briefs  City Council weighs in

briefs Venoco oil lease, Measure E focus of

sports BHHS alumnus

on outside employment policy Page 3

Southwest Homeowners Association meeting

signs with Dolphins

Issue

Page 3

Page 5

April 9 2015 - April 15, 2015

A Fight Against
Ficus
Neighbors call for the removal
of Park Way ficus trees

Done Deal?

Sam Yebri on the Iran Peace

Agreement

opinion

Americans should view the recently

announced nuclear understanding between
Iran and the P5+1 with skepticism, concern,
and disappointment. This is especially true
for us Americans who are both Iranian and
Jewish.
First, we are skeptical because there is no
deal. Nothing was signed in Lausanne,
Switzerland last Thursday. There are only
two statements: one from the U.S. State
Department entitled Parameters for a Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (http://
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/04/240170.
htm), and another from the Islamic Republic
entitled Iranian Fact Sheet on the Nuclear
Negotiations (http://iranmatters.belfercenter.org/blog/translation-iranian-factsheetnuclear-negotiations). The former is in
English, the latter is in Farsi, and they do
not mirror each other in substance at all. In
fact, there are serious and fundamental gaps
between the two statements, which is problematic to say the least. Significant details
remain unaddressed, including the pace of
sanctions relief, the process for surprise
inspections, and Irans advanced nuclear
research capabilities. Iranian-American
Jews are skeptical because we know the
duplicitous and pernicious nature of the
Islamic regime firsthand. Look no further
than the fact that the Islamic Regime lied
about every aspect of its nuclear weapons
program, built secret fortified underground
facilities, violated the Non-Proliferation
Treaty, and hid its nuclear weapons program
for more than two decades.
Second, we are concerned because of the
terms of the purported deal. The deal is

a boon for the Islamic Republic. It cannot

be disputed that the Islamic Republic agreed
to negotiate with the West because years of
crippling economic sanctions forced them
to. Without any credible threat of military
force, crippling economic sanctions were
the Wests primary leverage, but an incredibly powerful one. However, according
to the Iranian Fact Sheet (as translated by
Harvards Belfer Center): all of the sanctions will be immediately removed after
reaching a comprehensive agreement.
Having unfrozen billions of dollars already
and now agreeing to lifting all U.N. and
U.S. sanctions (immediately, according to
the Iranians, or in phases, according to the
U.S.), the West has lost its leverage, permanently. Those of us who have been active in
advocating banking, oil, and shipping sanctions understand that they cannot simply
be snapped back as the President insists.
Business groups and foreign governments
are already negotiating MOUs with the
Islamic Republic. As a result, the Islamic
Republic stands to gain upwards of $250
billion (by some estimates) in sanctions
relief during the life of this deal.
In light of the duplicitous nature of the
Islamic Republic, the P5+1 negotiators
appear to be operating under a Trust, then
Verify creed, given that the deal does not
permanently end or dismantle Irans nuclear
weapons program. According to the Iranian
Fact Sheet, none of the nuclear facilities or
related activities will be stopped, shut down,
or suspended, and Irans nuclear activities in all of its facilities including Natanz,
Fordow, Isfahan, and Arak will continue.

detention&arrestsummary
Beverly Hills Weekly received the
information that appears below from the
Beverly Hills Police Department. This
information is released each week to the
public. We assume no responsibility
for errors or omissions in the Detention
and Arrest Summary.
KEPPEL, DENISE, 40, of Los Angeles
arrested on 4/05/2015 for public
intoxication.
MEJIA, JESUS A, 40, of Los Angeles
arrested on 4/05/2015 for driving under
the influence of blood alcohol over .08,
driving while license suspended for DUI
and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Page 6 Beverly Hills Weekly

VASQUEZ-MARTINEZ, SERGIO, 23, of

Oxnard arrested on 4/04/2015 for driving
unlicensed upon highway.
KRAVITZ, HEATHER FRANCES, 18,
of Beverly Hills arrested on 4/04/2015 for
theft or driving of vehicle.
TJIPTODIHARDJO, PHILIP, 20, of Los
Angeles arrested on 4/04/2015 for driving
unlicensed upon highway and with a blood
alcohol of 0.01% or greater.
ANDINO, JOHNATHAN STEVE, 25,
of Los Angeles arrested on 4/04/2015 for
outside misdemeanor warrant.

Not a single centrifuge will be destroyed.

