As Sanders Demands End to Iran Sanctions to Save Lives Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Biden Says

[Uncle Joe]

He Needs 'More Information'

After Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressive lawmakers last week called on the Trump administration to end its economic warfare against Iran amid the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden on Sunday refused to commit to even temporarily lifting U.S. sanctions on Iran that are severely restricting the country's access to essential medical supplies.

"I don't have enough information about the situation in Iran right now," said Biden, the former vice president under the Obama administration, which negotiated the Iran nuclear accord that President Donald Trump scrapped in 2018.

"There's a lot of speculation from my foreign policy team that they're in real trouble and they're lying," said Biden. "But I would need more information to make that judgement. I don't have the national security information available."

(snip)

The Washington Post reported Sunday that U.S. sanctions against Iran—where the coronavirus has officially infected more than 41,000 people and killed nearly 2,800—"have limited Tehran's ability to finance and purchase essential items from abroad, including drugs as well as the raw materials and equipment needed to manufacture medicines domestically."

(snip)

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/30/sanders-demands-end-iran-sanctions-save-lives-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-biden-says

[The Magistrate]

1. This Has Been Another Episode Of lame Comments From No One In Particular, Sir

There have been whole threads on this subject already here, Sir, and a great many people have expressed themselves in favor of this course, myself included. This 'Bernie' fellow is as usual several days late and many dollars short.



"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[TomCADem]

30. Of Course, Bernie Should Thank Biden...

..for helping to negotiate the Iran deal that Trump blew up. What did BS do to help Obama/Trump?

Not much.

[Me.]

2. Yes, Go Ahead And Make Fun Of JB For Wanting To Make An Informed Decision

as I wonder if BS would even show up to cast a vote

[Uncle Joe]

6. Informed regarding what precisely?

That the corona virus is indeed a global threat and that Iran operating under the Trump imposed sanctions is greatly disadvantaged in fighting this disease even more so than nations not under sanctions?

[Me.]

13. Considering BS' Past Haphazard Statements

let's have the full facts. For instance, is it even legal for him to make such a decision without the involvement of Congress? Would BS even show up for the vote when he wouldn't do so to help the people in this country?. But go ahead, try to make a point at JB's expense, our future nominee, and hope it doesn't help damage him.

[texasleo]

3. "Make Iran Great Again" - Bernie

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Since when did declining to offer an opinion without sufficient information to support it

become a problem?

[SunsetDreams2]

5. I would rather have someone

Make an informed decision than spouting off for political expediency

[Loki Liesmith]

7. Sanders lost

[George II]

8. Let the Monday morning Biden bashing begin. BTW, smart move by Biden.

[beastie boy]

9. Why does Bernie demand to end sanctions rather than provide humanitarian relief?

As a Senator, he MUST know that the sanctions are designed to undermine a hostile regime, rather than deny the Iranian people assistance in fighting the pandemic.

The most generous explanation I can provide is that Bernie is shooting from the hip again and doesn't care to even consider the consequences of his calls. he doesn't have to. He doesn't intend to ever accept responsibility for what he proposes.

[Uncle Joe]

11. So you agree with Trump's take on the sanctions over Obama's policies toward Iran?

(snip)

The U.S. reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran in 2018 after Trump violated the Iran nuclear deal, effectively killing a signature foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration. On the campaign trail, Biden has condemned Trump's decision to withdraw from the agreement and vowed to return to the negotiating table with Iran if elected president.

(snip)

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/30/sanders-demands-end-iran-sanctions-save-lives-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-biden-says

[beastie boy]

14. Huh?

Don't put words in my mouth, Joe. The subject of your OP is Biden, not me. You keep deflecting rather than address your own content.

Please read my post carefully. Nowhere in it do I comment on my stance towards the sanctions. You have no legitimate excuse to make it about me. It's way above my pay scale to comment on the sanctions themselves. Besides, I am not in a habit to make sweeping statements on shit I know precious little about. My response was not about sanctions, or my opinion of them, but about Bernie. Without any evidence that lifting sanctions will improve Iran's ability to combat the epidemic, he is calling for an illogical response to the problem at hand. This is especially irresponsible since more logical solutions, one of which I suggested, are apparent. This reminds me of the post I saw on this forum, claiming that a young man died because we don't have M4A. There are so many degrees of separation between the cause and the effect, one has just about nothing to do with the other. This is what I am objecting to: calling for action without as much as an even cursory examination of its consequences and effectiveness.

