|
America,
Iran & Nukes
Gary
Fitleberg
America
believes Iran is heading down a destructive path with its
nuclear program designed not for peaceful purposes but for weapons
of mass destruction.
“Iran’s nuclear weapons program and its now well-documented
pattern of [nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] safeguards violations
are deeply troubling,” stated a United States State Department
spokesman.
The statement was made in response to a recent report from the
International Atomic Energy Agency that declares Iran conducted a
systematic campaign in order to conceal its nuclear program. The
report said Iran had concealed the production of the nuclear weapons
material plutnium, testing of centrifuges with nuclear material, and
a laser enrichment program.
The U.S. believes, even with all the missing pieces of the puzzle,
that the recent IAEA report proves the nuclear program is not for
peaceful purposes but for weapons of mass destruction.
Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John R. Bolton compellingly
declared “The massive and covert Iranian effort to acquire
sensitive nuclear capabilities makes sense as only part of a nuclear
weapons program,” adding “In what can only be an attempt to
build a capacity to develop nuclear materials for nuclear weapons.
Iran has enriched uranium with both centrifuges and lasers, and
reprocessed plutonium…It attempted to cover its tracks by
repeatedly and over many years neglecting to report its activities,
and in many instances providing false declarations to the
International Atomic Energy Agency.”
The U.S. and IAEA strongly condemned Iran’s violations of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty over eighteen years.
Mohammed El Baradei told the IAEA Agency Board of Governors, “our
efforts to verify the program…have…revealed a deliberate counter
effort, that spanned many years, to conceal material, facilities and
activities that were required to have been declared under the
safeguards agreement-material, facilities and activities that
covered the entire spectrum of the nuclear fuel cycle, including
experiments in enrichment and reprocessing.” El Baradei also
added, “These breaches and failures are, of themselves, a matter
of deep concern, and run counter to both the letter and the spirit
of the safeguards agreement.”
The U.S. beliefs and concerns have resulted in resolutions before
both houses of Congress expressing deep concern regarding Iran’s
failure to adhere to nuclear safeguards agreements and urging
President Bush and the entire international community to take all
appropriate measures to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
This might possibly range from urging the U.N. Security Council to
issue sanctions against Iran or possibly military action.
One can not rule out the latter possibility as the U.S. has had to
do the same with Iraq despite international roadblocks from France,
Germany and even the United Nations.
Reps. Curt Weldon (R-PA), Jane Harman (D-CA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and
Howard Berman (D-CA) have co-sponsored and reintroduced the House
resolution while Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and John Kyl (R-AZ)
reintroduced a similar resolution in the Senate.
The U.S. has made it crystal clear that the world can not trust
Iran. Especially based on past actions and performance regarding its
nuclear program. A history and pattern of consistent concealment and
deceit that can’t be beat.
U.S. Ambassador to the IAEA Kenneth Brill told the IAEA’S Board of
Governors there is ‘no rational basis’ to believe Iran had
stopped lying to the world about its nuclear program only one day
after IAEA Director Mohammed El Baradei reported that Iran had been
in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for decades.
Brill remarked, “So much of what [Iran] has said in the past year
about its nuclear program has turned out to be false there is no
rational basis to assume the contrary now.”
Arrogant and defiant, reminiscent of Iraq and Saddam Hussein, Iran
initially vowed to continue its nuclear program. Iran announced that
its decision to suspend nuclear activities, including uranium
enrichment, was only temporary.
“Our decision to suspend uranium enrichment is Iran’s natural
right and [Iran] will reserve this right…There has been and there
will be no question of a permanent halt at all,” declared Hasan
Rowhani, head of the powerful Supreme National Security Council.
In an interview on National Public Radio, U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell questioned why Iran needs a nuclear program in the
first place, saying: This is a country loaded with oil. Why does it
need a nuclear power plant?” Powell makes a point no one can argue
with. Iran is indeed swimming in a sea of oil with vast reserves.
Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security
John Bolton made it crystal clear in his declaration “The
[International Atomic Energy Agency’s] November 26 resolution
should leave no doubt that one more transgression will mean that the
IAEA is obligated to report Iran’s noncompliance to the Security
Council.” Bolton added, “The United States believes that the
long-standing, massive, and covert Iranian effort to acquire
sensitive nuclear capabilities only makes sense as part of a nuclear
weapons program.”
The U.S. has given Iran an ultimatum on its nuclear program. The
U.S. clearly stated it would not tolerate any more lying by the
clerical regime in Iran about its nuclear weapons program. The U.S.
means what it says when it comes to nuclear programs. Just ask Iraq
who waffled for years but then eventually faced an American attack. |
