On the day the Iranian Nuclear Agreement was released Republicans rose up in mass and loudly and emphatically said “No!” When asked “What would you put in its place?” they said “Go back and get a better deal!”

This isn’t like the Teamsters Union negotiating with General Motors. This is Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States having spent two years hammering out an understanding which has world-wide implications.

Does anyone really believe the other five countries will say “O.K., the United States wants something better so we’ll all pack our bags and head back to the bargaining table?”

In considering this unlikely scenario people must understand other countries have their own self-interests tied up in this debate. As reported, China is desperate to purchase discounted oil from Iran, and Russia is already negotiating to sell Iran nuclear power technology and machinery. The French foreign minister is scheduled to visit Iran to promote French corporate interests.

“If we can’t re-open negotiations then we’ll put the sanctions back in place.”

This is one point on which there is general agreement. Russia and China will balk at going back to “same old, same old,” which means reintroducing broad-based sanctions is not an option.

The bottom line? Nuclear experts agree the world will be significantly better off with this agreement than without it. And, while it is not what everyone wants, it is far better than voting the agreement down and running the very real risk of war.

As a one-person observation, there are those who act as though the United States is the center of the political universe and whatever this country does the rest of the world magically nods in agreement. Not true! And so I wait for a “Then what?” Scrap the deal and then what?