Mitt Romney continues to distort the truth on Iran

 

Mitt Romney continued to distort the truth about President Obama’s record on Iran today—all while failing to say what he would do differently.

Contrary to Romney’s rhetoric today, President Obama has repeatedly stood by Israel and said it would be unacceptable for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. He has consistently stated that no option is off the table. And he backs up his rhetoric with action. The Obama administration has put in place the most severe sanctions Iran has ever faced and requested a record level of military assistance to aid Israel’s security.

In contrast to President Obama’s decisive action, Romney said more than four years ago he would consult with his lawyers before figuring out how to deal with Iran. He also has had investments in companies that do business in Iran. The commander-in-chief only gets one chance to get it right when it comes to matters of foreign policy, and Romney’s bluster on Iran only shows yet again that he will say anything to get elected.

PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS MADE IT CLEAR HE WILL NOT ALLOW A NUCLEAR IRAN AND ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE

At The 2012 AIPAC Conference President Obama Said That All Options Are On The Table For Preventing Iran From Developing Nuclear Weapons, Including “A Military Effort” “I have said that when it comes to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say.  That includes all elements of American power:  A political effort aimed at isolating Iran; a diplomatic effort to sustain our coalition and ensure that the Iranian program is monitored; an economic effort that imposes crippling sanctions; and, yes, a military effort to be prepared for any contingency.” [President Obama Remarks at AIPAC, 03/04/12]

President Obama Has Repeatedly Affirmed That The United States Is Determined To Prevent Iran From Acquiring Nuclear Weapons. “Calling the latest round of sanctions the toughest and most comprehensive Iran has ever faced, President Obama said they sent ‘an unmistakable message’ about the international community's commitment to stop nuclear proliferation.”  [MSNBC, 6/9/10]

President Obama Said “There Should Be No Doubt—The United States And The International Community Are Determined To Prevent Iran From Acquiring Nuclear Weapons.” “We’re showing the Iranian government that its actions have consequences.  And if it persists, the pressure will continue to mount, and its isolation will continue to deepen.  There should be no doubt —- the United States and the international community are determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”  [Remarks by the President, 7/1/10]

President Obama Accelerated The Deployment Of Ships And Antimissile Systems To The Persian Gulf To Defend Against Possible Iranian Missile Strikes.“The Obama administration is accelerating the deployment of new defenses against possible Iranian missile attacks in the Persian Gulf, placing special ships off the Iranian coast and antimissile systems in at least four Arab countries, according to administration and military officials... The news that the United States is deploying antimissile defenses — including a rare public discussion of them by Gen. David H. Petraeus — appears to be part of a coordinated administration strategy to increase pressure on Iran.” [NYT, 1/30/10]

Secretary Of Defense Panetta Reiterated That The United States Will Take “Whatever Steps Necessary” To Stop Iran From Developing An Nuclear Weapons. “If [The Iranians] proceed and we get intelligence that they are proceeding with developing a nuclear weapon then we will take whatever steps necessary to stop it…There are no options off the table.” [CBS, 12/19/11]

General Dempsey Said He Is Responsible For Encouraging The Planning Of A Military Option And That “Those Activities Are Going On.” “But I will say that-- our-- my responsibility is to encourage the right degree of planning, to understand the risks associated with any kind of military option-- in some cases to position assets, to provide those options on-- in a timely fashion. And all those activities are going on.” [General Dempsey,01/08/12]

Secretary Panetta Made It Clear The United States Will Not Tolerate Blocking The Strait Of Hormuz, Calling It A “Red Line.” We made very clear that the United States will not tolerate the blocking of the Straits of Hormuz. That's another red line for us and that we will respond to them. [Secretary Panetta, 01/08/12]

PRESIDENT OBAMA PASSED THE MOST SEVERE SANCTIONS IRAN HAS EVER FACED

With President Obama’s Leadership, The United States Gained The Support Of Russia, China And Other Nations To Pass United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929, Creating The Most Comprehensive And Biting International Sanctions Regime The Iranian Government Has Ever Faced.“That’s why the international community was compelled to impose these serious consequences.  These are the most comprehensive sanctions that the Iranian government has faced.  They will impose restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities, its ballistic missile program, and, for the first time, its conventional military.  They will put a new framework in place to stop Iranian smuggling, and crack down on Iranian banks and financial transactions.  They target individuals, entities, and institutions -– including those associated with the Revolutionary Guard –- that have supported Iran’s nuclear program and prospered from illicit activities at the expense of the Iranian people. “ [President Obama, 06/09/10] [UN News Centre, 6/9/10]

·        Citing Sanctions, Russia Banned All Exports Of Major Weapons Systems To Iran. “Russia interprets the latest round of United Nations sanctions against Iran as prohibiting all exports of major weapons systems to that country, President Dmitri A. Medvedev announced Wednesday, ending some Russian equivocation on whether an advanced air defense system would fall under the ban.” [NYT, 09/22/10]

