The Monroe Doctrine and The Iran Nuclear Deal

When you feel threatened and you feel like someone is trying to take care of what’s yours, it is normal to act against it. These were main idea in the Monroe Doctrine by President James Monroe. The Monroe Doctrine was an American foreign policy regarding an end to European efforts trying to interfere with states and colonize land in both North and South America. The first lasting concept of the Doctrine were separate spheres of influence for the Americas and Europe. This meant that America and Europe are two separate regions that should not be same. Europe can do what they want and America can do what they want. Another main idea James Monroe stated was that there would be non-colonization in the western hemisphere. This meant that no new colonies in the western hemisphere could be developed but the old ones could continue to exist. The concepts of the Monroe Doctrine are still followed today in the many foreign policy issues that the US has.

It is hard to ignore that today, the United States has many foreign policy issues. One popular issue going on right now is the nuclear deal between Iran and six other countries.  These countries include the United States, Russia, Britain, China, France, and Germany. The deal is about what laws will be made to Iran and their nuclear activities. Iran claims they are developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes but western countries seem to disagree. They believe that Iran is creating nuclear weapons as well and they all feel threatened. They do not think Iran can be trusted and that the statements they make about “peaceful purposes” are not true. The six countries want to put an end Iran’s nuclear development to make sure their people and land are safe. On the other hand, Iran says they want to be able to develop nuclear power just like every country. The deal has not been made and the decision time has been postponed to between March and July of 2015.

In response to the nuclear deal with Iran I believe that the United States is following the Monroe Doctrine concept of non-intervention and should continue doing so. Non-intervention means to not get involved in the affairs of others. In the Doctrine it means that the US will not get involved in other countries affairs unless they are threatened and it affects them directly. In this case, the United States is only getting involved because they are threatened by the nuclear weapons Iran is believed to have. The US is directly affected because if the nuclear weapons do exist, Iranians would use them on America. If the US was never threatened they would not have anything to do with this deal. The United States is pushing for an end to Iran’s nuclear power programs to keep America and it’s people safe. With a threat like nuclear weapons, how can a country just ignore it?

 




Sciutto, Jim, Nic Robertson Reported from Vienna; Holly Yan, and Ralph Ellis Wrote from Atlanta. Reza Sayah in Tehran. "New Iran Nuclear Talks Deadlines: March 1, July 1, 2015." CNN. Cable News Network, 24 Nov. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/24/world/meast/iran-nuclear-talks/index.html?iref=allsearch>.