Nuclear Negotiators Narrow In On Technical Solutions

Talks update - "We have agreed on 90% of the technical issues" the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation said after meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz in today’s round of negotiations. “We have differences only in one major issue which we will try to solve in this evening's meeting" between Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Full coverage by AFP.http://yhoo.it/1BtOsUE

--Iranian optimism is offset by caution from other negotiators. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Iran and the world powers have made progress in identifying technical solutions for the remaining gaps in the nuclear talks, but emphasized that hurdles remain. http://reut.rs/1GiQ48j.

Corker update - The Corker bill allowing Congress a vote on the Iran nuclear agreement (potentially killing any deal) may move forward as early as March 25, just after the informal deadline for a framework agreement.

--However, while the bill may be marked up in committee next week, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) expects the bill won’t come to the Senate floor before mid-April due to a crowded congressional schedule. POLITICO reports. http://politi.co/1O0X4w3

See also - A deep dive into Sen. Corker’s effort to strike a deal with Democrats on Iran, from Nashville Public Radio for POLITICO: “Getting [the Corker bill] through the Senate seems easy. After that comes the real task: holding his coalition together long enough for the proposal to move through the House and to come back for a likely veto override vote.”

--Sen. Corker believes he’s on the verge of getting the 13 Democratic votes he needs to override a presidential veto. Six Democrats have signed on to the bill, and Sen. Corker counts five more who have agreed to come on board, as well as independent Maine Sen. Angus King. http://politi.co/1O2HOyK

Popular - A poll released by CNN this morning shows that 68 percent of Americans support the ongoing negotiation over Iran’s nuclear program, while only 29 percent oppose them. Full poll here. http://bit.ly/1MIMczl

Endorsement - “I trust the Obama administration to get a good deal,” Isaac Herzog, Israeli Prime Ministerial candidate said in an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg. “We hope they'll get the best deal possible. That means a lot of elements, most importantly, the fact that we have to agree on a set break-out time that will give ample warning to everybody. If the Iranians want to break the agreement and move towards the bomb, I think the professionals have to work on it and we have to give it a chance.” Full transcript here. http://theatln.tc/18yP1pF

--See also: “Ex Mossad head predicts dramatic improvement in US-Israel relations if Netanyahu loses election” in The Independent. http://ind.pn/1wULoWi

War versus peace - The 47 senators “are pushing for capitulation from a government in Tehran that the Obama administration knows sees capitulation as a greater threat to its survival than war,” write Reza Marashi and Trita Parsi in The Huffington Post.

--“This is precisely why the Obama administration has framed the continuation of negotiations with Iran as a matter of war and peace. Walking away from the talks at this point will make war all but certain -- a reality most opponents of the deal negotiated with Iran both know and hope for.” http://huff.to/1BMyAAk

Sabre rattling - While Russia’s nuclear forces matter, the U.S. “should keep Russian strategic force developments in perspective,” writes Amb. Steve Pifer in The National Interest. “That means taking a number of factors into account: the overall strategic balance, the fact that Russian modernization is taking place after a lengthy pause, the difference between Russian and U.S. strategic modernization cycles, and the longer service lives of U.S. strategic weapons systems.”

--“If there is a senior American military officer who would like to swap U.S. strategic nuclear forces for those of Russia, he (or she) has yet to speak out.” Full column here.http://bit.ly/1MHbxvy

Carpe diem - Ahead of the latest round of talks in the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program “German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged his international partners and Iran to ‘seize this opportunity’ of talks in Brussels and in Switzerland this week to finally clinch an elusive deal.” Full coverage by AP. http://yhoo.it/1GOQ3ZV

Long way to go - Experts report that North Korea is actively working to develop an ICBM capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but given the technical complexities involved, it could be a decade or more before they succeed, writes John Schilling of 38 North. http://bit.ly/1LjCFn5

Quick Hits:

--“Analysis: An Iran deal could have broader implications,” by Dan Perry and Adam Schrek for AP. http://yhoo.it/1MIZCLG

--“Critics jumping the gun on talks with Iran over nuclear agreement,” by Walter Pincus in The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1GXXe5k

Events:

--Senate Armed Services Committee, hearing on “Postures of the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force.” With Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army; Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff, Air Force; Deborah Lee James, Air Force Secretary; and John McHugh, Army Secretary. March 18 at 2:30 PM. Located in room SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1AjlKFQ

--Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, hearing on the Energy Department budget. With Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. March 18, time TBA, Room TBA, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington. Webcast on the committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1itSTpx

--House Committee on Foreign Affairs, hearing on: “Negotiations with Iran: Blocking or Paving Tehran’s Path to Nuclear Weapons?” With Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Acting Under Secretary of the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Adam J. Szubin. March 19 from 8:30AM to 11:30AM. Located in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC. Webcast on the committee website http://1.usa.gov/1GMva4X

--Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland, hearing on Air Force Force Structure and Modernization. With William LaPlante, Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition; Lt. Gen. Tod Wolters, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations; and Lt. Gen. James Holmes, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements. March 19 at 2:30 PM. Located in room S 222, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC. Webcast on committee website. http://1.usa.gov/1Muu2kZ

--“Briefing and Report Release: Naval Nuclear Reactors and Use of Highly Enriched Uranium.” Hosted by the Federation of American Scientists. Featuring Dr. Charles D. Ferguson, President, FAS, Dr. Alireza Haghighat, Professor Virginia Tech Transport Theory Group (VT3G), Nuclear Science and Engineering Laboratory (NSEL) and Dr. Alan Kuperman, Associate Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin. March 20, 2015 from 11:45 a.m.-1:45 PM. Located in Room 385 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. RSVP to rsvp@fas.org or 202-454-4694 by Wednesday, March 18, 2015.

Dessert:

Davy Crockett - The nuclear bazooka was in service from 1961-1971, and it was a terrifying and ineffective weapon. To commemorate the U.S. Military’s fantastically bad idea, War is Boring has produced a cartoon: http://bit.ly/1ATBnny