U.S. Policy in regards to Iran’s Nuclear Deal

MEMORANDUM

TO: Donald Trump, President of the United States

FROM: Hedvig Blanco, Student        

DATE: May 9, 2018

SUBJECT: U.S. Policy in regards to Iran’s Nuclear Deal

CONTEXT

Iran has nuclear capabilities which include uranium mining, conversion and enrichment facilities. While economic sanctions had been imposed on Iran for humanitarian issues since 1979, U.S., U.N. and E.U. renewed sanctions on the country in 2002 as it became clear that Iran was building enriched uranium. Sanctions had some negative impact on Iran’s economy including inflation and high unemployment. In 2012 alone Iran lost an estimated $160 billion in oil revenue due to sanctions. Sanctions led President Rouhani to run on a platform of entering into agreements with the U.S. to work towards a Nuclear Trade Deal. If Iran adheres to the Nuclear Trade Deal, the P5+1 world powers promised to lift the sanctions in stages.

TASK AND SOLUTION

Through a nuclear deal Iran’s sanctions would be lifted and the country could potentially gain hundreds of billions of dollars in trade once sanctions are removed. Though Iran would give up uranium and centrifuge its economy would benefit from it greatly. Trump’s foreign policy is too put America’s best interest first at all costs. Trumps administration is convinced that only U.S. power can deter Iran’s dangerous impulses. Furthermore, the guiding principle of U.S. foreign policy toward Iran is confrontation. The use of diplomatic, economic, and military pressure is necessary.  

IMPLEMENTATION

The Trump administration with the help of some IGO should proceed in this area with caution as the effects could be detrimental for more than just these two countries. Finding a way to proceed in this area by drawing attention to the issue itself and defusing the tension surrounding the issue would be most ideal in this situation. With the help of an IGO the U.S. could decrease the backlash it would get for meddling in another nations affairs.

U.S. Policy Towards Paris Climate Agreement

MEMORANDUM

TO: Donald Trump, President of the United States

CC: Scott Pruitt, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

FROM: Hedvig Blanco, Student        

DATE: May 9, 2018

SUBJECT: U.S. Policy in regards to Paris Climate Agreement

CONTEXT

According to the United Nations the Paris Agreement’s central aim is “to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.” The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to put forward their best efforts in addressing climate change and includes the requirements that all Parties report their emissions and implementation efforts regularly. Climate change is a very real problem of pressing concern and while the U.S. is still a part of the agreement it has announced its decision to withdraw by 2020.

EVIDENCE

The world is warming and scientific evidence shows the last three years have been the hottest on record, with 2017 being the hottest on record behind 2016. Sea levels are rising and glaciers worldwide are melting. Plants and animals are changing because of weather changes. The vast majority of scientists believe these extreme changes are manmade. Trump, however, is skeptical of climate change and has made the decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement. The implications of this decision will be significant for the US and the rest of the world. The U.S. has a huge sphere of influence and should use this power to persuade other nations to put forth their best efforts in combating climate change. The U.S. abandoning its Paris pledge could potentially lead other nations to weaken their efforts or worse abandon the agreement all together.   

TASK AND SOLUTION

President Trump refuses to acknowledge that tackling this issue requires cooperation with other nations as well as personal responsibility and accountability. The first suggestion I would give would be to take a political stance on the issue of climate change. President Trump has never publicly acknowledged that climate change is real and happening. Trump’s emphasis on “America First” departs from the Obama Administration’s attitudes toward climate change. Trump believes that the Paris Agreement undermines U.S. competitive edge and weakens both employment and traditional energy industries. Trump stated in his withdrawal speech that “the Paris Accord is very unfair at the highest level to the U.S.”. Furthermore, he compared China and India’s obligations with those of the U.S. However, instead of comparing the U.S.’s contributions and progress with those of other nations Trump should lead by example. As the President of the U.S., a power house country, other nations often turn to see our role and course of action in various situations. The U.S. withdrawing from this climate agreement sets a bad precedent for global climate change cooperation. By cutting U.S. climate aid it will be more difficult for developing countries to adapt to climate change and to reach the 2 degree Celsius target of the Paris Agreement.

IMPLEMENTATION

President Trump should begin with a public acknowledgment of climate change. The Trump administration should promote regulations that ensure the lowering of emissions and harmful toxins to the environment. While Trump has already decided to withdraw from the agreement he can still show his support for the fight against climate change and recognize that it is a real issue that we should be concerned about by publically noting the efforts the U.S. is making to combat carbon emissions at home. In doing so, Trump will inspire other nations to continue on in the fight against global climate change.

