William E. Jackson Jr.: Obama made right move in Iran deal

Regarding the April 4 news article “N.C. lawmakers not sold on Iran nuke pact”: The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Richard Burr, before examining the intrusive inspection system under the new accord, averred that the agreed framework could unleash “a nuclear arms race” in the Middle East. New member of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Thom Tillis, rushed to charge that the deal could endanger the security of this country and our allies.

Yet President Obama persisted in reaching an agreement with Iran. Five other major powers have joined the United States in agreeing on the framework of a deal that can check Teheran’s path to a nuclear bomb while transforming the politics of the Middle East.

The understanding reached in Switzerland is a diplomatic breakthrough in preventing the Iranians from “breaking out” to build a nuclear arsenal. The president has demonstrated the political courage articulated by John Kennedy at the height of the Cold War when admonishing that we never negotiate out of fear but yet never fear to negotiate.

Obama has framed the choice as risking peace or risking war: “Do you really think that this verifiable deal, if fully implemented, backed by the world’s major powers, is a worse option than the risk of another war in the Middle East?”

The writer served as the executive director of President Carter’s General Advisory Committee on Arms Control and Disarmament from 1978 to 1980.

This story was originally published April 6, 2015 at 4:23 PM with the headline "William E. Jackson Jr.: Obama made right move in Iran deal."