Iran on the Warpath
syndicate.org
02-Dec-2011 (3 comments)

BERLIN – While Europe remains preoccupied with its own slow-motion crisis, and other global powers continue to be mesmerized by the bizarre spectacle of European officials’ myriad efforts to rescue the euro (and thus the global financial system), clouds of war are massing over Iran once more.

For years, Iran has been pursuing both a nuclear program and the development of long-range missiles, which points to only one conclusion: the country’s leaders are intent on building nuclear weapons, or at least on reaching the technological threshold beyond which only a single political decision is required to achieve that end.

The latter course would arguably keep Iran within the scope of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which it is a signatory. But there can be no reasonable doubt about the Iranian leadership’s intentions. Otherwise, Iran’s nuclear and missile programs would be a pointless waste of money. After all, Iran does not need uranium-enrichment technology. The country has only one civilian nuclear reactor, with fuel rods supplied by Russia, and the Iranian technology now being developed cannot be used in it.

>>>
Darius Kadivar

Joschka Fischer's Take

by Darius Kadivar on Fri Dec 02, 2011 01:34 AM PST

Joschka Fischer, Germany’s foreign minister and vice-chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader in the German Green Party for almost 20 years. His wife is Iranian


Balatarin
Share/Save/Bookmark

 
Anonymous Observer

Circular argument with no conclusion

by Anonymous Observer on Fri Dec 02, 2011 09:59 AM PST

he keeps saying that there is no political solution, but then seems to advocate it to avoid a war.  Which one it is?


  •  
ayatoilet1

This is all Lies and Hipocracy

by ayatoilet1 on Fri Dec 02, 2011 07:53 AM PST

First of all why is Iran singled out  - when basically Iran has been compliant with NPT and has had inspections. Why not look at Israel that is not an NPT signatory, AND has 400+ nuclear bombs.

Secondly, if haveing Nuclear power was an issue for Iran, why did the Germans (Krupp Siemens) sell and build a nuclear power plant in Iran to begin with.

Thirdly, if Iranian Uranium enrichment was an issue, why did the Europeans ask Iran if they could invest 1 Billion dollars (which they did) and become full partners in European Uranium enrichment plants. (Plural ...Plants ...with an S).

Fourthly, if having a heavy water reactor was an issue, why did the US sell a plant to Iran, and even supply plutonium with it.

Fifthly, everyone knows that Nuclear power is the future source of energy. Iran has always intended to build multiple plants. In fact, as a German, he should know that Siemens has an electrodialysis process that can produce pure water from seawater. Iran - especially in the south will need significant energy to produce fresh water to sustain its population and economic growth. Nuclear power is especially suited to supporting electrodialysis processes.

Sixth: Iran has plenty of Uranium. One shaft alone in one mining complex has enough Uranium to put Iran within the top 20 global sources of Uranium. Why should Iran send its raw material outside the country for processing. It would be height if "imperialism" to sell cotton and buy woven textiles. Iran has the capacity to refine its own product and even sell it globally.

Seventh: Why should Iran depend on Russia for fuel, when Russia only a few years ago froze out Eukrane and denied them natural gas in the middle of the winter. They are an inherently unreliable source of anything.

Eighth: And the Europeans are unreliable too. When Iran asked Eurodif for fuel - it was denied even though it is a partner in the company. 

Ninth: Iran can export nuclear technology to other nations, and processed Uranium too. With a global water shortage, there will be a huge number of nuclear power plants needed and Iran can compete with other global suppliers and sell technology and fuel. Why not? Why should that be an exclusively Western core competency or product?

Tenth: The real issue is the regime in Iran - not Iran's nuclear capability. You motherf*ckers put them in power, supported them these past 30 years, financed them, nurtured them ... YOU, YOUR GOVERNMENT, YOUR PARTNERS IN CRIME ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THEIR MISDEEDS. Do not take it out on the people of Iran. Iranians have a right to fully transparent and globally compliant Nuclear technology. Shut up - and get off our case. Deal with the mess you idiots have empowered ....namely the Mullahs.


  •