U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced Tuesday he’ll vote against the Iran nuclear deal. Manchin said when the process started he was supportive of the need to engage in diplomacy.
“Whenever I am able, I will choose diplomacy over war because the stakes are so high for West Virginia, which has one of the highest rates of military service in the nation. But as I struggled with this decision, I could not ignore the fact that Iran, the country that will benefit most from sanctions being lifted, refuses to change its 36-year history of sponsoring terrorism,” Manchin said.
Manchin went on to say the deal had to be about more than preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon for the next 10-15 years. It had to address Iran’s terrorist actions. He says without addressing those issues it would be rewarding Iran for 36 years of “deplorable behavior.”
“The continued actions by Iran and its recent activities with Russia have proven to me that when we catch Iran violating the agreement, and I believe we will, I have grave doubts that we will have unified, committed partners willing to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Manchin said.
Manchin says while the deal does place constraints on Iran’s nuclear program for the next 10-15 years, he’s worried what happens afterward when Iran will have the ability to produce enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon in a short period of time.
The deal already has the necessary votes in the Senate to sustain President Barack Obama’s veto of a resolution of disapproval, with 39 Democratic and independent senators backing it.
Manchin is the fourth Democrat to oppose the international accord, joining Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Ben Cardin of Maryland.