President Barack Obama promised Friday to veto a plan by members
of Congress to issue additional sanctions on Iran while diplomatic negotiations
regarding Iran's nuclear plan are under way.
"I will veto a bill that comes to my desk and I will make
this argument to the American people as to why I'm doing so," Obama said
at a joint press conference with United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron,
referencing a plan supported by some in his own party to increase sanctions on
Iran through Congress before a deal is reached by international negotiators.
"My main message to Congress at this point is just hold
your fire. Nobody around the world least of all the Iranians doubt my ability
to get additional sanctions pass if these negotiations fail," Obama added
later.
Cameron said he was also calling American senators and urging
them not to pass additional sanctions.
The wide ranging joint press conference covered issues as global
as the terror attacks in France to as Beltway as what Obama thinks about his
one time opponent Mitt Romney considering another presidential bid ("No
comment," Obama said while smiling).
Obama promised Friday to "do everything in our power"
to assist France in their effort to combat terrorism in the wake of the attacks
that killed at least 17 people across the country in the past week.
"We will continue to do everything in our power to help
France seek the justice that is needed and that all our countries are working
together seamlessly to prevent these attacks," Obama said.
On Iran, Obama turned a question on whether he'd veto additional
sanctions on Iran back on his counterparts in Congress -- including those in
his own party.
"Why is it that we would have to take actions that would
jeopardize the possibility of getting a nuclear deal over the next 60 or 90
days?" Obama asked.
Obama added later: "I am not, repeat not, suggesting that
we are on immediate war footing should negotiations with Iran.
In a departure from the physical threats posed by those who
attacked Paris, Cameron and Obama announced Friday new cooperation on combating
cyberattacks, including cyber "war games" designed to identify
vulnerabilities in banking networks.
Cameron is at the White House for bilateral talks expected to
focus squarely on security after this month's terror attacks in Paris and
growing fears of violent Islamic terror cells inside Europe. Cameron and Obama
addressed reporters in a joint press conference after their meeting Friday.
A British official said the two countries would establish
"cyber cells" to share information and develop "a system where
countries and hostile states and hostile organisations know that they shouldn't
attack us."
The move comes after high profile breaches at Sony Pictures and
the U.S. Central Command, ramping up concern about online safety.
British officials say Cameron flew to Washington with cyber
issues at the front of mind. Cameron is worried that companies like Google,
Facebook and Twitter are allowing terrorists to use their networks unseen by
law enforcement. The companies say they have safeguards in place to ensure
criminals and terrorists aren't allowed to communicate.
Cameron told ITV in an interview that tech companies shouldn't
provide a "safe space" for terrorists to communicate or plan attacks.
The news conference will be the first time Obama is questioned
about the Paris attacks, and his failure to attend a unity march held in the
French capital last weekend. The White House says it was a mistake not to send
a higher-profile administration official to the march.
Culled from CNN
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