Continuing yesterday's post. When talking about the intelligence which has given impetus for the US 'and its allies' to believe that Iran is acting contrary to what they said they would on November 14 last year when they agreed to suspend their uranium enrichment program in exchange for incentives offered by European Nations, this is what The Post had to say:
"The White House and Pentagon say the report is "riddled with errors". But Mr Bush said on Monday that Washington would not rule out military action against Iran... if it was not more forthcoming about its nuclear program."
Sure, I can understand swallowing a war if we're led to believe that weapons of mass destruction can be launched within fifteen minutes, and the country in question's got a history of aggression towards its neighbours. But if this one happens, after that, I don't know, I just don't.
Well you are right Mark about nuttiness but coincidentally the 15th Jan issue of the Spectator dropped into my lap today with a leader article by Douglas Davis - London correspondent of the Jerusalem Post (so fairly partisan no doubt). It's pretty hard hitting on the evidence for nuclear build up in Iran and other countries in that neck of the woods - all fostered by a shady character, a nuclear scientist called Abdul Qadeer Khan who assisted Pakistan to go nuclear too.
Davis claims Iran's ambitions are partially due to being a non Arab state in an Arabic part of the world and some inherent inferiority there. There is a big grab for the leadership role going on.
It's also claimed that Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have been recipients of AQK's 'talents' too and that Russia and China have little to be pious about in this whole mess.
There are some serious suggestions that USA and Israeli covert operations are already underway to 'neutralise' the Iran nuclear sites which are scattered all over the place including in residential areas - so any thought of bombing, as Iraq's Osirak reactor was bombed by the Israelis, are hopefully inaccurate at the moment.
As for agreements he claims that Europe has totally failed in the diplomatic and carrot solutions because the negotiators assumed they were dealing with men who shared their aspirations and rationalities when the mullahs of Tehran envisage a devine destiny.
It is all too scary to contemplate - a lose lose situation all round I expect.
sue, thanks for the update and education. Sometimes I feel a little isolated here in my non-english speaking country and only fifteen minutes or so of internet per day to run around and get my news. I'm supposing a lose lose situation is indeed likely, but I also have serious reservations about the right of countries with nuclear arms to believe they have the right stop other nations abtaining them. It's a pot kettle black situation there i think.
Re pot calling kettles black - yep. Like the hide of the US to be claiming to be bringing democracy and freedom to the rest of the world. How black kettle-y is that! Bush's inauguration speech regarding supporting the oppressed should be so laughable if it weren't for the stark realities of interference in Latin America in the past and so many other places.
You do well on 15 mins Mark!