There was something quite useful that came out of the hearing. At least one minority subcommittee member, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35) acted as if it was a supreme insult for the hearing even to have been held. Doggett implied that the “intelligence” which led the subcommittee to hold the hearing was as flawed as that which Feith and his colleagues relied upon that dragged the country into Iraq in the first place.
The hearing was held because the White House refused to respond to a direct question on the matter. However, if Doggett and his colleagues think it so ridiculous to even suggest the president would waive the anti-terrorism tax code sanctions, then perhaps they will join the Republicans in demanding any attempt to do so be abandoned.
At the end of the long hearing, there were some conclusions to be drawn.
As Feith later recalled to the JewishPress.com, “It’s worth noting that no committee member made even a single argument in favor of lifting the tax-related sanctions against Iran. Even the Democrats who support the Iran nuclear deal refrained from urging the lifting of those sanctions. No one denied that Iran continues to support terrorism, which was all along the main rationale for the sanctions.”
And second, it is never a good idea for a committee member to attack a witness for supporting a policy decision for which that committee member himself voted.