An open letter to Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah

An open letter to Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah

Senator, to say that I was disappointed to see your signature applied to Senator Cotton’s “Open Letter to Iran” would be a severe understatement. I am one of your voting constituents, and feel you could have served me, and the citizens of Utah, better.

First, I find it interesting that the Junior Senator from Arkansas (and, by your signature, you, the senior Republican member of the Senate) feels the need, or is qualified, to educate the Iranian government on the process of treaty ratification in the United States (or other countries). A simple Google search can yield information on the number of treaties that have been proposed and never ratified by the Congress of the United States. While the reasons for non-ratification may vary, the process has been in place for years and continues to work for our government, for our people, and for the betterment of our Union. The government of Iran, and of other countries, understand our system, of that I am positive. If the treaty obtained is acceptable, then ratify it; if it is not, then vote against the treaty. It’s that simple, Senator. Advance the goals of the United States of America. Don’t throw the treaty under the bus before we have a chance to discuss it.

Second, I find Senator Cotton’s attempt to inform the Government of Iran on our system of elections and constitutional processes to be child-like and very immature. He may be, in fact a lawyer, but he must be too young to remember the Iran Hostage Crises of 1979-1981, when the government of Iran released the hostages the day after Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. Not the day of his election, Senator, but the day after he officially took office. (In fact, Senator Cotton was less than 5 years old when the hostages were released.) You, Senator Hatch, are not too young to remember that event, and in fact you were in your Senate office throughout that entire period of history.

To further progress the argument, a thinly-veiled threat about the potential strength of the treaty (as regards the United State’s commitment to the treaty) serves only to undermine the progress, albeit slow, in bringing Iran to the table for honest, verifiable discussions regarding their nuclear ambitions, and their ability to move to a nuclear arsenal. This process, as you are aware, Senator, has been ongoing for many years; it has involved world-wide sanctions and criticisms of Iran’s goal of obtaining nuclear weapons. Those sanctions and criticisms have had the desired effect of bringing Iran to the table to talk, which is the first of many steps the world’s various governments have taken to control the ability of non-nuclear States, such as Iran, to obtain nuclear weapons.

Senator Hatch, you are, for better or worse, the senior Republican in the Senate. You should be a voice of reason, of patience, of understanding. For someone of your standing to denigrate yourself to the lower level exhibited by Senator Cottons reflects poorly on your statesmanship, and your leadership. I would, and do, expect much better of you.

This is a time for America to heal some of her conflicts in the Middle East. Frankly, we need them, and they need us. We made a mess of Iran when we propped up the Shaw, and we bungled again in Iraq (both pre-and post-Saddam). Now we need senior statesmen to step up and work, with our elected President and within the channels of diplomacy, to correct our past mistakes, to work towards a more peaceful world, and to end the threat of nuclear annihilation.

With all due regards to your office, and to the service you have given to our country, I ask you to move into more positive steps regarding the on-going negotiations with Iran.

I am posting this to my blog, Senator, and if you respond, I will also post your response.

Readers- if you missed the Republican's letter to the leaders of Iran, here is a link: http://go.bloomberg.com/assets/content/uploads/sites/2/150309-Cotton-Open-Letter-to-Iranian-Leaders.pdf

As always, your comments are welcome.
Bob Hartman

Some of my readers have asked why I targeted Senator Hatch and not Mike Lee, the junior senator from Utah, who also signed this letter. Frankly, in my opinion, Mike Lee is still a baby senator, he has no clue about what is happening. He will do, or say, anything to prove his right wing tea party allegiance. I will not waste time on him. From Senator hatch, I expected better.
RMH