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Georgia’s Congressional Delegation Reacts To Iran Deal
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The proposed nuclear deal with Iran has earned both praise and condemnation from Georgia’s representatives in Washington.
"We have seen the devastating consequences of starting two wars in the Middle East, and I am hopeful that Congress will learn from our past mistakes," Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Lithonia), wrote in The Guardian. "We need both the critical support of the international community and any hope of a peaceful resolution in the near future. We cannot afford to gamble with the security of our nation and our allies."
Rep. John Lewis (D-Atlanta) praised the Obama Administration for its “leadership and commitment to peace and diplomacy.” “I hope that future presidents and other leaders will be able to build upon this effort to bring greater stability to the Middle East, which is in the best interest of the United States, Israel, and the entire world community,” Lewis said.
Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, says he’ll study the deal...but’s he’s skeptical. “Iranians have never proven to be a trustworthy negotiator, nor have they been trustworthy in their actions with the United States. Iran has said that we are their stated enemy,” Isakson said.
Freshman GOP Sen. David Perdue, who also serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, says the agreement doesn’t go far enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. “If this requires walking away from such a deal and strengthening sanctions, I will encourage President Obama to consider this course of action.” Perdue said in a statement “To be clear, rejecting this agreement is not condoning war, it is standing firm for peace and against Iranian aggression."
Republican House members from Georgia were quick to condemn the deal. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) called it “dangerous” and said it would start a new arms race in the Middle East. On Twitter, Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville) said “I may not have stayed at a Holiday Inn last night, but I can still tell this is a bad deal with Iran.” Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Columbus) says he doesn’t trust the Iran to “hold up its end of the deal and [I] do not trust this administration to fight for a deal that protects and promotes the interests of our nation and our allies.”
Several congressmen in both parties say they want to read the agreement in full, including Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Columbus). “I look forward to reviewing the details of this deal to ensure that Iran is held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability,” he said.
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