Retired Air Force Gen. Chuck Wald, who co-chairs the Iran Strategy Council at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the implications of the nuclear agreement being pushed by the Obama administration.
Wald, who served as deputy commander of United States European Command, explained that the agreement “undermines U.S. credibility” from the perspective of both allies and enemies in the Middle East by making U.S. commitment to alliances appear “weakened.”
This in turn, Wald said, could prompt allies to “seek protection elsewhere” and enemies to “feel emboldened” against the United States.
“Some U.S. allies have made clear they believe this deal will not prevent a nuclear Iran and, that by proceeding with the [agreement], the United States is disrupting the regional balance of power and endangering them,” Wald said. “Other regional partners have noted that the deal empowers Iran to redouble its destabilizing regional activities, making the Middle East a more dangerous place. ”
“There is anger—even a sense of betrayal—among U.S. allies in the region,” the retired general added, pointing to expressions of concern about the deal from Israel and other allies.
Wald said that giving the impression that the United States was faltering in its commitment was “dangerous,” suggesting that it could encourage America’s allies to act alone against Iran or to seek help from Russia or China.
“This could mean taking matters into their own hands, as Israel previously has done or Saudi Arabia decided to do earlier this year by unilaterally launching an air campaign against Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen. Such actions, if not backed by the overwhelming force of the U.S. military, could spark reprisals that spiral into wider regional conflict,” Wald told House lawmakers.
Full article: Retired General: Iran Deal Encourages Allies to Align With Russia, China (Washington Free Beacon)
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