Meet New Senator Tom Cotton

[planosteve]

Take the rising star of neoconservatism, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). By now many Americans are familiar with the letter he sent to his Iranian counterparts warning them that the current US president is an unreliable partner for negotiations: any deal reached would simply be overturned by a future president. The politics of this move are not within the portfolio of this Institute, but the Senator's rationale for sending the letter most certainly is.

Today the Senator was asked what Iran must do in order for an acceptable deal to be struck with the United States, and he responded:

“They can simply disarm their nuclear weapons program and allow complete intrusive inspections.”

Where is he getting his information? Neither the entire US Intelligence Community nor even the Mossad believe that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon or that it has even made a decision to start work on a nuclear weapon.

How can the Iranians disarm something they have never armed? It smacks of the neocon demand that Saddam Hussein give up the WMDs that we now know he never had.

Likewise, as signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has allowed its nuclear energy program to be under the eyes of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which has never ruled Iran to be in violation of the treaty.

Simply put, the Senator is embarrassingly ill-informed about some of the basic facts.

So where did he get these bizarre ideas about Iran and what drove him to write directly to a foreign government telling them that his own government was unreliable?

Veteran journalist Jim Lobe might have the answer. He writes yesterday in his blog that:
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton ... as reported by LobeLog, received nearly $1 million in advertising support from Bill Kristol’s Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI) in the closing days of last November’s campaign.
A million dollars must go a long way in an Arkansan senatorial campaign. Perhaps this answers the questions of where Sen. Cotton gets his information and why he decided to write the letter to Iran.

Belief that Washington's elites are better informed by virtue of being inside the bubble is most certainly misplaced.

http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/neocon-watch/2015/march/10/sen-cottons-shocking-ignorance/

[ralph]

I think that iran is pushing towards a nuke and I've thought that for a long time , I was waiting for some kinda action when 'gwb' was president . As far as the letter , I like the idea of the letter from Cotton and cohorts being sent to the mullahs .

[planosteve]

I think that iran is pushing towards a nuke and I've thought that for a long time , I was waiting for some kinda action when 'gwb' was president . As far as the letter , I like the idea of the letter from Cotton and cohorts being sent to the mullahs .

On what do you base your thought that Iran is developing a nuke?

[ralph]

no proof , just hearsay by supposed experts like John Bolton and other people that I respect Steve . But like I say , no concrete proof , its just my judgement on Iranian brand of islam .

[ralph]

and Steve , I also think that iran pushing for nuke weapons only makes sense , I'd be doing the same thing as what I think iran is doing . Especially if I KNEW that there are helpers in the usa government .

[ralph]

and linsey graham on Greta talking about , saying , no problem with the letter .

[planosteve]

and linsey graham on Greta talking about , saying , no problem with the letter .

I take it you have a lot of respect for Lindsey Graham.

[ralph]

no , not much use for missy but when he is correct , well , he is correct .

[GFB]

I think that iran is pushing towards a nuke and I've thought that for a long time , I was waiting for some kinda action when 'gwb' was president . As far as the letter , I like the idea of the letter from Cotton and cohorts being sent to the mullahs .

On what do you base your thought that Iran is developing a nuke?

Would it matter to you if they are?

[planosteve]

I think that iran is pushing towards a nuke and I've thought that for a long time , I was waiting for some kinda action when 'gwb' was president . As far as the letter , I like the idea of the letter from Cotton and cohorts being sent to the mullahs .

On what do you base your thought that Iran is developing a nuke?

Would it matter to you if they are?

Yes, it would mean I misjudged them. But, I'll go with logic which says they are not. And the US intelligence community and the MOSSAD both agree with me. John Bolton is a neocon and a Zionist shill.

[GFB]

No, what I mean is..would it bother you if Iran had nuclear weapons.

[Cowman52]

You really want to bet your life on it?

The CIA can't find their a** with both hands and a flashlight, besides being just another cheerleader for what ever Obama wants. As far as Mossad, I really doubt they tell 1 percent of what they know.

As far as Cotton goes, about time someone spoke up.

[Sangersteve]

Yes, it would mean I misjudged them. But, I'll go with logic which says they are not. And the US intelligence community and the MOSSAD both agree with me. John Bolton is a neocon and a Zionist shill.

Since you have cornered the market on intelligence regarding all things anti- Israel and pro Iran, explain why a country awash in oil is hell bent on developing nuclear energy.

Is it because they can't refine their own oil and have to import gasoline and diesel?

If they can't build a refinery, how is it they can produce fuel rods for for a reactor?

If Iran is just concerned about electricity from a reactor why do they thwart inspectors?

Why do they hide centrifuge sites?

You don't believe a government report on 9/11, but you seem to think a government department says Iran is not seeking nuke weapons. You can't have it both ways.

Your support of muslims and muslim terrorists and believing that Israel is the bad guy is getting a bit stale.

Your links and statements from anti Jewish sites are no more impressive than your belief that GWB and Dick Cheney personally planted thermite in the world trade center.

[planosteve]

Yes, it would mean I misjudged them. But, I'll go with logic which says they are not. And the US intelligence community and the MOSSAD both agree with me. John Bolton is a neocon and a Zionist shill.

Since you have cornered the market on intelligence regarding all things anti- Israel and pro Iran, explain why a country awash in oil is hell bent on developing nuclear energy.

Is it because they can't refine their own oil and have to import gasoline and diesel?

If they can't build a refinery, how is it they can produce fuel rods for for a reactor?

If Iran is just concerned about electricity from a reactor why do they thwart inspectors?

Why do they hide centrifuge sites?

You don't believe a government report on 9/11, but you seem to think a government department says Iran is not seeking nuke weapons. You can't have it both ways.

Your support of muslims and muslim terrorists and believing that Israel is the bad guy is getting a bit stale.

Your links and statements from anti Jewish sites are no more impressive than your belief that GWB and Dick Cheney personally planted thermite in the world trade center.

Iran has the same right as any country to develop nuclear energy. They signed the nonproliferation treaty. Something Israel has refused to do. Their enriched uranium is stored as required by the treaty and under 24/7 survelience. I have not heard that they have hidden centrifuge sites. If they do they must not be very well hidden.
If my opinions are stale, I guess I'll just have to spend more time freshening them up.

[Cowman52]

And I'm guessing you would be just tickled pink about Germany having zyklon b out the wazoo in 1940?

[planosteve]

And I'm guessing you would be just tickled pink about Germany having zyklon b out the wazoo in 1940?

Good point. That's one reason nobody was gassed with zyklon B. It turns them bright pink. There are no reports of lots of pink bodies anywhere. Also, it turns wood blue. Examination of "gas chambers" didn't find any with blue walls. Nor did they have chimneys that would allow the gas to be vented high enough not to kill or sicken people in the area. But, if you mention this is some European countries, they can put you in prison.

[ralph]

I sent Sen. Tom Cotton an email thanking him for his letter . Easy to do , others that agree oughta do the same , an email of appreciation and encouragement .

[planosteve]

I sent Sen. Tom Cotton an email thanking him for his letter . Easy to do , others that agree oughta do the same , an email of appreciation and encouragement .

If you Email him again, ask him what he did with the million bucks he got from Krystal. Did he spend it all in one place or did he spread it around a little.

[planosteve]

I sent Sen. Tom Cotton an email thanking him for his letter . Easy to do , others that agree oughta do the same , an email of appreciation and encouragement .

If you Email him again, ask him what he did with the million bucks he got from Krystal. Did he spend it all in one place or did he spread it around a little.