March 02, 2015
Better Than the Alternatives
The Obama administration is pursuing an imperfect deal with Iran, but one that is far superior to any of the realistic alternatives. Critics argue that instead of the current approach, the United States should pursue a policy that leaves Iran with no nuclear capabilities. Such an outcome would be ideal, but it is impossible to achieve. The issue of nuclear enrichment has become a question of national pride for Iran – a nation that in the past has refused to submit to international pressure in the face of an eight-year war with Iraq that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Iranian surrender is simply not a realistic option.
This means that the only alternative to an agreement is a return to the conflict and sanctions that existed before the nuclear negotiations began. If the talks collapse, the United States will impose tougher sanctions and Iran will restart its nuclear program, which has been frozen for the past year. Very soon the United States may be forced to choose between military action that could result in a major regional war or the equally unappealing option of allowing Iran to become a nuclear weapons state.
Read the full response in U.S. News and World Report.
More from CNAS
-
Russia in the Middle East with Jonathan Lord and Hanna Notte
Podcast
One year after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, the crisis in the Middle East has grown more and more complex. With the region teetering on the brink of broader conflict, the B...
By Jonathan Lord, Hanna Notte, Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
Biden Urges Israel Not to Attack Iran Nuclear Sites
Video
Rachel Ziemba joins Bloomberg Television to discuss oil rising for a third day as traders watch for supply risks in the Middle East. Watch the full episode from Bloomberg Tel...
By Rachel Ziemba
-
The Fury of History
Commentary
Even manifestly unpopular regimes do not end on their own. There has to be a trigger....
By Robert D. Kaplan
-
The Axis of Upheaval
Commentary
The West has been too quick to dismiss the coordination among China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia....
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Richard Fontaine
