President Obama and fellow supporters of the Nuclear Iran Deal boasted that it must be the right deal because they were able to gather 36 military officers to endorse it.
Well, a group of five volunteers in less than a week were able to gather more than 190 retired officers to sign on to a letter in opposition to the deal.
Those officers include 22 Admirals and 4 star generals, 46 vice admirals and lieutenant generals, 96 Rear admirals and Major Generals and 24 brigadier generals.
The letter they signed unequivocally states that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed by the United States and its partners in the P5+1, rather than “‘cut[ting] off every pathway’ for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” instead actually “provides Iran with a legitimate path to doing that simply by abiding by the deal.”
The letter, the full text of which appears below, was delivered on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, the House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.
The volunteers who gathered the signatures were led by Marsha Halteman, who has been involved working with the military services for many years. In 2014, Halteman was awarded the US Special Operation Command Outstanding Civilian Service Medal.
The letter to the members of Congress, as delivered, reads as follows:
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 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.(emphasis added.)
1.Admiral David Architzel, US Navy, Retired
2.Admiral Stanley R. Arthur, US Navy, Retired
3.General William Begert, US Air Force,Retired
4.GeneralJ.B. Davis, US Air Force, Retired
5.AdmiralWilliam A. Doughert, US Navy, Retired
6.Admiral Leon A. “Bud” Edney, US Navy, Retired
7.General Alfred G. Hansen US Air Force, Retired
8.Admiral Thomas Hayward, US Navy, Retired
9.Admiral James Hogg, US Navy, Retired
10.Admiral Jerome Johnson, US Navy, Retired
11.Admiral Timothy J. Keating, US Navy, Retired
12.Admiral Robert J. Kelly, US Navy, Retired
13.Admiral Thomas Joseph Lopez, US Navy, Retired
14.Admiral James A. “Ace” Lyons, US Navy, Retired
15.Admiral Richard Macke, US Navy, Retired
16.Admiral Henry Mauz, US Navy, Retired
17.General Lance Smith, US Air Force, Retired
18.Admiral Leighton Smith, US Navy, Retired
19.Admiral William D. Smith, US Navy, Retired
20.General Louis C. Wagner, Jr., US Army, Retired
21.Admiral Steve White, US Navy, Retired
22.General Ronald W. Yates, US Air Force, Retired
23.Lieutenant General Teddy G. Allen, US Army, Retired
24.Lieutenant General Edward G. Anderson, III, USArmy, Retired
25.Lieutenant General Marcus A. Anderson, US Air Force, Retired
26.Lieutenant General Spence M. Armstrong, US Air Force, Retired
27.Lieutenant General Harold W. Blot, US Marine Corps, Retired
28.Vice Admiral Michael Bowman, US Navy, Retired
29.Lieutenant General William G. “Jerry” Boykin, US Army, Retired
30.Vice Admiral Edward S. Briggs, US Navy, Retired
31.Lieutenant General Richard E. “Tex” Brown III, US Air Force, Retired
32.Lieutenant General William J. Campbell, US Air Force, Retired
33.Vice Admiral Edward Clexton, US Navy, Retired
34.Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cooper, US Navy, Retired
35.Vice Admiral William A. Dougherty, US Navy, Retired
36.Lieutenant General Brett Dula, US Air Force, Retired
37.Lieutenant General Gordon E. Fornell, US Air Force, Retired
38.Lieutenant General Thomas B. Goslin, US Air Force, Retired
39.LieutenantGeneral Earl Hailston, US Marine Corps, Retired
40.Vice Admiral Bernard M. Kauderer, US Navy, Retired
41.Lieutenant General Timothy A. Kinnan, US Air Force, Retired
42.Vice Admiral J. B . LaPlante, US Navy, Retired
43.Vice Admiral Tony Less, US Navy, Retired
44.Lieutenant General Bennett L. Lewis, US Army, Retired
45.Vice Admiral Michael Malone, US Navy, Retired
46.Vice Admiral John Mazach, US Navy, Retired
47.Lieutenant GeneralThomas McInerney, US Air Force, Retired
48.Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle, US Marine Corps, Retired
