Politics. On Point.

President Obama spoke at American University on Wednesday to make the case for the administration's nuclear war deal recently reached with Iran. Making the case for the U.S. - Iran nuclear weapons deal: President Obama speaking in the  Prince Salman Grand Auditorium on the campus of American University. Photo/CD Brown.  The president said the current deal, one with far-reaching components, was the best offer that could have been made, short of the alternative which he said - could be war. To the point, and more diplomatically, the agreement stipulates that Iran cannot make a nuclear weapon - ever. The president explained several other components of the deal, which 90 countries support. Under the deal, said the president, "The core of its [Iran's] heavy-water reactor at Arak will be pulled out, filled with concrete, and replaced with one that will not produce plutonium for a weapon.  The spent fuel from that reactor will be shipped out of the countr...

President Obama took time to give reporters the latest update on the situation with Iraq. Speaking from the James Brady briefing room, the president made it clear that there will be no U.S. boots on the ground given to the war-torn country where the focus is also on humanitarian and  counter-terrorism issues. "We do not have the ability to send troops to Iraq to solve this", he said. President Obama speaking to reporters on Iraq. The president stated his highest priority continues to be the safety of the U.S. and reiterated that Iraq must work together with its own base to solve the current situation, but stressed that both Iran and Iraq, "should avoid steps that might lead to a civil war." Related Iraq.  How did it come to this ?

Shane Bauer, shown here, one of three hikers detained in Iran. Tomorrow marks one year since Sarah Shourd , Shane Bauer , and Josh Fattal were detained by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Sarah, Shane and Josh committed absolutely no crime. When they were arrested and detained, they were hiking in the region along the border of Iran and Iraq. Yet for a full year, they have been held in prison, causing extraordinary grief and uncertainty for them, for their families, and for their loved ones. President Obama made the following remarks on the eve of their one-year detention:  "I want to be perfectly clear: Sarah, Shane and Josh have never worked for the United States government. They are simply open-minded and adventurous young people who represent the best of America, and of the human spirit. They are teachers, artists, and advocates for social and environmental justice. They have never had any quarrel with the government of Iran, and have great respect for the Iranian people. I...

U.S. Adds Pressure To A Defiant Iranian Government President Obama signed yesterday what he called "the toughest sanctions against Iran ever passed by the United States Congress." President Obama signing Iraning Sanctions Act as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner,  and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice look on.  Photo/CD Brown. The administration has aggressively pursued a comprehensive agenda of non-proliferation and nuclear security having joined with Russia to reduce nuclear arsenals through the New START Treaty and strengthening the global non-proliferation regime with the  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty . To that end, it has been Iran who has been the least likely to comply. Speaking yesterday in front of Congressional members in the East Room of the White House, President Obama stressed that the U.S. has tried work with Iran, to no avail. For years, the Iranian government has violated its commitme...