Troops at risk if Iran deal fails

In 2014, during my second deployment to Afghanistan, I stood and watched the sun set over Iran. Tensions were high over Iran’s nuclear program, and I knew that if a solution could not be reached, the U.S. military might be called upon to denuclearize Iran forcefully. Thankfully, that day never came. Now, however, I wonder again.

In 2015, the P5+1 world powers announced the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or “Iran Deal.” It was narrow in addressing Iran’s nuclear program while ignoring Iran’s missile development programs, human rights violations, and state sponsorship of terrorism. Nevertheless, it may well have averted war — a war unworthy of its cost in blood and treasure to American citizens, and which would have devastated American allies in the region.

By law, the administration must certify Iranian compliance with the deal to Congress every 90 days — as done twice already. However, this week, President Trump announced his decision to “decertify” the deal. The onus now falls on Congress to review the deal and decide whether to slap additional sanctions on Iran, which will kill the deal. Such action may once again set the United States on the path to a massive war in the Middle East, unlike any we’ve seen in almost 30 years of continuous U.S. military operations there.

Of course, war may not be imminent. However, if Iran resumes its nuclear program — which it will, almost without question, if the deal falls apart — the United States, among other countries, may be compelled to strike Iran militarily.

One major problem with the calculus behind decertification is that the case against war with Iran has not changed since the deal’s signing. In fact, it has strengthened. The U.S. military is fighting in some capacity in dozens of countries while the threat of war looms in North Korea. Despite all the bluster in the world, threats of force by the administration will not deter America’s adversaries, including Iran, if the threat is not credible.

And the scope of the U.S. military’s commitments call that credibility into question.

Under the deal, Iran continues to fund terrorists and encourage proxy militias to hinder peace and progress. But scrapping this deal, particularly with the objective of negotiating a better one, will not work. Short of regime change — which could also trigger war — the scope of the rift between Iran and the West is too complex to solve all of these problems with one deal. Therefore, in light of the president’s illadvised decision, Congress must maintain the current deal, with its critical limits on the Iranian nuclear program, while stepping up to better enforce the robust, bipartisan sanctions package previously enacted. Despite its nefarious non-nuclear activities, the Iranian government has shown a willingness to engage the West peacefully.

Let’s seize this opportunity to engage back productively and keep our troops at home.

Congress must maintain the current deal, with its critical limits on the Iranian nuclear program, while better enforcing the robust sanctions package previously enacted.