Category Archives: OpEd

‘Do Nothing’ U.S. Congress in Iran Nuclear Deal ?

OpEd

Davindranauth Shiwratan

Friday, July 11, 2014

‘Do Nothing’ U.S. Congress in Iran Nuclear Deal?

The U.S. Congress would be counter-productive and an obstacle in the effort to accomplish the negotiations for a possible nuclear accord between Tehran, the capital of Iran, and six world powers; including the permanent five members: United States, Great Britain, France, China, and Russia of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC); plus Germany (P5+1).

A large group of bipartisan US lawmakers from the House of Representatives, 344 out of 435 members, signed a letter to President Barack Obama to involve the congress in any decision (PressTV). The US Congress have been suspicious of the negotiations that they have threatened not to lift sanctions on Iran if they are not satisfied with the terms of the agreement (Sanger. The New York Times).

US Congress has an overall 8% approval rating among the American Public. This congress would outsource its gridlock from the Capitol Hill chambers to overseas on the negotiations’ table and showcase political theater for the global press. Neither Compromise nor Diplomacy exists within the current legislative branch. There are always winners and losers in US politics at home as American Foreign Policy abroad.

Why would the US Congress get involve in the negotiations between Tehran and the six world powers? Most US lawmakers, especially in the House of Representatives, are campaigning to win the upcoming 2014 Midterm elections in the United States this November. This is a great opportunity to receive monetary campaign contributions from the Pro-Israel lobby groups and special interests affiliated with the Military-Industrial Complex in exchange to sponsor a bill(s) or an amendment(s).

What would the US Congress do? The US Congress would listen to the cash flow from the campaign contributors to make the decision to guarantee the victory and regain their seats on Election Day for another term in public office. According to PressTV, the Israeli regime and its lobby groups have been urging the already skeptical US lawmakers to increase sanctions on Iran over its nuclear energy program. In August 2013, the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports and other economic sectors, including mining and automobile industries.

However, a similar legislation died in the US Senate when President Barack Obama said he would veto the anti-Iran sanctions bill after Tehran, capital of Iran, and the six world powers signed a historic interim nuclear agreement in November 2013. Under the deal, that is scheduled to expire on 2014 July 20th with an additional extension, Iran was offered some sanctions relief and in return limited its nuclear energy program (PressTV).

Iran and the six world powers are holding extensive closed-door discussions to narrow their differences and reach a final deal on Tehran’s nuclear energy program as the July 20th deadline approaches (PressTV).

Iran argues that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence indicating diversion in Tehran’s nuclear energy program toward military purposes (PressTV).

The Israeli regime seeks to become the only military power in the Middle Eastern region. The State of Israel has an estimated 400 nuclear warheads in its facilities. In May 2014, the US House of Representatives approved a bill that would grant Israel over $600 million of American taxpayers’ money in military aid. The legislation authorizes $351 million for Israel’s Iron Dome missile system and $269 million for its David’s Sling and Arrow 3 missile programs (PressTV).

 

Bibliography

Sanger, David E. “Kerry to Join Talks on Iran as Deadline Draws Near.”

The New York Times 11 July 2014.

https://global-factiva-com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/ga/default.aspx?imt=2&ao=14&aod=1811683

“Obama repeats anti-Iran war rhetoric.” Press TV  8 July 2014.

http://edition.presstv.ir/iphone/detail.aspx?id=370393

“Congress pushing for say on Iran deal.” Press TV 11 July 2014.

http://edition.presstv.ir/iphone/detail.aspx?id=370797

“US Congress will further support Israel.” Press TV 12 July 2014.

http://edition.presstv.ir/iphone/detail.aspx?id=370944

“New York’s new 9/11 Investigation could stop global holocaust.” Press TV 11 July 2014.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/07/11/370830/911-probe-could-stop-global-holocaust/

 

 

 

 

Violence Against Women Act a potential revolution

OpEd, Public Policy, , , , , ,

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Violence against women act a potential revolution

Article by   – April 29th, 2013

By Davindranauth Shiwratan

I applaud the 2013 reauthorization of the 1994 landmark law Violence Against Women Act (V.A.W.A.). Although the VAWA legislative amendments improved the protection available to battered immigrant women, these enactments are meaningless if affected women do not know their rights.

Demographers’ estimated over 5.3 million females among the unauthorized alien population in 2011. Immigrant women workers are vulnerable to rape, sexual abuse and harassment, or other gender-motivated exploitation in the workplace. The Pew Hispanic Center reported that only 58 percent of working-age women are undocumented immigrants in the labor force.

Some immigrant women are brought to the United States through human trafficking networks and forced under conditions of surveillance, threats of deportation, and physical harm. Roughly 100,000 survivors of human trafficking live in the U.S. today, according to the US State Department, whose assessments suggest as many as 17,500 foreign-born victims are brought in each year.

In order for abused women to sufficiently understand the options available to them, advocates must increase community outreach and education. Educational programs can be given at churches and community centers. Battered women’s shelters can partner with legal services providers and allow advocates to meet with these women in a place where clients feel safe. Advocates providing these services understand the unique cultural restraints that the battered immigrant woman is faced with.

While immigrant partners and wives face obstacles similar to those of domestic ones, there are several cultural barriers that intensify these problems for immigrants, which require a remedy. First, immigrant women may be unaware that partner abuse is against the law in the U.S. because it is legal in many other countries. Moreover, these women may be wary of requesting police services in the US due to law enforcement inefficiencies in their host countries.

Second, while many domestic women feel pressure to stay in relationships due to social conventions, immigrant women are often more likely to stay in relationships due to the varying social conventions of their countries of origin. This creates the fear that, not only may they be deported if they report their batterer to the police, but that they may also have to face family members as a shunned divorcee.

Finally, language serves as the most obvious barrier that prevents many immigrant women from taking legal action against their abusers. Not only may a woman have difficulty conveying the physical and mental abuse perpetrated against her by her batterer, she may also be isolated from the legal and social services available to her due to a language barrier.

Liberals support legal immigration. They uphold blanket amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally. Liberals believe that undocumented immigrants have a right to the educational and health benefits that U.S. citizens receive regardless of legal status. It is unfair to arrest millions of undocumented immigrants.

Immigration attorneys and advocates highlight changes to the V.A.W.A. that would facilitate its intended objective of protecting abused foreign nationals from their abusers and independently providing them with a path to lawful permanent residence.

Conservatives oppose amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally. Those who break the law by entering the U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who obey the law and immigrate legally. The borders should be secured before addressing the problem of illegal immigrants currently in the country.

Other observers highlight the vulnerability of U.S. immigration policy to fraud within V.A.W.A. and the provision to determine whether a marriage was bona fide.

If battered immigrant women were informed of their rights and the protection available to them in the V.A.W.A., then the implementation of the law would be successful.