Congress or a future president could simply break the deal, Iran has less reason to trust Obama, and thus less reason to negotiate.

"Iran's ayatollahs need to know before agreeing to any nuclear deal that ... any unilateral executive agreement is one they accept at their own peril," Sen. Tom Cotton, who organized the letter, told Rogin.

It's no secret that many Republicans don't like what they're hearing about Obama's negotiations with Iran. But this is an interesting tactic for weakening them. It would be difficult for Republicans to pass new legislation, such as sanctions, to disrupt a deal; they would have limited Democratic support and would need to overcome a presidential veto. Still, you don't need to hold a vote to write a letter.

Even if the letter has no effect on negotiations, the politics behind it are interesting. The organizer, Cotton, is a freshman who's already making a name for himself as one of the most hawkish members of the GOP Senate delegation. The fact that he could organize 40-odd senators to sign on to this letter illustrates his ability to organize and direct the GOP's more hawkish energies.

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• Energy,
 
• World and Defense

Republicans Beware - you are in line for slaugther in 2014

I am proud of being a Republican, a true republican to call on the stupidity and disgusting nasty men like Ted Cruz, who I am shamefully voted. Its almost all the front line Republicans that needs to slaughtered by the American public in 2014. They are anti-American.

Very few Republicans have the balls to break ranks from these nerds and straighten them out. At Least John McCain and I are calling the same to distance themselves and save their spot in 2014. 

John Stewart gives it to them.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-shreds-gop-over-obamacare-utter-insanity-its-a-fcking-law/

Mike Ghouse, a moderate Republican

Gov. Perry Unable to Find Vagina on Anatomical Doll

I have repeatedly asserted, my fellow Republicans need lessons in Maths and Biology.- Mike Ghouse

Gov. Perry Unable to Find Vagina on Anatomical Doll
http://thelapine.ca/gov-perry-unable-to-find-vagina-on-anatomical-doll/ 

In a skirmish at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston about the state’s new ultra-restrictive abortion law, Democratic Senator Wendy Davis angrily told Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry he knows nothing about human reproduction or women’s vaginas.

“You don’t have to own an SUV to know where to pump the gas,” responded Perry, drawing immediate boos from the small lecture hall full of med students and from some of the media in attendance.

As the governor’s press handlers started to interrupt, Perry waved them off and stepped up to an anatomically-correct ‘female’ doll used in medical training that was laying on an examining table in the room.
“I’m not stupid.  Those are the vagina right there,” said Perry, pointing at but not touching the labi majora, the visible protruding edges leading in to the vagina.

As CNN reported, the room went quiet for a very brief second before erupting in “loud, loud laughter and what-the-f’s.”  Over the noise, Senator Davis could be heard repeating over and over, “Are you kidding me?  Are you kidding me?”

Perry has been heavily criticized by large numbers of Texans and other Americans for signing into law House Bill 2 which bans abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and sets restrictive conditions that will shut down the vast majority of the state’s women’s health clinics that provide the service.  The clinics that will remain in business are owned by United Surgical Partners, a company marketed by Perry’s sister, Milla Perry Jones, who is also a shareholder.

As reporters began shouting questions at Governor Perry, he and security team agents huddled around the medical-training doll with Chief of Staff Billy B. Adair seen talking quietly into Perry’s ear.
“Hell, I was close,” said Perry, shrugging to the crowd in the room as he was shuffled out of the room speaking back over his shoulder.

“It’s all about protecting unborn life not about where some gal’s body parts are.  I knew it was there somewhere…” he could be heard saying as his voice trailed off into the hallway.

Senator Davis, who filibustered the first attempt to pass the abortion bill, said she couldn’t stop laughing because Perry’s comments were so “scary, scary stupid.”

“He just compared women’s bodies to his Chevy Suburban,” said Davis loudly over the buzz of talking in the room.

“Governor Perry couldn’t find a vagina today.  Governor Perry couldn’t find a vagina even if you put a post-it note on it.”

Sue Dunum

Allen West persists because the good for nothing Republican majority won't do a thing about it.

Evil persists because good men do nothing about it, Allen West persists because the good for nothing Republican majority won't do anything about it, but I am speaking out.

 

Allen West has a few losers who applaud him for making stupid statements like that - as long as we have them in our party, he will keep doing it. He should learn that idiots like Santorum, Gingrich and their likes were badly turned down by the Republicans. Extremism and ugliness have no place in America.

 

Republicans need to get their act together, before the American public including Republicans puke on them in 2014.

Mike Ghouse

 

Allen West: Muslims Are All 'Honor Killings, Beheadings, Suicide Bombings'
The Huffington Post  |  By Nick Wing

Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) boiled down the entire religion of Islam to "honor killings, beheadings [and] suicide bombings" in a message tweeted Monday night in response to a column by comedian Bill Cosby.


