World Leaders Condemn Acts By Paul, Rubio & 47 ‘Traitors’ Who Sent Letter To Iran
Highly sensitive
weapons negotiations between seven nations, including the U.S., China, Russia, France, UK, Germany, and Iran have been compromised this past week by what some call a treasonous
letter written to Iran by 47 U.S. Republican lawmakers.
This act has caused outrage nationwide against the signees of the letter. Two of the names contained in the message are 2016 Republican presidential candidates Senator
Rand Paul (R-KY) and Senator
Marco Rubio After condemnation came from the
American people, President
Obama,
Democrats and even
Republicans, world leaders/officials are now expressing their shock and disgust.
Karen De Young with
The Washington Post relays some of the quotes in an
article. The German Foreign Minister had this to say:
“Suddenly, Iran can say to us: ‘Are your proposals actually trustworthy if 47 senators say that no matter what the government agrees to, we can subsequently take it off the table?’ ” German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a visit to Washington.
De Young continues:
Even before Steinmeier’s visit on Thursday, Germany, Britain and France had repeatedly expressed concern about congressional interference in the talks.
Ambassadors from the three Western European countries have been a frequent presence on Capitol Hill, trying to persuade lawmakers to hold off on new Iran sanctions or any other legislation related to the negotiations while they are underway.
Iran’s Foreign Minister
Zarif replied to the letter calling it a ‘propaganda ploy.’
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.
Republicans Feeling Heat Over Iran Letter Express Regrets - Bloomberg Politics
Round-Up Editorial Boards From Around the Country Respond to the 47 Republican Senators The White House
AL – Anniston Star Editorial: “Editorial: An Ignoble Letter From 47 Senators.” “An open letter to the 47 U.S. senators who signed a letter addressed to Iran’s political leaders: We are struck by your letter that condescendingly attempts to lecture Iran’s leadership on the fine points of the U.S. Constitution while at the same time blatantly trampled on the constitutionally defined roles in foreign affairs of presidents and members of Congress. In short, the chief executive negotiates and the Senate ratifies, or not, as the case may be. Yet, your letter is a clear attempt to preemptively wreck the president’s attempts at a settlement to put Iran’s nuclear ambitions in check. And this provocative letter is well beyond the protocol for how the U.S. government negotiates international treaties.”
AZ – AZ Republic: Editorial: “47 Senators Stomp On The Constitution.” “While their concerns may be valid, it is no business of senators to interfere with the negotiations of the elected official with the authority to barter with Iran, the president … If that is the best argument Republicans can make for inserting themselves in sensitive foreign-policy negotiations, they are effectively declaring a congressional right to conduct subversive, foreign-policy proxy wars with the president, with threats to blow up agreement negotiations as their weapon of choice … Show us where that is to be found in the U.S. Constitution.
KY – The Courier Journal Editorial: “Senate Saboteurs.” “Has Congress gone crazy?…A blatant attempt to sabotage the discussions to limit Iran’s nuclear capacity, the letter is signed by by 47 GOP senators, aligning themselves — President Obama noted ironically — with hardliners in Iran who oppose any deal with the United States."
OH – Cleveland Plain Dealer Editorial: “A Deeply Misguided Senate Letter To The Leaders Of Iran: Editorial.” “The decision by 47 Republican senators to sign a patronizing open letter to the leaders of Iran seeking to instruct them on how the U.S. constitutional system works -- and, by the way, to upend talks closing in on a nuclear weapons deal -- is as depressingly partisan as it is shortsighted…But the magnitude of this disgraceful decision -- only seven sitting Republican senators declined to sign the letter -- shows the degree to which partisanship has gobbled up rationality on foreign policy. This letter was a stunt that grossly oversteps the bounds of what is proper and wise.”
UT – Salt Lake Tribune Editorial:“Editorial: Utah Senators Increase Risk Of War.” “It will be up to history to judge whether the latest partisan stunt joined by Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch amounts to an act of End Times warmongering or merely another bit of cringe-worthy buffoonery on the global stage."
