WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) appeared on “Fox News Sunday” this morning to talk about the Iran nuclear deal.
Below are key excerpts of the interview:
On Concerns with the Deal:
“A couple things. One is there is bipartisan skepticism about this deal. There’s a huge difference between even the framework of three months ago to the deal that just got released the other day which is very complicated. The inspections that you raised, they were supposed to be any time anywhere 24/7. Now, it’s going to be 24 days. This late-minute concession, because I think this administration was so desperate to get any deal signed, the concession that we would now allow Russia to sell to Iran ballistic missiles that could hit in the neighborhood but also with the strength to hit to the United States, I think was an absolute mistake and a concession and almost a surrender by the president to get any deal signed. That’s my concern.
On the President’s Claim it’s Either this Deal or War:
“My alternative was to say I’m most interested in the security of the American people. That is a false choice that the president brings out. It is scare tactics to try to get this approved. My alternative is a better deal. But when you’re so desperate or eager to make a deal, sometimes you make decisions and concessions that should not be made. Two years ago we had Iran where we wanted them because specifically of the sanctions that the Senate imposed. The president opposed those sanctions we insisted. That’s what brought Iran to the table in the first place. It was in their enlightened self-interest to deal with us. But when the president takes other restrictions off of the table in terms of a true threat to Iran that then that strengthens their hand, weakened our hand which is why I think we have this deal today. My answer is a better deal. Go back and make a better deal by increasing the sanctions, not removing them.
“I want to hold the president to what he was at two years ago, which when he said we are going to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon. He has now moved the goal posts—all he wants to do is manage it. They will get a nuclear weapon, they will be a nuclear power, as well as an industrial and a military power.
On the U.N. Voting on Deal before Congress:
“I talked to Samantha Power, the U.N. Ambassador on this issue. She said the greatest weakness of this whole deal is the complexity. What’s the rush? The American people have a right to see what’s in this and to weigh in.
“We want to have an opportunity for the U.S., the elected representatives to vote. The president shouldn’t go to the United Nations before the 60 days. We need to go home over the recess and listen to our constituents. I was in Wyoming yesterday and got an earful about why this is so bad and a risk to the United States’ national security. We have the time. The president shouldn’t do an end run around Congress and the American people to go to the Security Council of the United Nations before we act.”
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