Libertarian leaning Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) raised a few eyebrows when he signed the controversial letter from Republicans to the leaders of Iran.
While attending the South by Southwest (SxSW) Festival in Austin, Texas, the Senator was asked in an interview about his reasons for signing the letter. According to Huffington Post, Paul said:
“There’s no one in Washington more against war and more for a negotiated deal than I am. But I want the negotiated deal to be a good deal. So my reason for signing onto the letter, I think it reiterates what is the actual law, that Congress will have to undo sanctions. But I also signed onto the letter because I want the president to negotiate from a position of strength which means that he needs to be telling them in Iran that ‘I’ve got Congress to deal with.'”
Paul uses a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution to guide his votes and decisions, including his choice to sign Tom Cotton’s (R-AK) letter.
According to Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution stipulates that the President may negotiate and propose treaties and agreements between the U.S. and other nations, but they must also be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the Senate to become binding:
“The President… shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur….”
Several other senators have spoken about their reasons for signing onto the letter. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) shared similar reasons from the Senate floor, according to AZCentral:
“I signed that letter, and I believe that it is a direct result of the president’s statement that he would veto any role that the United States Congress should play in the ratification or non-ratification of a pending agreement. And that is what triggered the letter from Senator Cotton, and that’s why I stand by it.”
McCain has always taken a vocal stance on foreign policy issues, as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services:
John McCain Speaking On The Senate Floor
Image Source: Screenshot/Youtube
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK), the author of the letter, told Bob Schieffer on CBS’s “Face The Nation” that, along with the Constitutional argument, the letter’s purpose was to dismantle the deal as it stands with Iran.
Cotton added that the world now has to live with the consequences of a nuclear North Korea, but it should not have to live with the consequences of a nuclear Iran:
Tom Cotton On CBS’ Face The Nation
Image Source: Screenshot/Youtube
In previous interviews, such as his CPAC 2015 panel with former Ambassador John Bolton, Cotton made clear his views on Iran and nuclear negotiations:
Bolton: U.S. policy today, yesterday, and tomorrow should be the “overthrow of the Ayatollahs.”
Cotton: Not only regime change, but “replacement with pro-western regime.”
Despite having signed onto Cotton’s letter for the purposes of asserting Constitutionality, Paul may have to break with his colleague over U.S. policy towards Iran in the future.
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