49.Vice Admiral Robert Monroe, US Navy, Retired
50.Vice Admiral Jimmy Pappas, US Navy, Retired
51.Vice Admiral J. Theodore Parker, US Navy, Retired
52.Lieutenant General Garry L. Parks, US Marine Corps, Retired
53.Lieutenant General Everett Pratt, US Air Force, Retired
54.Vice Admiral John Poindexter, US Navy, Retired
55.Lieutenant General Clifford “Ted” Rees, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
56.Vice Admiral William Rowden, US Navy, Retired
57.Vice Admiral Robert F. Schoultz, US Navy, Retired
58.Lieutenant General E.G. “Buck” Shuler, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
59.Lieutenant General Hubert ‘Hugh” G. Smith, US Army, Retired
60.Vice Admiral Edward M. Straw, US Navy, Retired
61.Lieutenant General David J. Teal, US Air Force, Retired
62.Vice Admiral D.C. “Deese” Thompson, US Coast Guard, Retired
63.Lieutenant General William E. Thurman, US Air Force, Retired
64.Lieutenant General Billy Tomas, US Army, Retired
65.Vice AdmiralJohn Totushek, US Navy, Retired
66.Vice Admiral Jerry Tuttle, US Navy, Retired
67.Vice Admiral Jerry Unruh, US Navy, Retired
68.Vice Admiral Timothy W. Wright, US Navy, Retired
69.Rear Admiral William V. Alford, Jr., US Navy, Retired
70.Major General Thurman E. Anderson, US Army, Retired
71.Major General Joseph T. Anderson, US Marine Corps, Retired
72.Rear Admiral Philip Anselmo, US Navy, Retired
73.Major General Joe Arbuckle, US Army, Retired
74.Rear Admiral James W. Austin, USNavy, Retired
75.Rear Admiral John R. Batzler, US Navy, Retired
76.Rear Admiral John Bayless, US Navy, Retired
77.Major General John Bianchi, US Army, Retired
78.Rear Admiral Donald Vaux Boecker, US Navy, Retired
79.Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast, US Navy, Retired
80.Rear Admiral Bruce B. Bremner, US Navy, Retired
81.Major General Edward M. Browne, US Army, Retired
82.Rear Admiral Thomas F. Brown III, US Navy, Retired
83.Rear Admiral Lyle Bull, US Navy, Retired
84.Major General Bobby G. Butcher, US Marine Corps, Retired
85.Rear Admiral Jay A. Campbell, US Navy, Retired
86.Major General Henry D. Canterbury, US Air Force, Retired
87.Major General Carroll D. Childers, US Army, Retired
88.Rear Admiral Ronald L. Christenson, US Navy, Retired
89.Major General John R.D. Cleland, US Army, Retired
90.Major General Richard L. Comer, US Air Force, Retired
91.Rear Admiral Jack Dantone, US Navy, Retired
92.Major General William B. Davitte, US Air Force, Retired
93.Major General James D. Delk, US Army, Retired
94.Major General Felix Dupre, US Air Force, Retired
95.Rear Admiral Philip A. Dur, US Navy, Retired
96.Major General Neil L. Eddins, US Air Force, Retired
97.Rear Admiral Paul Engel, US Navy, Retired
98.Major General Vince Falter, US Army, Retired
99.Rear Admiral James H. Flatley, US Navy, Retired
100.Major General Bobby O. Floyd, US Air Force, Retired
101.Major General Paul Fratarangelo, US Marine Corps, Retired
102.Rear Admiral Veronica “Ronne” Froman, US Navy, Retired
103.Rear Admiral R. Byron Fuller, US Navy, Retired
104.Rear Admiral Frank Gallo, US Navy, Retired
105.Rear Admiral Albert A. Gallotta, Jr., US Navy,Retired
106.Rear Admiral James Mac Gleim, US Navy, Retired
107.Rear Admiral Robert H. Gormley, US Navy, Retired
108.Rear Admiral William Gureck, US Navy, Retired
109.Major General Gary L. Harrell, US Army, Retired
110.Rear Admiral Donald Hickman, US Navy, Retired
111.Major General Geoffrey Higginbotham, US Marine Corps, Retired
112.Major General Kent H. Hillhouse, USArmy, Retired
113.Rear Admiral Tim Hinkle, US Navy, Retired
114.Major General Victor Joseph Hugo, US Army, Retired
115.Major General James P. Hunt, US Air Force, Retired
116.Rear Admiral Grady L. Jackson, US Navy, Retired
117.Major General William K. James, US Air Force, Retired
118.Rear Admiral John M. “Carlos” Johnson, US Navy, Retired
119.Rear Admiral Pierce J. Johnson, US Navy, Retired
120.Rear Admiral Steven B. Kantrowitz, US Navy, Retired
121.Major General Maurice W. Kendall, US Army, Retired
122.Rear Admiral Charles R. Kubic, US Navy, Retired