Apparently, Biden has the same problem with Bernie's statement. I am not surprised.

[Uncle Joe]

17. This sentence

As a Senator, he MUST know that the sanctions are designed to undermine a hostile regime, rather than deny the Iranian people assistance in fighting the pandemic.

From March 18th Bernie is referring specifically to sanctions allowing Iran to address this crisis, I don't see what the controversy should be about, to me this is common sense.

Link to tweet

Humanitarian aid to Iran from nations already on their heels from fighting this disease would be pitifully inadequate and the Iranian people would suffer the most, not their government and in turn the world would be more at risk.

I believe allowing Iran an even playing field (such as it is) to fight this disease would be the most efficient course of action.

[The Magistrate]

19. And Because It Is Common Sense, Sir

It is a common view, which neither owes anything to, nor gains anything from. 'Bernie' running his mouth, as if he were a figre of national influence, rather than a shabby old 'new left' remnant who has been soundly rejected twice by voters of the Democratic Party. It is unfortunate that political circumstances are such that this concern is unlikely to alter our government's policy, but we are hardly the only source of aid, and our sanctions regime is none to popular globally.





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[beastie boy]

24. here is how humanitarian aid is different from lifting sanctions:

Humanitarian aid does not require an act of Congress, which might take longer than the epidemic itself. Humanitarian aid does not necessarily involve a single nation, or nations acting alone. Humanitarian aid is focused, all but guaranteeing that it can only be used for the purpose it is intended for (although with Iran, you never know). Humanitarian aid is flexible, and it can direct resources where they are needed most.

Sanctions, as I stated and you quoted, are designed to undermine a hostile regime. Of all the sanctions in place, there will be precious few, if any, that allow Iran to address the pandemic. Bernie doesn't bother to enumerate which sanctions he has in mind, except to vaguely mention the financial ones. This category is the least effective in addressing the crisis. All it will do is return the assets of Iran's government and the National Guard to the control of the country's ruling elites, and their desire to divert those assets to fighting the disease are suspect to say the least. I would go as far as argue that it is more in Iran's national interest to throw these assets into their nuclear program than to fight the pandemic.

Being a Senator, Bernie MUST know all this. Yet, he is calling for something he cannot articulate in any detail, which is unlikely to pass, and even if it passes by some miracle, is likely to be completely ineffective in reaching the goal he advocates for, and empower America's adversary instead, and he is ignoring simpler and more effective solutions to the same problem.

I didn't want to go there, but it seems like Bernie is either seriously ignorant on the subject he raised, or is just grandstanding for a propaganda effect.

[The Magistrate]

16. That Is An Unusually Foolish Post, Sir, Even By Your Own Standards

Do not imagine you have the slightest smidgen of moral authority from which to claim people who are not on board with your idol support and agree with the cheap thug Trump.





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[Uncle Joe]

18. Sir, this OP and thread are about foreign policy toward Iran during the corona virus

please take your idol support to the appropriate forum.

[The Magistrate]

28. My Idol, Sir? Do, Please, Clarify....

You have performed your usual ritual of waving before this forum some string of words emitted by 'Bernie', as if there was anything the fellow could say that was worthy of the least attention. He and his words are worthless. No one cares what he says, no one cares what he thinks. He cannot do anything about any of it. All he can do is try and keep his wrecking crew of supporters tuned up to a fever pitch that makes them a threat to Democratic prospects in November. Since in this circumstance the prospects of the Democratic nominee, Mr. Biden, and of all other Democrats on the ballot, are identical with the good of the people and our country, to a degree far greater than has ever been the case before, by doing this 'Bernie' is doing great harm. There is no doubt whatever the man is aware of it. The best course for drawing his teeth is removing the drug of slavish adulation from him.





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."




"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[rzemanfl]

20. bookmarked

[karynnj]

22. Obama had many sanctions that he left in place even as the nuclear deal was reached

Obama had a long press conference a few days after the deal was made where he outlined which sanctions were raised - sanctions that were enacted because of the nuclear program - and which would remain due to other actions by Iran. There were also several Kerry statements that said the very same thing. In fact, when Iran was shown to be supplying Hezbollah with weapons AFTER THE NUCLEAR DEAL new sanctions were added.

Obviously, Trump should have stayed in the agreement and not restored the sanctions due to the nuclear program. The problem is that after the US left the deal and Iran was hurt more and more by the US sanctions, they too left the deal and are now moving towards a nuclear bomb. On this, as on many things, Trump has made the world less safe.

