Robert Merry correctly observes that Trump’s planned “decertification” of the nuclear deal will announce to the world that the U.S. doesn’t keep its word. He asks:
But what are the consequences when a nation reneges on a solemn agreement with not just another nation but six other nations and a union of many more—with the entire world watching? How do other nations deal with a country that blithely casts aside the commitments it accepted through what were assumed to be good-faith negotiations?
The consequences for reneging on the deal will be uniformly negative for the U.S. Even if those consequences aren’t quite as bad as some experts are predicting, they will include damage to our government’s reputation, a loss of trust with close allies, and much greater skepticism if the U.S. asks for international cooperation on another difficult negotiation later on. The U.S. under a different administration may be able to repair the damage and regain the trust that Trump is about to squander, but it would be far better if one of Trump’s successors didn’t have to clean up his mess. Trump’s intention to blow up the deal is all the more alarming to other governments, especially our allies, because it is so clearly unnecessary and irrational.
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