So few Americans have even a basic understanding of the Iran deal.

[louis c]

First off, the sanctions were multi-lateral and negotiated by Hilary and Obama. It was a tremendous accomplishment. Sanctions only work if all the principal players are on board. We had China, Russia, the UK, France and the rest of the EU with us.

We blocked oil from them to major countries, banking, military weapons, spare parts, everything. The sanctions were effective because we had a strong coalition.

Iran wanted to talk. The deal was negotiated, not just with us, but with all the parties. Russia and China pressured us. They were willing to pull out of the sanctions. So was Europe. We had to make the best deal we could, and in the end, it was good for the United States. Too many of our voting citizens (61 million, who have proven to be morons) think that this was a deal just between Iran and us. If we re-impose sanctions, nobody is going to follow us. Iran will have no problem trading with the rest of the coalition, and we will be the ones isolated. They can bank through France, the UK and Switzerland. They can sell oil to China and buy Gas from Russia. Iran can get military supplies from Russia and China, as well as spare parts. We're far from the only game in town. In return, since we pulled out of the deal, Iran doesn't need to grant inspections.

As for the "billions of dollars in cash" that we gave the Iranians during the initial deal, that wasn't our money. That was Iranian money, frozen since the Revolution as payment for fighter jets that were never delivered. All we did was return their money, which was our obligation under international law. It was delivered in cash, because the sanctions were still in place until the deal was finalized. With the sanctions in place, no one could use the banking industry with Iran, as a result, paid in cash.

If Iran broke the deal, every partner, including China and Russia would have to re-impose the sanctions. But if we break the deal, all bets are off. The United States' Moron in Chief has put us in an awful position and now we are up to our necks in shit on this issue.

[snowybirdie]

1. All we need to know

to understand today's actions is

"First off, the sanctions were multi-lateral and negotiated by Hilary and Obama"

[ScubaSteve]

2. Well stated....

He’s such an ignorant, stupid, moronic piece of fucking shit…

[bdamomma]

3. help me understand this

Will Russia become a major player here and be making millions of money and we will become isolated.

[Heartstrings]

4. Thank you for a clear definition.

[louis c]

6. I find, in my discussions

with many of my contemporaries (some who voted for Trump), that few, if any, know that the Iran deal is international and that the money paid to Iran was returned because of an assets' freeze dating back to 1979.

when discussing many issues, and I only have a fundamental understanding of the issues, I find my contemporaries have no basic understanding of the issue, at all.

[Heartstrings]

7. I hear you on that....

[imanamerican63]

5. And one more think, they were trying to make it a peaceful transition...

with a ally in the that region. But, now that might be blown up! No pun intended!

[stopwastingmymoney]

8. Rachel did an excellent segment on the technical aspects

I wonder if someone can find it and add it here?

Ernest Moniz (sp?) was on it too.

[Johonny]

9. This move means Iran will have nuclear weapons in our lifetime

basically it won't prevent them, it will guarantee they will have them. Trump is a moron on every level.

[Honeycombe8]

10. The avg American isn't going to study things like this. And some aren't capable...

of understanding it. And some of it's subjective.

A lot of Americans just rely on the leader(s) to do what's best, based on their expertise and experience.

[elmac]

11. well, we do know

that the percentage of Americans who voted for the orange molester are too stupid to understand anything

[karynnj]

12. The agreement was negotiated by all 6 nations and Iran. In addition, the people who did by far the

most work on the negotiations were John Kerry, and people reporting to him like Wendy Sherman. Kerry was involved in early steps to open talks while he was Chair of the SFRC and the intense negotiations were primarily between 2013 and 2015. Here is a NYT article from 2016 that explained the different positions of Kerry and Clinton. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/03/us/politics/for-hillary-clinton-and-john-kerry-divergent-paths-to-iran-nuclear-talks.html?_r=0

In addition to people at the State Department, Clinton worked with Lew, at Treasury on the sanctions and there during the negotiations, Energy Secretary Moniz and Kerry worked together for months. Moniz worked with an Iranian MIT educated nuclear expert and he tested various monitoring schemes at a copy of an Iranian facility that was created in Tennessee.

Hillary did make a very big contribution to getting countries on board for the tough sanctions.

[louis c]

15. The sanctions that led to the agreement

was Hilary's work.

That was the toughest part. To get China and Russia to agree to sanction Iran was no small feat.

Those sanctions were so effective that Iran need to negotiate.

[karynnj]

16. I wrote she did that, but it is NOT negotiating the deal

which you said Hillary did. What I wrote is correct. The fact is for over 2 years, when getting a deal seemed unlikely, it was Kerry who committed the time and effort to lead the negotiations.

[smirkymonkey]

13. Thank you for that very clear, concise explanation.

Much appreciated.

[TrollBuster9090]

14. True, but every American will understand the meaning of the KABOOM that will be heard six months

after ending the agreement. And they'll know who to blame.

That's what makes this so ridiculous. The Iranians have nothing to lose by the United States cancelling the agreement. The other countries won't re-impose sanctions, and they'll re-start their nuclear program. Iran has nothing to loose by cancelling the agreement, and the United States has EVERYTHING to lose by cancelling it. So, NATURALLY, Trump will just HAVE to cancel it; and humiliate and embarrass the GOP Congress in the process, by forcing them to have a fight about it on the House floor.

And all this just because it was Obama who brokered the deal.

What a bunch of idiots.