President Obama Worked With Congress To Pass The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, And Divestment Act, Which Strengthens Existing US Sanctions And Makes It Harder For The Iranian Government To Buy Refined Petroleum And Other Goods It Needs To Modernize Its Oil And Gas Sector.“Congress on Thursday overwhelmingly passed tough new sanctions against Iran, sending a message to the Tehran government that notions of becoming a nuclear power could be accompanied by a steep economic price. The Senate and House in quick succession approved the penalties that focus on Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard and the country's imports of gas and other refined energy products.”  [Associated Press, 6/24/10]

·        Close To $60 Billion In Energy-Related Projects In Iran Have Already Been Put On Hold Or Discontinued As Of The End Of 2010. [Bloomberg,12/1/10]

·        President Ahmadinejad Has Been Forced To Admit The Serious Impact Of Sanctions Placed On Government By The Obama Administration. [Washington Post, 11/1/11]

·        Carnegie Endowment For International Peace:The Iranian Economy Now Faces Its Bleakest Prospects In Two Decades With An Almost Unanimous Forecast Of Low Growth, High Inflation, And Continued Double-Digit Unemployment. [Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, 03/18/10]

·        The Iranian Rial Has Lost About 35% Of Its Value Since September 2011. [Washington Post, 01/02/11]

In November 2011, The Obama Administration Took Additional Steps To Increase Pressure On The Iranian Regime To Comply With Its International Nuclear Obligations. “A day after the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, President Obama’s national security adviser argued Tuesday that the administration’s pressure campaign had left Iran’s leaders economically strained, diplomatically isolated and rent by internal divisions.” [NYT, 11/22/11]

·        President Obama Issued An Executive Order Expanding Already Robust Sanctions To Target Entities That Help Develop Oil And Petrochemical. [Executive Order, 11/21/11]

·        The Treasury Department Identified Iran As A “Primary Money Laundering Concern, “To Highlight The Risks Of Doing Business With Iran. [The White House, 11/21/11]

·        The State And Treasury Departments Prohibited U.S. Persons from Engaging In Business With Eleven Individuals And Entities For Their Role In Assisting Iran’s Nuclear Program. [State Department, 11/21/11]

IRAN HAS BECOME DIPLOMATICALLY ISOLATED

President Obama Has Made The Choice Clear, Iran Can Either Fulfill Its International Obligations And Reap The Benefits Of Economic And Political Integration Or It Can Choose Isolation. “Since taking office, I have made it clear that the United States is prepared to begin a new chapter with the Islamic Republic of Iran, offering the Iranian government a clear choice.  It can fulfill its international obligations and reap the benefits of greater economic and political integration with countries around the world, or it can continue to defy its responsibilities and face even more pressure and isolation.  Iran has chosen the path of international isolation.” [The White House, 11/21/11]

The United Nations Security Council Unanimously Condemned Attacks Against The UK Embassy In Tehran. “The members of the Security Council called on the Iranian authorities to protect diplomatic and consular property and personnel, and to respect fully their international obligations in this regard,” [UN, 11/29/11]

PRESIDENT OBAMA STRONGLY CONDEMNED THE IRANIAN REGIME’S ATTACKS ON ITS CITIZENS

President Obama Forcefully Spoke Out In Support Of The Iranian People’s Efforts To Make Their Voices Heard And “Strongly Condemned” The “Unjust Actions” Of The Iranian Government.  “In his strongest comments since the crisis erupted 10 days ago, Mr. Obama used unambiguous language to assail the Iranian government during a news conference at the White House, calling himself ‘appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings and imprisonments of the past few days.’” [NYT, 06/23/09]

After The Results Were Released, President Obama Expressed “Deep Concerns” About The Legitimacy Of The Iranian Election. “I have said before that I have deep concerns about the election. And I think that the world has deep concerns about the election.” [President Obama, 06/16/09]

President Obama Told Iran That “The World Is Watching” And That If The Iranian Government Wants Respect, It Must Govern “Through Consent, Not Coercion.” “The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights. As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people will ultimately judge the actions of their own government. If the Iranian government seeks the respect of the international community, it must respect the dignity of its own people and govern through consent, not coercion.” [The White House, 06/20/09]

President Obama Said He Would Not Allow The Iranian Regime To Use The United States As Foil For Silencing Protestors. “The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. That's what they do. That's what we're already seeing. We shouldn't be playing into that. There should be no distractions from the fact that the Iranian people are seeking to let their voices be heard.” [President Obama, 06/19/09]