Not a single nuclear facility will be shut
down, even the Islamic Republics fortified
underground facility that it built covertly
and illegally at Fordow.
Even the loudest cheerleaders for this
deal concede that, at best, it mothballs
the program for 10 years. That assumes
the Iranians agree to the terms announced
in English by the State Department (big
assumption) and it assumes that the Iranians
do not violate the deal (dangerous assumption). At worst, the deal provides the
Islamic Republic with billions upon billions
to build nuclear weapons, either immediately in violation of the deal (by simply
kicking out the inspectors, which they claim
have no right to surprise inspections)
or at liberty under no
constraints and without consequence in
10 years. In fact, the
most deafening aspect
of the Iranian Fact
Sheet is in its silence.
It makes no reference to the IAEAs
concerns regarding
the Possible Military
Dimensions (PMD)
of Irans nuclear program. There appear
to be no Iranian concessions on the most
troubling weaponization aspects of the
program.
Finally, we are disappointed that Irans
dangerous regime is here to stay. That may
be disappointing for us Iranian-Americans,
but it is tragic for the Iranian people and
perilous for Irans neighbors. Such a deal
guarantees a nuclear arms race in the worlds
most volatile region as the Saudis, Turks,
and Egyptians will soon race to match the
Iranians with a nuclear weapons program.
The influx of cash, international business,
and diplomatic legitimacy collectively mean
the death knell of any future dissident or
Green Revolution. Rather than bankrupt the
regime and force it to change its behavior
through further economic and diplomatic
tools (in the apartheid South Africa model),
the West has handed the regime a carte

blanche and endless funds to continue to

suppress dissent domestically, to butcher
women, gays, and religious minorities, and
to sponsor terrorism against the West. The
West will have effectively handcuffed itself
from challenging the Islamic Republic on
these serious issues, risking threats from
Iran that the West has violated the deal. The
regimes violent suppression of its people
and the takeover of four Arab capitals in
Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, and Sanaa
are taking place with an Iran nearly bankrupt
economically and without nuclear weapons.
The Islamic Republics ambitions when
armed with endless resources and nuclear
weapons is a scary thought, especially
for their archenemies and Americas historic allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Even
if the deal slows
or G-d willing
stops Irans march
towards
nuclear
weapons, history will
not judge the negotiations a success when
they do not nothing
to stop the Islamic
Republics human
rights violations, its
state sponsorship of
terrorism, and nuclear proliferation in the
Middle East.
Contrary to assertions from the White
House, the alternative to these Parameters of a Joint Plan
was not war. The alternative was and
remains a better deal that forces the permanent dismantling of Irans nuclear weapons program and a change in the behavior
of the Islamic Republic before the further
lifting of any sanctions or transfer of any
assets. It is not too late. Fortunately, we
are Americans, and in the finest traditions of
American democracy, it is time for a debate.

The deal is a boon for

the Islamic Republic. It
cannot be disputed that
the Islamic Republic
agreed to negotiate with
the West because years
of crippling economic
sanctions forced
them to.

MERIDAMEJIA, EDWIN JOSHUA, 23,

of Los Angeles arrested on 4/04/2015 for
driving unlicensed upon highway.
SPENCER, ZACHERY RYAN, 24, of
Los Angeles arrested on 4/04/2015 for
outside misdemeanor warrant and resisting,
delaying or obstructing any public officer
or peace officer.
JOHANNSEN, ERIC CALAHAN,
48, arrested on 4/03/2015 for outside
misdemeanor warrant.
CRUZ, IRIS PAOLA, 18, of Los Angeles
arrested on 4/03/2015 for driving
unlicensed upon highway.
GORDON, DERRICK ANTONIO, 34, of
Brooklyn arrested on 4/03/2015 for driving

Sam Yebri is the President of 30 Years

After, a non-profit organization whose
mission is to promote the participation and
leadership of Iranian American Jews in
American political, civic and Jewish life.
www.30yearsafter.org

under the influence of blood alcohol over

.08.
KELSO, ELIZABETH LEIGH, 28, of Los
Angeles arrested on 4/02/2015 for driving
under the influence of blood alcohol over
.08.
SMITH, CHANCE DAVID, 20, arrested
on 4/02/2015 for BHPD arrest warrant
misdemeanor.
CALDERON, LUIS GERNANDO, 38, of
West Hollywood arrested on 4/01/2015 for
outside misdemeanor warrant and public
intoxication.
GUITERREZ NUNEZ, HUMBERTO
FABIAN, 32, of Beverly Hills arrested on
3/31/2015 for public intoxication.
arrests cont. on page 7