Iran Nuclear Watch: Carrot and Stick?
Graphic Courtesy of Cox & Forkum
AP: Iran wants to talk but keep nuke program
Iran said Tuesday it was ready for “serious negotiations” on its nuclear program, insisting it was not trying simply to buy time to develop weapons. A semiofficial news agency said the government was unwilling to abandon uranium enrichment — the key U.S. demand.
The statements came as the government delivered its written response to a package of incentives offered by the United States and five other world powers if Iran rolls back on its nuclear program — and punishments if it does not.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, said Washington will “study the Iranian response carefully” but was prepared to move forward with sanctions against Tehran if it was not positive. The White House held off commenting until it had studied the text. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the document was “extensive” and required “a detailed and careful analysis.”
President Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Mullahs have made it CLEAR. They will NOT halt uranium enrichment.
The P-5-Plus-1 can negotiate but Iran does NOT want to “DANCE.”
The Europeans and the world has to understand – IRAN WANTS NUKES and nobody will stop them peacefully.
This Aug. 12, 2006 IKONOS satellite image provided by GeoEye on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2006 purports to show the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran. Iran’s unprecedented refusal to allow access to its underground facility at Natanz could seriously hamper U.N. attempts to ensure Tehran is not trying to produce nuclear weapons, and might violate the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, diplomats and U.N. officials told The Associated Press.
Iranian officials offered no details of what they called a “new formula” meant to bridge differences with the six powers — the five permanent U.N. Security Council members and Germany — over its nuclear program. But Tehran’s response appeared geared at enticing those countries into further negotiations by offering a broad set of proposals vague enough to hold out hope of progress in resolving the standoff.
If the Iranians leaves the door open to halting enrichment as talks progress, that would drive a wedge in the Security Council between the Americans, British and French on one side and the Russians and Chinese on the other. Last month, Russia said the Council was in no rush to pressure Iran, striking a more conciliatory tone than the United States.
The United States should VETO any UNSC resolution that does NOT demand a halt to Iranian uranium enrichment. If there is NO resolution, then the United States should impose their own economic sanctions and travel visa restrictions.
It is doubtful that any of the Europeans, including Britain will EVER have the political will to meaninfully sanction Iran. And who can say these sanctions will be effective anyway?
The August 31 deadline looms but it is HOLLOW.
The question is whether Condoleezza Rice and the Bush administration will have the will and fortitude to say NO to Iran.
Stay tuned…..
Captain Ed has Sanctions Next
In this manner, it will replay the entire Iraq issue all over again, only this time in less than twelve years. The UNSC teeters on the brink of extinction as it continues to follow the League of Nations playbook. If the UNSC gets stymied in its attempt to halt Iranian nuclear development, then the delay of the past several months may come back to haunt the region if Iran achieves success. In fact, if the UNSC cannot agree to unite against the mullahs in Teheran, they may well push the Anglosphere into military options as the only course of action left to us that have some chance of stopping the Islamic Nuke.
Once again, we have tried to engage the global community to stand fast against nuclear extortion and terror-supporting states. If the global community surrenders again, we hope that the multilateralists among us will finally take notice of the futility in engaging nations too committed to appeasement to act in their own defense, let alone ours.
Flap agrees that the United Nations is teetering on non-existence. The UNSC fiasco in Lebanon and the Oil for Food Program are prime examples. If they fumble Iran, then three strikes and the United Nations is OUT of the United States.
But, Flap disagrees with the Captain in that ultimately it will be the United States and Israel that deal Iran’s nuclear program.
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Responds to the P-5-Plus-1
Michael Ramirez on Nuclear Iran and the United Nations
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Blocks United Nations Nuclear Inspections
Iran Nuclear Watch: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – Iran Will Continue Nuclear Program
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Says It Will NOT Halt Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Military Exercises to Test Asymmetrical Warfare Combat Doctrine
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Information Blackout – Police Destroying Satellite Dishes in Tehran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Ready to Discuss Suspension of Uranium Enrichment?
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Cleric Ahmad Khatami Warns Israel of Missile Attack
The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
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