123.Rear Admiral Frederick L. Lewis, US Navy, Retired
124.Major General John D. Logeman, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
125.Major General Homer S. Long, Jr., US Army, Retired
126.Major General Robert M. Marquette, US Air Force, Retired
127.Rear Admiral Robert B. McClinton, US Navy, Retired
128.Rear Admiral W. J. McDaniel, MD, US Navy, Retired
129.Major General Keith W. Meurlin, US Air Force, Retired
130.Rear Admiral Terrence McKnight, US Navy, Retired
131.Major General John F. Miller, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
132.Major General Burton R. Moore, US Air Force, Retired
133.Rear Admiral David R. Morris, US Navy, Retired
134.Rear Admiral Ed Nelson, Jr., US Coast Guard, Retired
135.Major General George W. “Nordie” Norwood, US Air Force, Retired
136.Major General Everett G. Odgers, US Air Force, Retired
137.Rear Admiral Phillip R. Olson, US Navy, Retired
138.Rear Admiral Robert S. Owens, US Navy, Retired
139.Rear Admiral Robert O. Passmore, US Navy, Retired
140.Major General Richard E. Perraut, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
141.Rear Admiral W.W. Pickavance, Jr., US Navy, Retired
142.Rear Admiral L.F. Picotte, US Navy, Retired
143.Rear Admiral Thomas J. Porter, US Navy, Retired
144.Major General H. Douglas Robertson, US Army, Retired
145.Rear Admiral W.J. Ryan, US Navy, Retired
146.Rear Admiral Norman Saunders, US Coast Guard, Retired
147.Major General John P. Schoeppner, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
148.Major General Edison E. Scholes, US Army, Retired
149.Rear Admiral Hugh P. Scott, US Navy, Retired
150.Major General Richard Secord, US Air Force, Retired
151.Rear Admiral James M. Seely, US Navy, Retired
152.Major General Sidney Shachnow, US Army, Retired
153.Rear Admiral William H. Shawcross, US Navy, Retired
154.Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, US Navy, Retired
155.Major General Willie Studer, US Air Force, Retired
156.Major General Larry Taylor, US Marine Corps, Retired
157.Rear Admiral Jeremy Taylor, US Navy, Retired
158.Major General Richard L. Testa, US Air Force, Retired
159.Rear Admiral Robert P. Tiernan, US Navy, Retired
160.Major General Paul E. Vallely, US Army, Retired
161.Major General Kenneth W. Weir, US Marine Corps, Retired
162.Major General John Welde, US Air Force, Retired
163.Rear Admiral James B. Whittaker, US Navy, Retired
164.Major General Geoffrey P. Wiedeman, Jr., MD, US Air Force, Retired
165.Rear Admiral H. Denny Wisely, US Navy, Retired
166.Brigadier General John R. Allen, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
167.Brigadier General John C. Arick, US Marine Corps, Retired
168.Brigadier General Loring R. Astorino, US Air Force, Retired
169.Rear Admiral Robert E. Besal, US Navy, Retired
170.Brigadier General William Bloomer, US Marine Corps, Retired
171.Brigadier General George P. Cole, Jr., US Air Force, Retired
172.Brigadier General Richard A. Coleman, US Air Force, Retired
173.Brigadier General James L. Crouch, US Air Force, Retired
174.Rear Admiral Marianne B. Drew, US Navy, Retired
175.Brigadier General Philip M. Drew, US Air Force, Retired
176.Brigadier General Larry K. Grundhauser, US Air Force, Retired
177.Brigadier General Thomas W. Honeywill, US Air Force, Retired
178.Brigadier General Gary M. Jones, US Army, Retired
179.Brigadier General Stephen Lanning, US Air Force, Retired
180.Brigadier General Thomas J. Lennon, US Air Force, Retired
181.Rear Admiral Bobby C. Lee, US Navy, Retired
182.Brigadier General Robert F. Peksens, US Air Force, Retired
183.Brigadier General Joe Shaefer, US Air Force, Retired
184.Brigadier General Graham E. Shirley, US Air Force, Retired
185.Brigadier General Stanley O. Smith, US Air Force, Retired
186.Brigadier General Hugh B. Tant III, US Army, Retired
187.Brigadier General Michael Joseph Tashjian, US Air Force, Retired
188.Brigadier General William Tiernan, US Marine Corps, Retired
189.Brigadier General Roger W. Scearce, US Army, Retired
190.Brigadier General Robert V. Woods, US Air Force, Retired
