[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 131 (Friday, September 11, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1274-E1276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
APPROVAL OF JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION
______
speech of
HON. EDWARD R. ROYCE
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letter:
Hon. John A. Boehner,
Speaker of the House.
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Minority Leader.
Hon. Mitch McConnell,
Majority Leader.
Hon. Harry Reid,
Minority Leader.
Dear Representatives Boehner and Pelosi and Senators
McConnell and Reid: As you know, on July 14, 2015, the United
States and five other nations announced that a Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been reached with
Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. In our
judgment as former senior military officers, the agreement
will not have that effect. Removing sanctions on Iran and
releasing billions of dollars to its regime over the next ten
years is inimical to the security of Israel and the Middle
East. There is no credibility within JCPOA's inspection
process or the ability to snap back sanctions once lifted,
should Iran violate the agreement. In this and other
respects, the JCPOA would threaten the national security and
vital interests of the United States and, therefore, should
be disapproved by the Congress.
The agreement as constructed does not ``cut off every
pathway'' for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. To the
contrary, it actually provides Iran with a legitimate path to
doing that simply by abiding by the deal. JCPOA allows all
the infrastructure the Iranians need for a nuclear bomb to be
preserved and enhanced. Notably, Iran is allowed to: continue
to enrich uranium; develop and test advanced centrifuges; and
continue work on its Arak heavy-water plutonium reactor.
Collectively, these concessions afford the Iranians, at
worst, a ready breakout option and, at best, an incipient
nuclear weapons capability a decade from now.
The agreement is unverifiable. Under the terms of the JCPOA
and a secret side deal (to which the United States is not
privy), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be
responsible for inspections under such severe limitations as
to prevent them from reliably detecting Iranian cheating. For
example, if Iran and the inspectors are unable to reach an
accommodation with respect to a given site, the result could
be at least a 24-day delay in IAEA access. The agreement
[[Page E1275]]
also requires inspectors to inform Iran in writing as to the
basis for its concerns about an undeclared site, thus further
delaying access. Most importantly, these inspections do not
allow access to Iranian military facilities, the most likely
location of their nuclear weapons development efforts. In the
JCPOA process, there is substantial risk of U.S. intelligence
being compromised, since the IAEA often relies on our
sensitive data with respect to suspicious and/or prohibited
activity.
While failing to assure prevention of Iran's nuclear
weapons development capabilities, the agreement provides by
some estimates $150 billion dollars or more to Iran in the
form of sanctions relief. As military officers, we find it
unconscionable that such a windfall could be given to a
regime that even the Obama administration has acknowledged
will use a portion of such funds to continue to support
terrorism in Israel, throughout the Middle East and globally,
whether directly or through proxies. These actions will be
made all the more deadly since the JCPOA will lift
international embargoes on Iran's access to advanced
conventional weapons and ballistic missile technology.
In summary, this agreement will enable Iran to become far
more dangerous, render the Mideast still more unstable and
introduce new threats to American interests as well as our
allies. In our professional opinion, far from being an
alternative to war, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
makes it likely that the war the Iranian regime has waged
against us since 1979 will continue, with far higher risks to
our national security interests. Accordingly, we urge the
Congress to reject this defective accord.
Sincerely,
Admiral David Architzel, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Stanley
R. Arthur, US Navy, Retired; General William Begert, US Air
Force, Retired; General J.B. Davis, US Air Force, Retired;
Admiral William A. Dougherty, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Leon
A. ``Bud'' Edney, US Navy, Retired; General Alfred G. Hansen,
US Air Force, Retired; Admiral Thomas Hayward, US Navy,
Retired; Admiral James Hogg, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Jerome
Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Timothy J. Keating, US
Navy, Retired; Admiral Robert J. Kelly, US Navy, Retired;
Admiral Thomas Joseph Lopez, US Navy, Retired; Admiral James
A. ``Ace'' Lyons, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Richard Macke,
US Navy, Retired; Admiral Henry Mauz, US Navy, Retired;
General Lance Smith, US Air Force, Retired; Admiral
Leighton Smith, US Navy, Retired; Admiral William D.
Smith, US Navy, Retired; General Louis C. Wagner, Jr., US
Army, Retired; Admiral Steve White, US Navy, Retired;
General Ronald W. Yates, US Air Force, Retired.