ROMNEY WOULD LET HIS LAWYERS TELL HIM WHAT TO DO ON IRAN

Romney Said He Would Talk To His Lawyers Before Deciding Whether To Use Military Force.  Asked whether congressional authorization would be necessary to launch a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Romney declined to answer definitively, instead deferring to lawyers’ opinions.  “You sit down with your attorneys and tell you what you have to do, but obviously the president of the United States has to do what’s in the best interest of the United States,” Romney told moderator Chris Matthews. On whether President Bush needed authorization to invade Iraq, Romney again deferred to legal experts, saying, “You know, we’re going to let the lawyers sort out what he needed to do and what he didn’t need to do.” [CNBC/WSJ GOP Debate, 10/9/07]

Romney Suggested You Sit Down With Your Attorneys Before You Deal With Iran. “Romney was the first to answer a question about whether a president would need authorization from Congress to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. ‘You sit down with your attorneys’ for advice, he said, but ‘the president of the United States has to do what’s in the best interest of the United States.” [USA Today, 10/10/07]

·        Wall Street Journal Editorial: “Deferring To Lawyers To Tell A President When He Can And Cannot Use Force To Defend The Country Is Not A Proper Understanding Of The Executive Power Under The Constitution, And It Is Dangerous If It Is The First Instinct Of A Commander In Chief.” The Wall Street Journal editorial page wrote, “Egad. Call in the attorneys? Perhaps it is Mr. Romney’s experience in business that taught him to want lawyers at his elbow, given that no CEO can survive without them these days. Or perhaps it is our hyper-legalized politics, with Mr. Bush accused daily of "breaking the law" over mere policy disagreements. But deferring to lawyers to tell a President when he can and cannot use force to defend the country is not the proper understanding of executive power under the Constitution, and it is dangerous if it is the first instinct of a Commander in Chief. Mr. Romney should have said that a President’s first duty is to do whatever it takes to protect the United States, and that he’d have the Constitutional authority to use military force to do so -- as Presidents from Washington to Teddy Roosevelt to Reagan have done -- but that of course he would want to consult with Congress and win its support as time and circumstances allowed. Mr. Romney doesn’t need a lawyer; he needs to reread the Federalist Papers.” [Editorial, Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07]

·        Admiral Robert J. Natter Criticized Romney Saying “Lawyers Should Not Debate While Our National Security Is On The Line.” Admiral Robert J. Natter said of Romney’s remark that he would consult attorney’s before using military action against Iran, "Going to war is the most serious decision a president can make. Lawyers should not debate while our national security is on the line. In these momentous decisions, we need leadership, not litigation.” [MSNBC, Firstread, 10/10/07]

ROMNEY INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT DID BUSINESS IN IRAN

2009-2010: Romney Made “Some Of The Largest Stock Trades” In Companies That Have Operated In Iran – A Number Listed On The United Against Nuclear Iran’s List. “Some of the largest stock trades made by the Romney trust involved companies that have operated in Iran. Romney has urged toughened sanctions and military steps against Iran and has called for strategic divestment of firms that do business there. In 2007, his trustee said he had sold off Romney investments in French and Italian energy companies with business ties to Iran. But between mid-2009 and mid-2010, the Romney trusts made large investments in securities from BNP Paribas, a French bank with long-standing operations in Iran. The bank halted new business in Iran in 2007 but is still trying to terminate outstanding loans there. In all, Romney's family trusts bought more than 2.6 million shares, which were all sold in late 2010 for about $2.5 million. Romney's trust for his grown children also bought and sold shares in China North Oil, recently named by the Congressional Research Service as a likely violator of the Iran Sanctions Act, and in Intesa Sanpaolo, an Italian bank that has been under investigation by U.S. authorities for handling of Iranian funds. There were also trades in stock of Gazprom, Schlumberger, Komatsu and Unilever - all firms that have had business in or with Iran. Many of those companies are included among an extensive list compiled by United Against Nuclear Iran, a bipartisan group urging pressure on firms with business in Iran.” [Associated Press, 2/2/12]

2007-2009: Romney IRS Records Showed Family Charity “Continued To Buy And Sell” In Companies “That Dealt With Iranian Businesses.” According to the Associated Press, “But IRS records show that between 2007 and 2009, Romney's family charity, the Tyler Charitable Trust, continued to buy and sell other investments in companies that dealt with Iranian businesses, complied with Chinese censorship or aided in stem cell research.”  [Associated Press, 8/12/11]

·        2011: Four Years After Calling For Divestment And Saying His Trustor Would Match His Portfolio With His Political Positions, Romney Disposed Of Other Assets With Iranian Business. “Among the investments listed as sold on the 2011 disclosure are Honeywell, which had aided Iranian gas production through a British subsidiary, and Schlumberger, an oil services company that operated both in Iran and Sudan. Both stocks were managed through a private Goldman Sachs portfolio, the disclosure said.” [Associated Press, 8/12/11]

Source: http://www.democrats.org/news/blog/mitt_romney_continues_to_distort_the_truth_on_iran

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