By James Middlebrook
Recently, the Trump administration recertified that Iran is in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal. The two-year-old deal was negotiated between the five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany and Iran. The administration reluctantly notified Congress, as required every 90 days, that Iran is in compliance with the deal but added is “defying the spirit” of the agreement. In response to non-nuclear aggressive actions by Iran, the administration imposed new sanctions on 16 persons or entities for supplying military equipment to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
On the campaign trail, then candidate Trump was very candid about his disdain for Iran and the nuclear deal struck by President Obama. He promised to tear it up upon entering the oval office. He has now recertified the deal twice since his inauguration. The details of the agreement have been hidden since its inception in 2015 and while considering continuation of the deal, the Trump administration should release the details so the American people can decide if we want to continue with it amid Iranian military escalation. Iran has continued on its path of destabilization and chaos in the region. Iran has tested ICBMs, conducted cyber attacks, continued to fund terror groups, and support unrest in Iraq and Syria. Iran should not be rewarded for this destructive behavior with continued sanctions relief.
As Millennials, we must care for the present and future safety of the nation we will inherit. The first step is to understand the details of a multi-decade long agreement we are currently obliged to follow. We should consider the consequences of bolstering Iran’s economy as we idly watch them destabilize the region, waiting until the JCPOA no longer restricts the enrichment of uranium and production of nuclear weapons. This is our future and will be our generation’s problem if/when Iran develops a nuclear bomb. America must be strong, we must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons now and in the future.