Perhaps this is being too simplistic in regards to foreign policy, but one of the reasons the United States has always been regarded as a dealmaker is because it keeps its word.
And because we have that stellar reputation, it tends to raise the bar in the bargaining process.
All that hard-earned respect took a hit Tuesday when President Trump pulled the United States out of a deal made between five other nations Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia to keep Iran from producing nuclear-grade weaponry.
In Mr. Trumps view, the agreement did not benefit the United States as well as it should, despite the fact that Iran was complying with its restrictions as to how much enriched uranium it could produce.
Key to the pacts success was that it required Iran to undergo frequent and thorough inspections of its nuclear facilities something that was never before possible.
So the objective now does not appear to work toward a safer world, but rather to decide winners and losers.
By pulling out, the United States sets a new standard as to how seriously it regards agreements, and those yet to come. North Korea, no doubt, will be following the fallout closely.
The move by the United States also undermines the efforts by our allies and trading partners, including France, Germany and Britain, to get Iran to shelve its nuclear weapons plans. Together, our demands have teeth. But if forced to act as a lone wolf, our bark will be worse than our bite.
THE RISKS are great, not the least the wedge it drives between the United States and its longtime European allies, much to the delight of Russia and China, always the black sheep when it comes to reining in other despots.
Mr. Trumps threats to break Iran with economic sanctions, coupled with regime change, are no less than fighting words.
For our childrens sake, can peace not be the prize?
Susan Lynn
