After Letter to Tehran From US Republicans, the Middle East (Except for Israel) Stays Silent

World leaders are accustomed to the increasing polarization in US politics. The Obama administration is in the middle of negotiating with Iran over curtailing its nuclear program, allowing inspections and lifting sanctions. Republicans hold a majority in the 100-member US Senate, and 47 of them disrupted diplomatic protocol, sending a note to Iran to warn that any deal is at risk once Barack Obama leaves office in 2017. “From the capitals of the Mideast, where a nuclear Iran would cause the most worry, no voice came in support of the letter – or for that matter, against it,” reports Erin Banco for International Business Times. Israel alone blasted the deal. Iran funds and gives weapons to Shiite groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, in addition to sending ground troops into Iraq to fight Islamic State extremists. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey worry about Iran, with sanctions lifted, as a competitive trade threat. To avoid being viewed as siding with Israel, Arab nations hold off criticizing the deal. Such political antics signal the US may be a less-than-reliable partner in world affairs. Most nations seeking good ties reserve comment on the startling polarization. – YaleGlobal