We fully support the decision by New York Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer to oppose the President’s pending deal with Iran. The Senator’s decision was learned last Thursday.
Schumer, according to Politico, might have endangered his future leadership in the Senate for his stance.
New York Rep. Eliot Engel also followed Schumer’s lead into the nay column.
Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish U.S. Senator, said he had concerns about how the inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities would work or if they would happen at all. He was concerned about provisions for the P5+1 nations to re-impose sanctions if Iran didn’t hold up its end of the bargain. But the senator was largely concerned that even if everything went well, after 10 years Iran would have a clear path to a militarized nuclear capability.
We also staunchly agree that Mr. Obama, as the leader of this nation, should retract the unfortunate comment made that those opposing the deal are “making common cause” with Iran’s hard-line leaders. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), through his spokesman, demanded that the White House retract those words “now that the mud has splashed up onto senior members of their own party.”
We couldn’t agree more. Senator Schumer’s stance is correct and courageous. It is our hope that he hasn’t fallen on his sword in any way, and that come 2017, his Capitol Hill colleagues will understand that they have in Schumer someone who has the courage to stand up for what is right at the risk of losing favor, even with the President.
He has already been criticized by liberal groups such as MoveOn.org. The group has threatened a campaign donation boycott. We’re sure that the Senator knew that after he made the call to President Obama to tell him of his decision that there would be quick, acid-tongued responses.
Whatever happens with this deal that many pundits have said will become a reality, Chuck Schumer knows he’ll be able to look at himself in the mirror, face his constituency and know he made a difficult but correct decision.