Last week, Cosby wrote an op-ed in the New York Post encouraging African American communities to abandon apathy in an effort to better raise the next generation. In one passage, Cosby suggested that some parents could take cues from Muslims:

I’m a Christian. But Muslims are misunderstood. Intentionally misunderstood. We should all be more like them. They make sense, especially with their children. There is no other group like the Black Muslims, who put so much effort into teaching children the right things, they don’t smoke, they don’t drink or overindulge in alcohol, they protect their women, they command respect. And what do these other people do?

Allen West        ✔ @AllenWest

2day in NY Post, Bill Cosby said we should b more like Muslims. U mean honor killings, beheadings, suicide bombings? Hope ur kidding sir.

They complain about them, they criticize them. We’d be a better world if we emulated them. We don’t have to become black Muslims, but we can embrace the things that work.

West responded in a tweet ignoring the values that Cosby had chosen to highlight. Here's how he explained Muslim behavior instead:

West was an outspoken critic of Islam and Muslims throughout his short tenure in Congress. In 2011, a member of the Council on Islamic-American Relations questioned the tea party-backed congressman, asking him clarify an earlier claim that the Quran commands Muslims "to carry out attacks against Americans and innocent people." West appeared upset at the man's defense of moderate Islam, telling him not to "try to blow sunshine up my butt." West had long contended that CAIR had ties to extremist groups.

CAIR got the last laugh earlier this year, however, when the organization auctioned off a letter written by West to its Florida chapter for more than $2,500.
Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916/ text
....... Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and has done that throughout his life as an activist. Mike has a presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.

What's the Republican problem?

I just got this in email, of course, it is has the political tones, but still, the Republican leadership is not in touch with the public. Are they looking to give up in 2014?

Mike

Tell Eric Cantor and extremist House Republicans: Stop blocking the Violence Against Women Act

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"Join your Republican colleagues who support the Violence Against Women Act, and pass the Senate version immediately."

Click here to automatically add your name.

Dear Mike,

Ten Republicans in the House have broken rank with their party and are now joining Democrats in support of reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. It's time to increase the public pressure on the other 231 Republicans in the House who, in an appalling act of extremist intransigence, are blocking a bill which should pass with broad bipartisan support.

Women's lives are at risk, and there is no more time for partisan delay.

Tell Eric Cantor and extremist House Republicans: Stop blocking the Violence Against Women Act. Click here to automatically sign the petition.

Outrageously, news reports coming out of Washington, DC suggest that Rep. Eric Cantor, a member of Republican leadership in the House, is blocking a vote until a key protection for Native American women is stripped from the bill.¹

In response, Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin wrote a letter to House Leadership asking for an immediate vote on the Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act.² In a cowardly move, House Republicans are refusing to hold a vote on the bill so they don't have to go on record voting against fundamental protections for battered women. Instead, Republicans rammed through a fake version of the Violence Against Women Act. But luckily, women's advocates in Congress have held firm and that sham vote didn't work to take the heat off Republicans in the House.

Ten Republicans signed Rep. Gwen Moore's letter to House leadership supporting an immediate vote on the real Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.³ Momentum is now on our side. We need to shame the remaining Republicans, and pressure them to allow an up-or-down vote on the bill.

Tell Eric Cantor and extremist House Republicans: Stop blocking the Violence Against Women Act. Click here to automatically sign the petition.

VAWA is an incredibly popular and successful program that has reduced domestic violence rates by 58% since it was first passed in 1994. And it was approved in bipartisan votes every year since it was originally passed — until Republicans began using it as a leverage tool to get what they want.

House Republicans have voted for shameful bills to redefine rape, defund Planned Parenthood, and to let women die. Still, despite their appalling record on women's issues, you might think that Republicans in Congress would have some concern for domestic violence survivors. You'd be wrong.

Republican leadership in the House have the ability to immediately call a vote on the Violence Against Women Act, and reauthorize the protections that are making a critical difference. But for the sake of pushing an extremist agenda through the House and holding protections for women hostage in the process, he's putting the lives of women at risk — like the 34% of Native American women who are victims of attempted or completed rape in their lifetimes.

Tell Eric Cantor and extremist House Republicans: Stop blocking the Violence Against Women Act. Click below to automatically sign the petition:
http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=6993722&p=cantor_vawa&id=52053-3980642-6N_USVx&t=5

Thank you for standing up for women.

Becky Bond, Political Director
CREDO Action from Working Assets

Automatically add your name: Sign the petition Learn more about this campaign

1. Jennifer Bendery, "Violence Against Women Act: Eric Cantor, Joe Biden In Talks Amid Stalled Tribal Provision." Huffington Post, 12/6/12.
2. Jennifer Bendery, "Violence Against Women Act: John Boehner, Eric Cantor Pressured By Republicans To Act." Huffington Post, 12/11/12.
3. The Republican members of Congress who signed Rep. Gwen Moore's letter demanding an immediate vote on Violence Against Women Act reauthorization were: Reps. Judy Biggert (Ill.), Ted Poe (Texas), Richard Hanna (N.Y.), Joe Heck (Nev.), Patrick Meehan (Pa.), Robert Dold (Ill.), Chris Gibson (N.Y.), Jon Runyon (N.J.), David Reichert (Wash.) and Michael Fitzpatrick (Pa.)