Norman Transcript: Moore Congressman says Iranian nuclear deal is crucial

Norman Transcript - Joy Hampton

The biggest thing coming before Congress in September is the Iranian nuclear deal, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, said Tuesday during a visit to The Transcript offices.

The Iranian talks are a big deal. In a nutshell, Iran could agree to curb development of uranium and plutonium weapons grade sources, to allow for more open inspections and to reduce its current stockpile of low-enriched uranium in return for lifting sanctions.

The deal is being negotiated to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

In general, news from the nation’s Capitol is good.

“This has actually been an unusually productive Congress,” Cole said, with budgets and appropriations passed to a better degree than in the previous two years.

Next up, the Republican House and the Democratic President will likely be agreeing on the highway bill. As for the Senate ...

“We’re late in the third quarter and things have been pretty good, but the last quarter will determine everything,” Cole said.

Threats to American security have never been greater, but the battlefront has changed. Cyberterrorism is the new catchphrase of the day, and the U.S. has a lot at stake.

“The Chinese and the Russians are peer competitors in cyberspace, if you will,” Cole said. “There is no question that this had made countries and their secrets and their intellectual properties extraordinarily vulnerable

America knows plans for planes and technology have leaked out via cyber espionage.

“We’ve got more stuff worth stealing, so it’s not like we can easily give tit for tat,” Cole said. “We don’t participate in commercial espionage.”

Cole said the U.S. and its allies have the most to lose in this game because of the nation’s intellectual property and technology.

“All countries are engaged at some level at cyber espionage, but we’re more vulnerable,” he said. “We’ve got more secrets and more intellectual property than anyone in the world.”

North Korea’s internet system has spied on Americans and American companies, while terrorist groups are using social media for recruitment.

“The amazing thing to me is that it (acts of terrorism) hasn’t happened more, which tells me our security people are doing a good job,” Cole said.

Cole said some people in mosques are discouraging terrorist activity as not a true act of faith. Just attacking poverty won’t eliminate terrorism, he said. Several terrorists who pulled off 911 were college educated and came from affluent families.

“At the end of the day, there are some people that are deranged,” Cole said.

We need people of the same national, ethnic and religious backgrounds working to end terrorism in their nations, he said.

“You have the governments there and the religions there working on this together,” he said.

Some government programs in the Middle East are helpful now, as those nations try to reclaim terrorists, bring them home and get them to renounce their violent ways.

Cole related the story of one young man who got caught up in a terrorist cell when he was young and vulnerable to influence. He was lured into terrorism but called home and worked with a program to re-establish is life.

“I want a normal life. This isn’t what I was told,” the man reportedly told authorities about his experience with a terrorist group.

Cole said the Saudi Arabia government has a program that gets families involved as allies get their sons back into mainstream society. Terrorist activities are illegal and there are some consequences, such as a year or two in prison, and reform measures like job training.

“If they don’t have a way back, they’ll never come back,” Cole said.

The Congressman’s biggest concern is the state of the economy.

“Our recovery is half the normal rate of economy,” Cole said. “Here in Oklahoma, I worry about energy prices and what that’s doing now.”

In September, Congress will vote on whether the U.S. should export petroleum and natural gas.

“I think that’s an important vote,” he said. “That’s one where international trade helps the United States. We’re neck and neck with Saudi Arabia (in production). A lot of people would rather buy from the United states because we’re a reliable supplier.”

Cole reminded residents that earmarks can be money for home — like the Robinson Street underpass that allows ambulances and other emergency responders to pass unhindered by trains. Another earmark was the phased array radar at the OU lab.

Now lobbyists get paid to lobby Congressmen for needed items because the system of having a couple of million dollars per state for earmarks has been derailed. In the past, officials in the district made their local needs known to their senators and representatives.

Cole said he thinks Republicans are going to have a great presidential race.

“Everybody has the right to run for president and this is a particularly rich and impressive field,” he said.

He thought John Kasich had a good night at the debate. Having choices is good for voters.

“It’s not the best candidate, it’s who’s the best candidate that runs,” he said. “The individual makes that decision.”

He said not everyone can stand the heat of going through an election; then once someone wins the office, it ages him. He said even on vacation at Martha’s Vineyard, President Obama woke up with the CIA threat assessment report and decisions to make about protecting the nation.

“It is the toughest job in the world,” Cole said. “That’s a pretty tough way to wake up every day. I think our presidential process actually tends to produce some pretty exceptional people.”

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