U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., was one of the first members of Congress to declare support for the Iranian nuclear deal.
He is right to support the deal hammered out by the United States and five other great powers.
But in an op-ed published in a Delaware newspaper this past week, he went a step too far in praising Iran.
His essay ends this way: “Finally, nearly every American who was alive on Sept. 11, 2001, remembers the horrifying images of that tragedy. What most Americans don’t remember is the image of thousands of Iranians who gathered in Tehran that night in a candlelight vigil in solidarity with America. I’ll never forget it, and the American people shouldn’t either. Today, Iran is much more than the hardline Revolutionary Guard whose influence has begun to wane. Iran is a nation of over 78 million people whose average age is 25. Most of them weren’t alive during the 1979 Iranian revolution. They don’t remember the brutal Shah we propped up for years and the anger it engendered. Most Iranians want a better relationship with America and the world. They’re ready to take yes for an answer. We should, too. This is a good deal for America and our allies, including Israel, one of our closest allies. And, oh yes. It beats the likely alternative – war with Iran – hands down.”
I’ll accept that Sen. Carper believes in his heart that the average Iranian wants peace and a better relationship with the United States. But the Islamic Republic of Iran is not governed by a representative form of government. It is run by conservative Islamic clerics who do not care what the man and woman on the street thinks about Iran’s role in the world.
I agree with Carper that the alternative to a deal with Iran is far worse than the deal that’s been struck and that is about to be affirmed — through a back-door procedure — in the U.S. Congress.
But let’s not equate John Q. Iranian Public’s world view with what transpires inside the halls of power in Tehran.
We still have to keep an eagle eye on the Iranians.