Republicans
lawmakers have struck again. On Monday, less than a week after Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke before Congress at the invitation of Speaker
of the House John Boehner (R- Ohio), 47 Republican senators sent a letter to
Iran, warning the Islamic Republic that a nuclear deal could be undone
“with the stroke of a pen” by the next president if it does not get
Congressional approval. 

The letter states
that it aims to bring Iran’s attention to some features in the U.S.
Constitution. The senators tell Iran that any treaty has to be approved by
two-thirds of the Senate or else it would be considered a “mere executive
agreement” between President Obama and Ayatollah Khamenei. 

The U.S. lawmakers
also tell the Iranian government that the President is elected for four years
and limited to two terms, while senators are elected to six-year terms and can
run for reelection indefinitely— basically saying: Obama will be gone, but we
will stick around.

The letter would
be funny if it were not dangerous. It is not certain if the satirical tone in
it is intended, but strong-arming the president and undermining him on the
international stage is not a joking matter. It embarrasses our nation and makes
us appear divided and weak.

It also violates a
long-established unwritten rule that “politics stops at the water’s edge.”

The Republicans’
letter came six days after Netanyahu spoke to Congress and warned American
lawmakers of a bad deal with Iran. And while Netanyahu was criticized in his
own country and is expected to lose the Israeli elections on Tuesday, his
theatrics worked in the United States. Republican senators tapped into the
international stage and illegally interfered in U.S. diplomacy to sabotage the
negotiations on his behalf.

After Netanyahu’s
speech, Meir Dagan, the former head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, said the
prime minister knowingly misled Congress.

The senators who
signed the letter know Netanyahu hyped the Iranian nuclear threat. But the
letter is not about security; it is about politics. America’s own lawmakers
insulted their president to get the approval of the Israeli lobby and prop
themselves up at the expense of both the nation and global peace. 

The letter was a political
farce intended to promote war and rob peaceful dialogue of whatever chance it
has. 

Less than 24 hours
after leading the charge on the letter, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) met with the
National Defense Industrial Association, a lobbying group for defense
contractors.

Only the Israeli right wing and America’s
weapon industry would benefit from war with Iran. Republicans have made their
choice to represent war sponsors and their own interests, not the American
people.