Memorandum on Iranian Nuclear Deal

TO: President Donald J. Trump

FROM: Joanna Vodola, Student

DATE: April 15^th, 2018

SUBJECT: Memorandum on Iranian Nuclear Deal with the United States

            On July 14^th, 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the P5+1 was announced as the final product of their negotiations beginning in March of that same year. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or more commonly referred to as the Iranian Nuclear Deal was a series of regulations created to stall Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Should the United States decide to pull out of the deal, the entire thing would be void as it is a United Nations resolution and the United States has veto power. Due to Iran’s anti-American rhetoric and the weakness of the deal, The United States should veto the Iranian Nuclear deal and begin supporting democratic initiatives within the nation if they want to prevent Iran from obtaining Nuclear Weapons in the long term.

Context

            The Iranian Nuclear Deal was created in an effort to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons in apprehension of what their uses for nuclear weapons. The Iranian government has been less than agreeable with the United States in their policies resulting in Iran’s political system becoming a concern to the United States. As Iran is a predominantly Muslim society it is natural that Islam should influence their government. However, the structure of the Iranian government has prevented the growth of democracy within the nation. The Supreme Leader, who is appointed by Allah, is considered the highest ranking official in Iran and has the final word on all decisions. The rhetoric of this leader has repeatedly called for death to America and Israel throughout the past fifty years. Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei, has repeatedly denounced the United States and their efforts in Iraq as well as claimed that the United States and Europe have engaged in terrorism in Iraq. He also alluded to the United States creating ISIS as an excuse to continue their ploy to destroy the Middle East.

            These anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments have caught the United States attention and prompted the need for further action. The United Nations Security Council and Germany met with Iran to create a deal to halt their nuclear program. A deal was constructed which would block the Iranian government in several ways to stop them from creating nuclear weapons. However, the deal only lasts for fifteen years and the provisions of the deal are too weak to prevent Iran from making progress on their nuclear program.

Task and Solution

            While Iran has agreed to halt their nuclear program for fifteen years, there is no guarantee that fifteen years from now they will agree to another deal. The world has collectively decided that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons as they are an unpredictable nation. However, there is hope that the government of Iran will have made strides towards becoming more democratic and liberal. While Iran claims to be a democracy, the country has been run by the elder generation of immoderate Islamic men. This government has kept many of its people in the shadows preventing them from accessing worldly information. However, the youth of Iran have become increasingly pro-democracy in the recent years. While the Islamic Revolution promised a better Iran for these youths, they have failed to deliver. Many of younger individuals in Iran have become impatient with the current government and wish to see a freer, more modern Iran. The lack of change has made getting an education more difficult, and created a large unemployed population who are mostly under the age of thirty.

            The United States has found working with the current government to be very difficult and there are many roadblocks on the way to peace in the Middle East, including the Iranian government. Although, the present nuclear deal will halt the Iran from gaining nuclear weapons for fifteen years, there is no telling what the next fifteen years will bring. The United States should not support the Iranian nuclear deal unless and begin support the youth of Iran in their efforts to create a more democratic and liberal nation.

Evidence

            While the nuclear deal claims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons for fifteen years, there are still plenty of loopholes around the regulations of the deal. For example, United Nations officials must give Iran nuclear facilities a twenty-four-hour notice before they plan on conducting an inspection. Iran is also allowed to continue enriching uranium as long as it is below the level of weapons grade uranium. The deal is also much more beneficial to Iran than the United States as it called for a lift on the sanctions against Iran. While there is no guarantee that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons, they needed the sanctions to be lifted in order to enter into the global economy. Lifting these sanctions will also allow, Iran’s scientific programs to become more advanced. Furthermore, there is no regulations on Iran developing any other nuclear technologies other than weapons grade uranium. Therefore, the new influx of cash will be able to fund Iran’s efforts to further weaponized their country.

            In an effort to combat these possibilities, the United States should strive to create a more democratic and liberal Iran from within. The Iranian youth have become increasingly empowered to evoke change within their own country and should have the United States support. While most of the current government continues to uphold centuries old ideas, the youth of Iran are ready for change. The United States should fund and support youth education initiatives within Iran to encourage internal change.

Implementation

The United States should veto the Iranian Nuclear deal and begin supporting democratic initiatives within the nation if they want to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons in the long term. The United States should have not engaged in with Iran although despite their claim that they are attempting to nuclearize their weapons arsenal. The United States should fund and support youth initiatives within Iran that call for a more democratic Iran and real change within the government.