Lieutenant General Teddy G. Allen, US Army, Retired;
Lieutenant General Edward G. Anderson, III, US Army, Retired;
Lieutenant General Marcus A. Anderson, US Air Force, Retired;
Lieutenant General Spence M. Armstrong, US Air Force,
Retired; Lieutenant General Harold W. Blot, US Marine Corps,
Retired; Vice Admiral Michael Bowman, US Navy, Retired;
Lieutenant General William G. ``Jerry'' Boykin, US Army,
Retired; Vice Admiral Edward S. Briggs, US Navy, Retired;
Lieutenant General Richard E. ``Tex'' Brown III, US Air
Force, Retired; Lieutenant General William J. Campbell, US
Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral Edward Clexton, US Navy,
Retired; Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cooper, US Navy, Retired;
Vice Admiral William A. Dougherty, US Navy, Retired;
Lieutenant General Brett Dula, US Air Force, Retired;
Lieutenant General Gordon E. Fornell, US Air Force, Retired;
Lieutenant General Thomas B. Goslin, US Air Force, Retired;
Lieutenant General Earl Hailston, US Marine Corps, Retired;
Vice Admiral Bernard M. Kauderer, US Navy, Retired;
Lieutenant General Timothy A. Kinnan, US Air Force, Retired;
Vice Admiral J.B. LaPlante, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral
Tony Less, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Bennett L.
Lewis, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral Michael Malone, US
Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral John Mazach, US Navy, Retired;
Lieutenant General Thomas McInerney, US Air Force, Retired;
Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle, US Marine Corps, Retired;
Vice Admiral Robert Monroe, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral
Jimmy Pappas, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral J. Theodore
Parker, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Garry L. Parks,
US Marine Corps, Retired; Lieutenant General Everett Pratt,
US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral John Poindexter, US Navy,
Retired; Lieutenant General Clifford ``Ted'' Rees, Jr., US
Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral William Rowden, US Navy,
Retired; Vice Admiral Robert F. Schoultz, US Navy,
Retired; Lieutenant General E.G. ``Buck'' Shuler, Jr., US
Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Hubert ``Hugh'' G.
Smith, US Army, Retired.
Vice Admiral Edward M. Straw, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant
General David J. Teal, US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral
D.C. ``Deese'' Thompson, US Coast Guard, Retired; Lieutenant
General William E. Thurman, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant
General Billy Tomas, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral John
Totushek, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Jerry Tuttle, US
Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Jerry Unruh, US Navy, Retired;
Vice Admiral Timothy W. Wright, US Navy, Retired.
Rear Admiral William V. Alford, Jr., US Navy, Retired;
Major General Thurman E. Anderson, US Army, Retired; Major
General Joseph T. Anderson, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear
Admiral Philip Anselmo, US Navy, Retired; Major General Joe
Arbuckle, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral James W. Austin, US
Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral John R. Batzler, US Navy,
Retired; Rear Admiral John Bayless, US Navy, Retired; Major
General John Bianchi, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Donald
Vaux Boecker, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast,
US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Bruce B. Bremner, US Navy,
Retired; Major General Edward M. Browne, US Army, Retired;
Rear Admiral Thomas F. Brown III, US Navy, Retired; Rear
Admiral Lyle Bull, US Navy, Retired; Major General Bobby G.
Butcher, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Jay A.
Campbell, US Navy, Retired; Major General Henry D.
Canterbury, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Carroll D.
Childers, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Ronald L.
Christenson, US Navy, Retired; Major General John R.D.
Cleland, US Army, Retired; Major General Richard L. Comer, US
Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Jack Dantone, US Navy,
Retired; Major General William B. Davitte, US Air Force,
Retired; Major General James D. Delk, US Army, Retired; Major
General Felix Dupre, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral
Philip A. Dur, US Navy, Retired; Major General Neil L.
Eddins, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Paul Engel, US
Navy, Retired; Major General Vince Falter, US Army,
Retired; Rear Admiral James H. Flatley, US Navy, Retired.
Major General Bobby O. Floyd, US Air Force, Retired; Major
General Paul Fratarangelo, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear
Admiral Veronica ``Ronne'' Froman, US Navy, Retired; Rear
Admiral R. Byron Fuller, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Frank
Gallo, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Albert A. Gallotta,
Jr., US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral James Mac Gleim, US Navy,
Retired; Rear Admiral Robert H. Gormley, US Navy, Retired;
Rear Admiral William Gureck, US Navy, Retired; Major General
Gary L. Harrell, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Donald
Hickman, US Navy, Retired; Major General Geoffrey
Higginbotham, US Marine Corps, Retired; Major General Kent H.
