Defense

GOP rep: Iran deal starts Middle East nuclear arms race

by Cory Bennett - 09/12/15 6:00 AM ET

The President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran “puts the Middle East at the starting line of a nuclear arms race,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Saturday.

“It will leave Iran with the ingredients for a bomb and the infrastructure to build it,” McCaul said in the GOP’s weekly address. “And it will give Iran a cash windfall, freeing up over $100 billion to fuel the regime’s global campaign of Islamist terror.”

McCaul’s comments come one day after the House voted to reject the deal, which would limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for scaling back sanctions.

{mosads}President Obama and most congressional Democrats have backed the pact, arguing that while not perfect, the agreement is the best hope for stalling Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a resolution disapproving the Iran nuclear deal, making the House’s Friday vote largely symbolic.

But that hasn’t stopped Republicans from continuing to fight the deal, which they insist will fill Iran’s coffers while failing to create a robust nuclear inspection regime.

One day after the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, McCaul recounted the rise of Islamist extremists worldwide, with Iran playing a leading role.

“Radical Sunni groups — from [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] to al Qaeda — are spreading like wildfire across the globe,” he said.

“But we cannot forget,” he added, “Iran remains the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.”

McCaul argued the pending nuclear deal — which the U.S. negotiated with China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom — will aid Iran’s support of terrorist groups.

He also said it will also allow the regime to bolster its military program.

“Incredibly, the agreement also fails to curb Iran’s intercontinental ballistic missiles, which the Ayatollah says, in his own words, they will now ‘mass produce,’ ” he said. “These weapons are designed to hit our country and to attack our allies.”

Although Senate Democrats have made it highly unlikely Republicans will be able to dismantle the deal, congressional GOP leaders insist they haven’t given up.

“It will be all Iran next week,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters before the vote Thursday.

“There are going to be more votes,” he added. “There will be other opportunities for people to change their mind next week, hopefully after they hear from their constituents.”

McCaul implored his fellow lawmakers to oppose the deal, despite the long odds.

“My colleagues who understand the threat from Iran — including Democrats and Republicans — will continue to stand against this agreement, for the sake of our nation’s security and in defense of the free world.”

Tags Iran Michael McCaul