Should we trust the President?

“Not even a smidgen of corruption,” in reference to the IRS scandal.

“Transparency and rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.”

“If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.  Period.”

"We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.  That would change my calculus. That would change my equation."

Based on the above quotes from the President, why should we take him at his word regarding the agreement for a framework of a “deal” with Iran?  Can we trust him?  He has clearly stated his belief as a candidate and policy as President that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.  For example from the second debate in 2008, "We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. It would be a game-changer in the region. Not only would it threaten Israel, our strongest ally in the region and one of our strongest allies in the world, but it would also create a possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. And so it's unacceptable. And I will do everything that's required to prevent it. And we will never take military options off the table."  And, “So let me be absolutely clear -- we remain committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons" from May 2011.  And from the 2012 State of the Union address, "Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal."

Of grave and profound concern is the President’s characterization of the potential “deal” with Iran.  On April 2 he said, “Today, after many months of tough, principled diplomacy, we have achieved the framework for that deal.  And it is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives.  This framework would cut off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.“  Then he said in a subsequent interview, “What is a more relevant fear would be that in Year 13, 14, 15, they have advanced centrifuges that enrich uranium fairly rapidly, and at that point, the breakout times would have shrunk almost down to zero.”  The statement in the Rose Garden contradicts the statement made during the subsequent NPR News interview.  The President has clearly stated it is inevitable that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons.

The President’s NPR News statement repudiates his earlier candidate beliefs and subsequent national policy statements regarding Iran and nuclear weapons.

Politics aside, the severity of the matter of a nuclear weapon armed Iran demands the utmost in honesty from our President.  Sadly, there is all too ample evidence that we cannot take the President at his word.  He has proven himself to be unworthy of our trust.

Therefore, our nation must not enter into a deal that fails to meet the President's earlier policy statements regarding preventing "Iran from getting a nuclear weapon."  We can neither accept nor trust the President's statement that "it is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives."  The probable consequences of this example of his being untruthful are simply too high to do otherwise.