The White House is correct in pointing out the weaknesses of the JCPOA, some of which have even been candidly acknowledged by former U.S. officials who worked on the agreement. Yet, the question is not whether the agreement is perfect – but whether the alternatives would better serve the interests of Washington and its allies. Trump has been bashing the agreement for years, and now he has set out to prove he can do better.
When considering the national security implications of withdrawing from the agreement for the U.S. and Israel it is critical to remember that the JCPOA is not an end in and of itself, rather a means to achieve certain long-term goals. It is also important not to lose sight of four strategic goals vis-a-vis Iran: keeping Iran as far from a nuclear weapon as possible, preventing war, halting Iran’s ambitions for regional domination, and ultimately altering the fundamental character of the Iranian regime.
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