Unfortunately, Republicans have a habit of fighting battles long after the war has been lost. Some are still hoping to vote the agreement down in a symbolic show of disapproval. That would be the worst of both worlds: It would advertise America’s divisions without strengthening the deal itself.
A far wiser course of action would be for Republicans to gather support for additional legislation that addresses their core concerns. Instead of squandering their leverage by voting “no” on an agreement they can’t stop, opponents should offer to approve the deal, as long as additional pieces of legislation are passed to address its weak points. For instance, new legislation that spells out military and economic consequences if Iran cheats, or makes a break for the bomb after the deal’s provisions expire, could strengthen the agreement.
In addition, Congress could ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency has the resources, technology, and intelligence it needs to conduct thorough inspections. It could also address the concerns of key allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, about Iran’s regional ambitions, by providing more funding for their defense systems and greater cooperation in a bid to counter Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, and elsewhere.
Indeed, on Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry, in a letter to his former colleagues in Congress, outlined the administration’s willingness to increase US funding for Israel’s missile defense system and beef up defense cooperation in the Gulf. Some of the nation’s leading foreign policy thinkers advocate such a course of action. Brent Scowcroft, national security advisor to two Republican presidents, has urged Congress to approve the deal, while at the same time countering Iran’s military influence in the region. Michael Hayden, CIA director under President George W. Bush, is “no fan” of the nuclear deal, but says Congress ought to pass it anyway — with similar conditions.
This deal is too important for politics as usual. Like Nixon’s visit to China, this agreement won’t end America’s problems with Iran. It will be the beginning of a new set of challenges. But policy makers stand the best chance of overcoming those challenges when they work with each other instead of against each other.