Pittenger Warns of Nuclear Mideast

Statement

OSLO -- This week, Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) traveled to the Mideast and Europe, meeting with world leaders and international experts to learn more about unintended consequences of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Congressman Pittenger serves as Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare.

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the International Atomic Energy Agency, he released this statement.

"President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are pursuing a nuclear arms agreement with Iran, a provocative nation with a substantial history of supporting Islamist terrorists. Have they fully considered the unintended consequences of the proposal?

"This week I traveled with a Congressional delegation to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign and Defense Ministers, who outlined for me the certain, disastrous outcome that will foreshadow even the best of compliance by Iran. The current agreement includes no restrictions on Iran's nuclear research and development program and no requirements to destroy centrifuges or reduce their current levels of plutonium and uranium.

"We also traveled to Vienna to meet with the International Atomic Energy Commission, which confirmed that under the interim agreement, inspectors are only allowed to visit 17 approved sites in Iran and have no access to the rest of the country and whatever else may be hidden. This lack of adequate agreed access voids any credible verification of compliance.

"For Iran's neighbors and the world, the agreement includes no reasonable assurance that Iran won't have the ability to continue developing nuclear weapons. Mr. Netanyahu shared that other Mideast nations, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt, have already stated their commitment to acquiring nuclear warheads to defend against Iran, which will lead to nuclear proliferation in the world's most volatile region.

"While much of the world has an innate respect for human life, Islamist extremists are willing to destroy themselves (and innocent men, women, and children) to annihilate the "Great Satan' or the "rabid dog' of Israel. Civilization may well hang in the balance by the well-intentioned but deathly miscalculated diplomatic efforts of President Obama and Secretary Kerry. Nuclear proliferation in the Middle East would be the ultimate "unintended consequence.'

"Israel has faced the threat of annihilation many times. During our meeting, we encouraged Prime Minister Netanyahu to call his nation back to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who throughout ancient history delivered Israel from adversaries as they turned back to God. Mr. Netanyahu welcomed the suggestion and shared that he and his son, the National Bible Champion, read the Bible together every Saturday.

"We live in a very unique and sobering moment of history. President Obama and Secretary Kerry must listen to our Mideast allies, develop a clear recognition of the destructive forces of evil committed to destroy us, and carefully consider the unintended consequences of pacifying Iran while ignoring the very real threat of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East."

In the past week, Congressman Pittenger has traveled to Libya to meet with the President and Prime Minister, to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to Vienna to meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and to Oslo to meet with the Foreign Minister and counter-terrorism agencies.

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