Here, Common Dreams is playing with the perceived distance between the Biden answer to a question on TV and a Bernie Sanders tweet - ignoring that that makes a difference. Biden has said that he would work to return to the nuclear deal as President - sometimes noting that to some degree getting Iran to trust the US, which was a roadblock in 2015, is now harder.

Note that Sanders does not specify which sanctions he wants removed - a comment that could be interpreted as all of them. It might be good if some Democrat on the SFRC - maybe Chris Murphy - would write a resolution that facilitates medical equipment and supplies being sent to any country waiving any sanctions that would apply. As a compliment, add to that a PEPFAR like package to call for helping countries without resources. (Among other things, PEPFAR, which came out of a Biden/Lugar SFRC bill worked against AIDS in Africa.) The latter might be difficult to pass until the US itself starts to respond better, but as long as this is anywhere -- it is a problem everywhere. (I think INTENTIONALLY not naming countries on the former would be defining this as potentially a long standing humanitarian rule. Consider that the sanctions on Iraq from 1991 - at least 2003 led to Iraq not being able to get components needed for their water treatment plants. )

It would be great if Biden (and Kerry) used their connections to their former committee to push for something like this that Biden could then strongly endorse.

I trust Biden, who was in Obama national security meetings when people like John Kerry and Wendy Sherman were negotiating that deal to - like Obama, who spent a lot of political capital, to negotiate with Iran and to accept the deal that Kerry was able to get. The Susan Rice book has some discussion of the NSC side of that effort. What comes through is how high they set the bar for a deal they would accept and how hard Kerry worked to achieve it.

In reality, the Congress would not pass a resolution similar to Sanders' statement - even if he carefully spelled out which sanctions he was speaking about and I don't think they can compel the President to make the changes. At this point, their statements are more about what they would do in January 2021 if they became President. In reality, NEITHER man has laid out exactly what they would do. In reality, both would as Biden states, not make a decision without knowing all the intelligence and having a NS team look at the options and create a plan that could be ready in January 2021. (The nominee gets the national security briefings. I don't know who else on their team is allowed to as well, but I assume it may include some NS advisers.)

[The Magistrate]

12. A Sound Point, Sir

Providing humanitarian aid has a better ring to it politically, given the widespread distaste here for Iran and its mullahs. Providing humanitarian aid would amount, certainly, to lifting sanctions on medical and hospital supplies. Personally, I oppose the whole sanctions regime imposed on Iran when this cheap thug Trump broke the treaty President Obama secured, but that is neither here nor there at present. It is certainly not something to pitch a fight over now.





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[William769]

10. ...

[TexasTowelie]

15. Reeks of desperation.

I used to respect Common Dreams, but their rhetoric in this primary season has turned me off to the group.

[SidDithers]

23. commondreams. LOL...nt

Sid

[Sloumeau]

25. I respect people who admit they do not have enough information.

I also respect them a lot more than people who seem to think that they know a lot more than they do and who seem to think that they can do a lot more than they actually can do.

I am so tired of people who, when they do not seem to have enough information, just seem to make it up as they go along.

[Happy Hoosier]

26. Seems an odd hobby horse to ride.... NT

[DarthDem]

27. Well, if there's a Senate vote on this, Sen. Sanders won't be there

But I'm sure it's good to know his opinion. Right? Er, right?

[The Magistrate]

31. Cold But Fair, Sir

"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[DarthDem]

35. I meant it to be quite warm, Judge

[The Magistrate]

37. Said In Heat, Cold In Content, Sir

Well done....





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[PubliusEnigma]

29. Fidel Castro did many great things. Bernie will argue this to the pain.

[The Magistrate]

32. He Was So Foolish At the Time, Sir

As to imagine the Iranian revolution something liberating and progressive, that the most important fact of it was that it was a blow against U.S. imperialism. The party he stood as an elector for, the Socialist Workers Party, had a 'hands off Iran' position clearly stated in its circulated materials.





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[lsewpershad]

33. It's time cojntries

ignore Americas stupid sanctions.

[LongtimeAZDem]

34. You're actually criticizing Biden for wanting to be informed before answering?

[LizBeth]

36. Does my heart good we have a candidate that wants to be informed instead of speaking out of his ass.

[Uncle Joe]

38. D.U. Kick