Via The Washington Post:

Democratic [mc_name name=’Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M000702′ ] of Maryland became the crucial 34th vote in favor the Iran nuclear deal Wednesday, ensuring a landmark victory for President Barack Obama over ferocious opposition from Republicans and the government of Israel.

“No deal is perfect, especially one negotiated with the Iranian regime,” Mikulski said in a statement. “I have concluded that this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb. For these reasons, I will vote in favor of this deal.”

Mikulski’s backing gives supporters the margin they need to uphold an expected Obama veto of a congressional resolution of disapproval that Republicans hope to pass later this month.

And it spells failure for opponents of the international agreement who sought to foil it by turning Congress against it. Leading that effort were Israel and its allies in the U.S., who failed to get traction after spending millions of dollars trying.

I don’t know why this is being covered as news. This outcome was baked in from the moment Corker became involved. Even we rubes out here in das ausland could see that there was no way at least 34 Democrat senators would not toe the line and vote with Obama on this deal, consequences be damned. The next step in the process will be a democrat filibuster so Obama never has to veto the resolution and can claim that it was foiled by a partisan GOP-run Congress.

None of this had to happen.

[mc_name name=’Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’M000355′ ] could have insisted that it either be brought before the Senate like a treaty or Obama had to go it alone.

Corker and McConnell could have written the law so that it could not be filibustered.

Instead of making approval automatic without Congressional action. Corker could have required the Congress vote on either a resolution of approval or disapproval. The optics of this bill being submitted as a resolution of approval and getting about 30 votes in the Senate would be horrific.

Instead of voting on the bill at all (and there is really no need to), Corker could decide to hold extensive hearings on the side agreements and verification process to expose the fraudulent nature of the deal.

But he won’t because he is as invested in the process as any low level bureaucrat. He doesn’t care about the outcome, or the damage to our strategic position, or even the millions of dead from the wars this agreement will breed. He only cares that his cute little bill got bipartisan support.

But here we are. As pre-ordained. As foretold by the sages. We have #FAIL oozing out our wazoo.