17 Apr 15. Boehner Doesn’t Want Final Iran Deal. House Speaker John Boehner says he hopes the Obama administration fails to broker a deal with Iran because leaders in Tehran are not serious about giving up their alleged pursuit of nuclear arms. Just days after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved a measure that would establish a process under which Congress could review a deal, Boehner took to cable news to say he is opposed to any potential pact.
“It just appears to me that the administration wants a deal at almost any cost,” Boehner told the Fox Business Channel. “That’s a bad way to negotiate. What’s more, the Ohio Republican doubts the US and five other world powers can secure “a real agreement” with the Iranian regime.
“I would hope not,” he said when asked if he thinks there will be a final deal.
“I’ve never been optimistic that we’d get to an agreement, a real agreement that would stop the nuclear threat from Iran,” Boehner said, “and I don’t think the Iranians have any intention of giving up their desire for a nuclear weapon.”
The six countries and Iran recently agreed to the framework of a deal the Obama administration says would keep Iran from fielding a nuclear weapon. Many Republican lawmakers, however, disagree. Democrats on Capitol Hill accuse many Republicans with preferring war over a diplomatic pact on Iran’s nuclear program; Republicans counter that no deal is better than a bad deal. Meantime, the speaker promised Congress in coming months will find a way to raise the nation’s borrowing limit and avoid a US fiscal default. But he doubts it will be taken care of “sooner rather than later” because “that’s not the way Washington works.” But he’s not sure just yet how the debt ceiling will be raised.
“I don’t know yet,” Boehner said with a grin. “When I know, I’ll let you know.” (Source: Defense News)
17 Apr 15. Republic of Korea, United States, Japan Defense Trilateral Talks Joint Statement. The Republic of Korea, the United States of America, and Japan held a productive and substantive security meeting from April 16-17 in Washington, District of Columbia, to enhance trilateral defense cooperation in light of the evolving security environment in the region. ROK Deputy Minister for Policy Yoo Jeh Seung, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs David B. Shear, and Japan Vice Defense Minister for International Affairs Tokuchi Hideshi led their respective delegations. The officials reaffirmed that their governments will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, and agreed to closely coordinate to deter North Korean provocations. Each side welcomed the cooperation enabled by the “Trilateral Information Sharing Arrangement Concerning the Nuclear and Missile Threats Posed by North Korea.” The three countries decided to continue working-level consultations for effective implementation of the arrangement for sharing information on North Korean nuclear and missile threats. The Republic of Korea provided a briefing on a conditions-based approach to transition of wartime operational control on the Korean Peninsula. The officials of the three countries confirmed that it would contribute to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. The officials of the three countries held a constructive discussion on the Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation. The Guidelines will be revised within the framework of the U.S.-Japan Alliance. The officials agreed that it is important to promote this initiative in a manner that contributes to regional peace and stability with transparency and in accordance with international law, including the respect for sovereignty of third countries. In addition, the three countries held a productive discussion on cooperative measures for non-traditional security issues including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-piracy operations, and counter-ISIL efforts. (Source: US DoD)
16 Apr 15. Fighter Jet Make