3/27/2018

IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A bipartisan group of more than 100 US national security experts — including nearly 50 retired military officers and more than 30 former ambassadors — is urging President Donald Trump to remain in the Iran nuclear deal as sources say it is becoming increasingly likely he will withdraw. The statement titled ‘Keep the Iran deal — 10 Good Reasons Why’ calls on Trump to ‘maintain the US commitment to the Iran nuclear deal’ as doing so will ‘strengthen America’s hand in dealing with North Korea, as well as Iran, and help maintain the reliability of America’s word and influence as a world leader.’ ‘Ditching it would serve no national security purpose,’ the statement said. Penned by a group that calls itself the National Coalition to Prevent an Iranian Nuclear Weapon, the coordinated message comes as US officials are taking a two-track approach to the deal — negotiating with allies to make changes demanded by Trump even as they prepare to walk away from the international agreement.”

Zachary Cohen, “National security veterans urge Trump not to scrap Iran nuclear deal,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, Mar. 27 2018 1:32pm