HAYDEN PUSHES BACK ON OBAMA AND KERRY – AT 8:32 A.M. ET:  Gen. Michael Hayden (ret.), former director of both the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, has bluntly advised Congress to ignore President Obama and Secretary Kerry when evaluating any nuclear-arms treaty with Iran.  This is pretty strong stuff, coming from a retired general.  From Newsmax: 

Before signing off on an agreement with Iran, Congress should heed the advice of officials at the Department of Energy and intelligence professionals — not President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry — about Tehran's "intentions and capabilities," according to Gen. Michael Hayden, the former director of the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency.

"We need to look at the deal in its entirety and frankly push the president's view on the deal aside, push Secretary Kerry's view on the deal aside," Hayden, a retired four-star Air Force general, said Monday on Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."

"I don't mean to be overly critical, but they've got a track record of saying things that are useful for the moment rather than reflecting the reality."

Hayden said he has several concerns with the deal currently on the table, including the number of centrifuges (6,500) that seems to be the agreed upon number, as well as "the Iranians not being forced to come clean on a nuclear path," such as what weaponization activity have they undertaken.

This is a critical point.  To what degree have they weaponized their nuclear program already?  This isn't even being discussed. 

"They're stiffing the IAEA, the international inspectors, on those questions and I'm still concerned about what's the fine print with regard to the Iranian facilities at Fordow, where they've got a reactor hall inside a granite mountain, and in Iraq, where they've got a plutonium reactor under construction," he said. "So there's a lot to be checked here."

COMMENT:  I wasn't aware of the reactor in Iraq.  And even the IAEA may not be aware of all of Iran's nuclear facilities. 

At least people are now coming out with serious questions.  Polls show Americans don't trust Obama on Iran, and those same polls show Americans are deeply concerned about Iranian nukes.  France is openly expressing it discontent with the deal being considered, believing it gives too much to the Iranians.  Israel's negative views were made will known by Netanyahu's speech to Congress last week.

There is an informal March 31st deadline for a deal.  There is no guarantee that it will be met.

March 10, 2015