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https://www.hudson.org/research/1143...utgR5_QU_ahTIo
Obama Strikes a Deal--With Qassem Suleimani
Lee Smith
July 14, 2015
Weekly Standard Online
According to the terms of the Iran deal announced in Vienna on Tuesday, U.N. Security Council sanctions regarding nuclear-related issues will be lifted on a number of entities and individuals?from Iranian banks to Lebanese assassins, like Anis Nacacche. The name that most sticks out is IRGC-Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani. Administration officials counsel calm, and explain that Suleimani is still on the U.S. terror list and will remain on the terror list. But that?s irrelevant. The reality is that Suleimani is the key to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
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The administration argues that Tehran will spend most of the money from sanctions relief on rescuing the economy, or fixing street lamps and potholes, and not so much on terrorism and other foreign adventures. But there can be no similar argument about buying and selling and smuggling arms since ending the embargo can only help the hardliners. Combining the two?tens of billions of dollars in immediate sanctions relief and an end to the embargo?is like loading a gun and handing it over to Qassem Suleimani. And that?s precisely what Obama intended: The way he sees it, he?s arming an American ally.





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