Partisan Politics and Foreign Pressure:   The Ratification of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in the US Congress

This thesis employs Robert Putnam’s concept of foreign pressure (“suasive reverberation”) to analyze the battle in the US Congress over the 2015 Iran nuclear accords. Drawing on the public statements of key players, journalistic sources, and the congressional record, I contend that the most important factor in determining whether undecided lawmakers voted for or against the agreement was lobbying by other states. Specifically, the survival of the deal can be credited to appeals from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, as well as to a lesser degree from Russia and China. Working in close conjunction with the Obama Administration, representatives of these states successfully pressured wavering members of Congress to support the agreement. I also argue that, counter-intuitively, the government of Israel’s suasive reverberation in opposition to the Iran accords probably contributed to the deal’s survival. The methods and rhetoric used in Israel’s lobbying were perceived as partisan...Show moreThis thesis employs Robert Putnam’s concept of foreign pressure (“suasive reverberation”) to analyze the battle in the US Congress over the 2015 Iran nuclear accords. Drawing on the public statements of key players, journalistic sources, and the congressional record, I contend that the most important factor in determining whether undecided lawmakers voted for or against the agreement was lobbying by other states. Specifically, the survival of the deal can be credited to appeals from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, as well as to a lesser degree from Russia and China. Working in close conjunction with the Obama Administration, representatives of these states successfully pressured wavering members of Congress to support the agreement. I also argue that, counter-intuitively, the government of Israel’s suasive reverberation in opposition to the Iran accords probably contributed to the deal’s survival. The methods and rhetoric used in Israel’s lobbying were perceived as partisan and sparked a backlash among Democratic members of Congress, leading them to close ranks and vote to approve the deal. Through examination of these divergent outcomes, this paper provides empirical support for the importance of suasive reverberation and sheds light on the conditions underlying its use, success, and failure.Show less

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Partisan Politics and Foreign Pressure: The Ratification of the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement in the US Congress