By Glenn Kessler and Salvador Rizzo
The Washington Post
Fact Checker
President Trump’s address to the nation after Iran’s missile attacks on bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed contained a number of factually dubious statements. Here’s a quick roundup.
“Iran’s hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013 and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash.”
The final deal was signed in 2015, but that’s not the least of Trump’s factual problems in this sentence. It includes two misleading statements, including one Bottomless Pinocchio claim.
Trump often makes it sound as if the United States cut a check to Iran as part of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He also always uses too high an estimate, $150 billion, for the assets involved.
But this was always Iran’s money. Iran had billions of dollars frozen in foreign banks because of international sanctions over its nuclear program. The Treasury Department estimated that once Iran fulfilled other obligations, it would have about $55 billion left. The Central Bank of Iran said the number was $32 billion.
As for the $1.8 billion (actually, $1.7 billion), this was related to the settlement of a decades-old claim between the two countries, not the Iran nuclear agreement. An initial payment of $400 million was handed over on Jan. 17, 2016, the day after Iran released four American detainees, including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian. The timing — which U.S. officials insisted was a coincidence — suggested the cash could be viewed as a ransom payment.
But the initial cash payment was always Iran’s money. In the 1970s, the then-pro-Western Iranian government under the shah paid $400 million for U.S. military equipment. The equipment was never delivered because the two countries broke off relations after the seizure of American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Iran. Two other payments totaling $1.3 billion — a negotiated agreement on the interest owed on the $400 million — came weeks later.
“Instead of saying, ‘Thank you,’ to the United States, they chanted, ‘Death to America.’ In fact, they chanted 'Death to America’ the day the agreement was signed.”
This is a straw man. A relatively small percentage of Iranians participate in these chants, which is mainly of symbolic use for the government. “Over the decades, I’ve heard ‘Death to America!’ shouted routinely at Friday prayers, and at commemorations of the U.S. Embassy takeover and other demonstrations,” our former colleague Robin Wright wrote in the New Yorker in 2015.
The Washington Post
Fact Checker
President Trump’s address to the nation after Iran’s missile attacks on bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are stationed contained a number of factually dubious statements. Here’s a quick roundup.
“Iran’s hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013 and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash.”
The final deal was signed in 2015, but that’s not the least of Trump’s factual problems in this sentence. It includes two misleading statements, including one Bottomless Pinocchio claim.
Trump often makes it sound as if the United States cut a check to Iran as part of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He also always uses too high an estimate, $150 billion, for the assets involved.
But this was always Iran’s money. Iran had billions of dollars frozen in foreign banks because of international sanctions over its nuclear program. The Treasury Department estimated that once Iran fulfilled other obligations, it would have about $55 billion left. The Central Bank of Iran said the number was $32 billion.
As for the $1.8 billion (actually, $1.7 billion), this was related to the settlement of a decades-old claim between the two countries, not the Iran nuclear agreement. An initial payment of $400 million was handed over on Jan. 17, 2016, the day after Iran released four American detainees, including Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian. The timing — which U.S. officials insisted was a coincidence — suggested the cash could be viewed as a ransom payment.
But the initial cash payment was always Iran’s money. In the 1970s, the then-pro-Western Iranian government under the shah paid $400 million for U.S. military equipment. The equipment was never delivered because the two countries broke off relations after the seizure of American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Iran. Two other payments totaling $1.3 billion — a negotiated agreement on the interest owed on the $400 million — came weeks later.
“Instead of saying, ‘Thank you,’ to the United States, they chanted, ‘Death to America.’ In fact, they chanted 'Death to America’ the day the agreement was signed.”
This is a straw man. A relatively small percentage of Iranians participate in these chants, which is mainly of symbolic use for the government. “Over the decades, I’ve heard ‘Death to America!’ shouted routinely at Friday prayers, and at commemorations of the U.S. Embassy takeover and other demonstrations,” our former colleague Robin Wright wrote in the New Yorker in 2015.
“The regime refuses to shelve the slogan. These days, however, students are often bused in on anniversaries as crowd-filler; the perk is a day off from school. They chant when prompted. The enthusiasm is a bit like the anti-American graffiti on public walls — it hasn’t been painted over, but it’s fading.”
“Then Iran went on a terror spree funded by the money from the deal and created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq. The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.”
All money is fungible, but Trump is stretching the factual evidence to blame the missiles on the deal negotiated by the Obama administration. Experts say such a claim is far-fetched and that intelligence tying Iran deal money directly to the missiles is highly unlikely. The White House did not respond to a request for evidence.
“There’s no way to corroborate that,” said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran policy analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s such an obviously unprovable claim, I’m surprised it wasn’t excised.”
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“Then Iran went on a terror spree funded by the money from the deal and created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq. The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.”
All money is fungible, but Trump is stretching the factual evidence to blame the missiles on the deal negotiated by the Obama administration. Experts say such a claim is far-fetched and that intelligence tying Iran deal money directly to the missiles is highly unlikely. The White House did not respond to a request for evidence.
“There’s no way to corroborate that,” said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran policy analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s such an obviously unprovable claim, I’m surprised it wasn’t excised.”
To read rest of article, click on link
7 comments:
Trump has a big case of "envy" when it comes to Obama. It happens. El Panson Barton also fits this personality model.
Trying to make the country a Euro-Socialist country, Obama screwed us up big time. Trump's criticism of Obama is righteous. All the ass kissing knee jerk Dems worship the jerk, but they are worshiping a false god.
Your knowledge & acceptance & excuses for Iran, the Muslims & Obama over the American way is just Amazing. Why don't you haters & know it all's just go live with them. Your hatred for Trump & his supporters & the American way is just a convenient way for you to really show your ignorance or maybe just the Democrat way of thinking.
As soon as Trump appears on TV, I turn it off! Who wants to sit and listen to this lying big baby that cries and runs home with his baseball bat cause they won't let him pitch. I am so sick and tired of listening, so I will stop.
Uno mejor, I have a language sensor and evertime that name is mention the tv, computer laptop cell phone and tablet turn off I would put a destruction device but replacements becomr just too expensive don't have enough pesos
#tokillamockingbird
Geez, how silent WERE WE when the ANNOINTED ONE blamed EVERYTHING on
G Dubya?
Trump would blame his mother if it got him out of trouble. He lies through his teeth and it makes many wonder if he really does believe all his lies. This guy is a con-artist and has been all his life. He is arrogant and stupid and he should be ashamed of the example he is setting for his teen-age son.
Impeach the damn liar, obstructer, and maybe even for treason. Let him move in with Putin or his Korean that he loves so much.
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