THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary - May 10, 2018 - Topic 1

Deal breaker

On the U.S.' withdrawal from the Iran deal

President Donald Trump’s decision to unilaterally pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal is a huge setback to multilateral diplomacy and the rules-based international order. The agreement, signed in 2015 by Iran with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany and the EU, curtailed its nuclear programme in return for withdrawing economic sanctions. It was reached after 18 months of painful negotiations. Under the deal, most of Iran’s enriched uranium was shipped out of the country, a heavy water facility was rendered inoperable and the operational nuclear facilities were brought under international inspection.

 In Iran, the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani went ahead with the deal despite strong opposition from hardliners. Mr. Trump has just wrecked all these efforts, despite numerous reports, including from American intelligence agencies, that Iran is 100% compliant with the terms of the agreement. When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the deal is formally called, was signed, many had raised doubts about whether Iran could be trusted to comply with the terms. Three years later, unfortunately, it’s the U.S., which had initiated talks with Iran under the previous administration, that has acted in bad faith.

Mr. Trump’s decision is not about nuclear weapons. If his administration was actually concerned about Iran acquiring them, it would have supported a deal that closes the path towards nuclear weapons for Iran. Instead, the bigger concern for Mr. Trump as well as Washington’s closest allies in West Asia — Israel and Saudi Arabia — is Iran’s re-accommodation in the global economic mainstream. They fear that if Iran’s economic profile rises, it will embolden it to increase its regional presence, posing a strategic threat to the interests of the U.S.-Saudi-Israel axis. This crisis of trust could have been avoided had the Trump administration built on the goodwill created during the Obama years. Mr. Trump has always been a critic of the Iran deal, and the Islamic Republic in general. Now, by pulling out of the deal he has manufactured a crisis in an already tumultuous region. The U.S. action doesn’t necessarily trigger an immediate collapse of the agreement. For now, Europe, Russia and China remain committed to it. Iran has responded cautiously, with the Foreign Minister saying he will engage diplomatically with the remaining signatories. But the challenges will emerge, not only for Europe but also for other nations with strong trade ties with Iran, including India, once American sanctions are in place. The U.S. stands isolated in its decision. But the question is whether Europe and other powers will stick together to respect the mandate of an international agreement, or buckle under American pressure. If they do cave in, West Asia will be a lot more dangerous.

Vocabulary

Unilateral: performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a particular situation, without the agreement of another or the others.

Example: Unilateral nuclear disarmament

Synonyms: independent, autonomous, solitary, solo, go-it-alone, single-handed

Curtail: reduce in extent or quantity

Example: Civil liberties were further curtailed

Synonyms: reduce, cut, cut down, decrease, lessen, pare down, trim, retrench

Negotiation: discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.

Example: A worldwide ban is currently under negotiation

Synonyms: discussion(s), talks, deliberations, conference, debate, dialogue

Enrich: improve or enhance the quality or value of.

Example: Her exposure to museums enriched her life in France

Synonyms: enhance, improve, better, add to, augment, supplement

Rendered: cause to be or become

Example: The rains rendered his escape impossible

Synonyms: make, cause to be/become, leave

Wrecked: cause the destruction of a ship by sinking or breaking up.

Example: He was drowned when his ship was wrecked

Synonyms: shipwreck, sink, capsize, run aground

Compliant: inclined to agree with others or obey rules, especially to an excessive degree; acquiescent.

Example: Good-humored, eagerly compliant girls

Synonyms: acquiescent, amenable, biddable, tractable, complaisant

Instead: as an alternative or substitute.

Example: Do not use lotions, but put on a clean dressing instead

Synonyms: as an alternative, alternatively, alternately, on second thoughts

Concern: a matter of interest or importance to someone.

Example: Oil reserves are the concern of the Energy Department

Synonyms: responsibility, business, affair, charge, duty, job, province

Accommodation: a convenient arrangement

Example: Management was seeking an accommodation with labor

Synonyms: arrangement, understanding, settlement, accord, deal

Presence: the state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing.

Example: Her presence still comforts me

Synonyms: existence, being there; attendance, appearance, company

Tumultuous: making a loud, confused noise; uproarious.

Example: Tumultuous applause

Synonyms: loud, deafening, thunderous, uproarious, noisy, clamorous

Cautious: careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.

Example: A cautious driver

Synonyms: careful, heedful, attentive, alert, watchful, vigilant, circumspect

Isolate: a person or thing that has been or become isolated.

Example: Social isolates often become careless of their own welfare

Mandate: an official order or commission to do something.

Example: A mandate to seek the release of political prisoners

Synonyms: instruction, directive, decree, command, order, injunction

Buckle: bend and give way under pressure or strain.

Example: The earth buckled under the titanic stress

Synonyms: warp, bend, twist, curve, distort, contort, deform, bulge