In spite of a well-funded, highly motivated opposition, the deal six world powers put together to curb Iran’s nuclear program will survive the United States Congress.
Now comes the complicated part.
Implementing the deal presents a tricky set of issues, both abroad and domestically. And in the latest "Drinking & Talking" panel, we explore them: from the forthcoming frictions in instituting the inspections regime, to the regional fallout of Iran sanctions relief, to the political implications for Democrats and Republicans.
“For progressives, this is a question of whether you can protect American security interests with methods other than military intervention,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) “This is the test of our generation on that question.”
Joining Murphy (who, yes, did imbibe) were Eli Lake, a columnist with Bloomberg View, Jessica Schulberg, a foreign policy reporter with The Huffington Post, and Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former Treasury official who played a key role in putting together the Iran sanctions. Taped last week, we tackled several questions:
Could a better deal have been negotiated?
“No chance,” said Rosenberg.
What should we make of the incoming Senate majority leader opposing the deal?
“Whether the Senate likes it our not, it is the American president that sets American foreign policy,” said Murphy.
And what, exactly, is the Republican alternative?
“I don’t think there is going to be, in our lifetimes, an invasion of a country where you have a coalition provisional authority that is responsible for everything from the agriculture policy to the banking system of another country. That era of the belief in American military might is over,” said Lake.
The discussion can be viewed above. An audio version of the full episode, along with an index of it, is below.
- 0:00: Introduction
- 0:19: “What’s the one thing that makes you most nervous?”
- 6:04: “The test of our generation”
- 9:19: The fallacy of renegotiating the deal
- 13:48: Define the Obama Doctrine
- 17:52: “You're not convinced Iran will self-modernize?”
"Drinking & Talking" is produced and edited by Adriana Usero and Christine Conetta. Technical direction is provided by Brad Shannon. Special thanks, as always, goes to Jason Linkins.