Liberals Bernie Sanders And Al Franken Stand With Obama In Support Of Iran Nuclear Deal

Senators Bernie Sanders and Al Franken are standing with President Obama by praising the progress towards a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program.

In a statement, Sen. Sanders (I-VT) said, “While much more work remains to be done this framework is an important step forward. It is imperative that Iran not get a nuclear weapon. It also is imperative that we do everything we can to reach a diplomatic solution and avoid never-ending war in the Middle East. I look forward to examining the details of this agreement and making sure that it is effective ‎and strong.”

Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) called on Congress to give the negotiators more time to finish the agreement, “Americans want to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and they would prefer to do it through diplomacy rather than military action. This breakthrough agreement is an important step toward that goal. I believe that Congress now should give our negotiators time and space to work out the details of a strong, verifiable comprehensive agreement.”

Democrats and liberals get it. Republicans are trying to sabotage any Iran nuclear agreement because they want a new war in the Middle East.

President Obama laid out the options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program during his statement today:

For the fact is, we only have three options for addressing Iran’s nuclear program. First, we can reach a robust and verifiable deal — like this one — and peacefully prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The second option is we can bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, thereby starting another war in the Middle East, and setting back Iran’s program by a few years — in other words, setting it back by a fraction of the time that this deal will set it back. Meanwhile, we’d ensure that Iran would race ahead to try and build a bomb.

Third, we could pull out of negotiations, try to get other countries to go along and continue sanctions that are currently in place or add additional ones, and hope for the best — knowing that every time we have done so, Iran has not capitulated but instead has advanced its program.

Congressional Republicans are firmly in the camp of option # 2. The GOP has made it clear that they will not support any deal that President Obama negotiates. In part because it is associated with Obama, but also because some Republicans believe that Iran is the great evil that must be defeated in military battle.

Republicans have turned the Iran deal into a partisan issue, and some key liberal voices are already standing with the President. The vast majority of Americans want a diplomatic solution. Behind the Republican talk of a good or bad deal, the question boils down to war or no war?

Liberals and Democrats speak for a majority of Americans who are rejecting the Republican calls for new U.S. war in the Middle East.