by Stephen Lendman

On August 5, Obama discussed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) concluded in Vienna last month before a hand-picked audience at American University in Washington.

Ignoring 36 years of continued anti-Iranian hostility, he ludicrously praised America’s “tradition of strong, principled diplomacy.”

He lied claiming terms reached “prohibit Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon” it deplores, doesn’t want and never made any attempt to develop. “It cuts off all of Iran’s pathways to a bomb,” he blustered.

Fact: Iran wants a nuclear-free Middle East. It wants all these weapons eliminated. Otherwise they may eliminate us. Obama threatened possible war on Iran, saying “(l)et’s not mince words. The choice we face is ultimately between diplomacy and some sort of war - maybe not tomorrow, maybe not three months from now, but soon.”

Fact: Iran threatens no one - not America, Israel, regional Arab states or others anywhere. It wants peace, not war.

The whole world knows it’s nuclear program is legitimate with no military component. Yet Obama threatened possible war - not because of its activities.

Because of its sovereign independence. Because Israel wants its major regional rival eliminated. Because Washington wants Big Oil exploiting its hydrocarbon resources.

Obama calling JCPA a diplomatic breakthrough begs the question. Why now? Why not years ago? Why when US policy toward Iran remains unchanged - when efforts continue to undermine its government, unjustifiably accusing it of fostering and supporting terrorism.

Obama claimed he ran for president as an anti-war candidate. His record proves otherwise - exceeding the worst of George Bush, waging endless direct and proxy wars of aggression. Likely more to come before he leaves office.

His legacy won’t be about negotiating an Iran nuclear deal he or future US leadership may likely breach. It’s waging wars of aggression on humanity, ravaging and destroying one country after another, recklessly challenging Russia, enforcing police state harshness at home, handing Wall Street and other corporate favorites whatever they want at the expense of increasing social injustice.

Obama favors war, instability and corporate favoritism, not peace, equity and justice for all. He wants Iran exploited, not accepted as a legitimate member of the world community.

His American University speech denounced the horrors of war while continuing to wage it in multiple theaters - plus ongoing destabilizing efforts in Venezuela, Ecuador and elsewhere to topple their governments.

He lied claiming no “disagreement on the danger posed by an Iranian nuclear bomb.” He ignored Israel’s arsenal. He turned truth on its head repeating the discredited canard about Tehran wanting the Jewish state destroyed.

He blamed its leadership for US intransigence - along with 36 years of irresponsible demonization. Nuclear talks were always a smokescreen - red herring cover for Washington’s real objective: regime change.

As long as Iran is independent, it remains vulnerable to implementation of longstanding US war plans.

Obama saying he “stand(s) for…a world that is more secure and more peaceful for our children” is polar opposite his war-making agenda - unrelenting since day one in office, not a moment of peace on his watch. Expect none for the rest of his tenure.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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