GOP member: Iran deal like Chamberlain’s appeasement of Nazi Germany

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) on Monday compared the Obama administration’s short-term deal on Iran’s nuclear capability with former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s attempt to appease Nazi Germany.

“Prime Minister Chamberlain would have been proud after the West gave the snake oil salesman of the desert, Mr. Rouhani, exactly what he wanted: time and money to pursue his quest for nuclear intimidation,” Poe said on the House floor, referring to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

{mosads}Poe said Israel is playing the role of Czechoslovakia this time around — in 1938, Chamberlain negotiated a deal that gave Germany areas of Czechoslovakia with a majority German population. Chamberlain famously returned to the United Kingdom and said that deal would create “peace for our time.”

Poe argued that the “appeasement West was willing to sell out Israel and Saudi Arabia for peace in our time.”

Poe is one of dozens of members of Congress who oppose the administration’s six-month agreement with Iran, which has led many to call for tougher sanctions. The agreement calls on Iran to stop enriching uranium above 5 percent for six months, dilute half of the 20 percent enriched uranium, and stop upgrading various enrichment facilities.

But many criticized the deal for allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium. In addition, the deal calls on the U.S. to lift sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical, precious metals and auto sectors.

“Iran left Geneva with a smile, pockets of money and fewer sanctions,” Poe said. “The United States got the promise that Iran would be nice, and not nuke its neighbors.”