Iran is once again making a mockery of its negotiations with the West, first agreeing, then backtracking, on an agreement to have its uranium shipped overseas for enrichment. (a move that, oddly enough, would only buy the Iranian nuke program more time in the long run) This ongoing diplomatic debacle is another harsh reminder that Iran is steeped in taqqiya--or deception--the Islamic concept that justifies lying to non-believers. The Iranians have shown time and again that they simply cannot be trusted as honest partners in any serious negotiations.
It's long past time that the Obama administration got tough with the Iranians. Enough carrots: there needs to be some heavy sticks applied here to convince Iran that nuclear weapons are a no-go. One potent way to do that is through economic sanctions. As I reported on CBN News back in June, there is a bi-partisan groundswell of support in Congress for serious sanctions against Iran that would, among other things, cut off imports of refined gas to the Islamic Republic. Support for such santions not only transcends political parties; it also transcends faiths.
Leaders of the New York Evangelicals and the New York Board of Rabbis, along with the Southern Baptists’ Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, have joined together to urge the international community to enact crippling sanctions against the Iranian regime that would make Iran pay a heavy price for its continued dirve towards nuclear weapons. You can read their "Stop Nuclear Iran" resolution here. As you'lll see, it lays out ten reasons for tough sanctions that are undeniable and compelling.
It is heartening to see Christians and Jews working together on such an important initiative. As we've reported frequently on CBN News, such cooperation is a growing and welcome trend.
The time for sanctions is right now. The Iranians, according to various intelligence estimates, could have a nuclear device by 2010. The recent revelation that