Hillhouse, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Tim Hinkle, US
Navy, Retired; Major General Victor Joseph Hugo, US Army,
Retired; Major General James P. Hunt, US Air Force, Retired;
Rear Admiral Grady L. Jackson, US Navy, Retired; Major
General William K. James, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral
John M. ``Carlos'' Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral
Pierce J. Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Steven B.
Kantrowitz, US Navy, Retired; Major General Maurice W.
Kendall, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Charles R. Kubic, US
Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Frederick L. Lewis, US Navy,
Retired; Major General John D. Logeman, Jr., US Air Force,
Retired; Major General Homer S. Long, Jr., US Army, Retired;
Major General Robert M. Marquette, US Air Force, Retired;
Rear Admiral Robert B. McClinton, US Navy, Retired; Rear
Admiral W. J. McDaniel, MD, US Navy, Retired; Major General
Keith W. Meurlin, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral
Terrence McKnight, US Navy, Retired; Major General John F.
Miller, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Major General Burton R.
Moore, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral David R. Morris,
US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Ed Nelson, Jr., US Coast
Guard, Retired; Major General George W. ``Nordie'' Norwood,
US Air Force, Retired; Major General Everett G. Odgers, US
Air Force, Retired.
Rear Admiral Phillip R. Olson, US Navy, Retired; Rear
Admiral Robert S. Owens, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral
Robert O. Passmore, US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard
E. Perraut, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral W.W.
Pickavance, Jr., US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral L.F. Picotte,
US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Thomas J. Porter, US Navy,
Retired; Major General H. Douglas Robertson, US Army,
Retired; Rear Admiral W.J. Ryan, US Navy, Retired; Rear
Admiral Norman Saunders, US Coast Guard, Retired; Major
General John P. Schoeppner, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Major
General Edison E. Scholes, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral
Hugh P. Scott, US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard
Secord, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral James M. Seely,
US Navy, Retired; Major General Sidney Shachnow, US Army,
Retired; Rear Admiral William H. Shawcross, US Navy, Retired;
Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, US Navy, Retired; Major General
Willie Studer, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Larry
Taylor, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Jeremy Taylor,
US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard L. Testa, US Air
Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert P. Tiernan, US Navy,
Retired; Major General Paul E. Vallely, US Army, Retired;
Major General Kenneth W. Weir, US Marine Corps, Retired;
Major General John Welde, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral
James B. Whittaker, US Navy, Retired; Major General Geoffrey
P. Wiedeman, Jr., MD, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral H.
Denny Wisely, US Navy, Retired.
Brigadier General John R. Allen, Jr., US Air Force,
Retired; Brigadier General John C. Arick, US Marine Corps,
Retired; Brigadier General Loring R. Astorino, US Air Force,
Retired; Rear Admiral Robert E. Besal, US Navy, Retired;
Brigadier General William Bloomer, US Marine Corps, Retired;
Brigadier General George P. Cole, Jr., US Air Force, Retired;
Brigadier General Richard A. Coleman, US Air Force, Retired;
Brigadier General James L. Crouch, US Air Force, Retired;
Rear Admiral Marianne B. Drew, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier
General Philip M. Drew, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier
General Larry K. Grundhauser, US Air Force,
[[Page E1276]]
Retired; Brigadier General Thomas W. Honeywill, US Air Force,
Retired; Brigadier General Gary M. Jones, US Army, Retired;
Brigadier General Stephen Lanning, US Air Force, Retired;
Brigadier General Thomas J. Lennon, US Air Force, Retired;
Rear Admiral Bobby C. Lee, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier
General Robert F. Peksens, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier
General Joe Shaefer, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General
Graham E. Shirley, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General
Stanley O. Smith, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General
Hugh B. Tant III, US Army, Retired; Brigadier General Michael
Joseph Tashjian, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General
William Tiernan, US Marine Corps, Retired; Brigadier General
Roger W. Scearce, US Army, Retired; Brigadier General Robert
V. Woods, US Air Force, Retired.