Posted 9:32 pm Friday, February 03, 2012
Nuclear Watchdog Playing Lapdog Role
And we’re supposed to be comforted by this?
Reuters reported on Wednesday, “Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors plan another trip to Iran later this month after holding what both sides described as good talks on the Islamic state’s disputed atomic program.”
Good talks? Seriously?
Did the talks include President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeating his famous statement (as reported by the New York Times) that Israel must be totally destroyed?
“Our dear Imam (supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini) said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement,” Ahmadinejad said in 2005. “We cannot compromise over the issue of Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front. This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful stain from the Islamic world.”
Reuters reported on Wednesday, “Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors plan another trip to Iran later this month after holding what both sides described as good talks on the Islamic state’s disputed atomic program.”
Good talks? Seriously?
Did the talks include President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeating his famous statement (as reported by the New York Times) that Israel must be totally destroyed?
“Our dear Imam (supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini) said that the occupying regime must be wiped off the map and this was a very wise statement,” Ahmadinejad said in 2005. “We cannot compromise over the issue of Palestine. Is it possible to create a new front in the heart of an old front. This would be a defeat and whoever accepts the legitimacy of this regime has in fact, signed the defeat of the Islamic world. Our dear Imam targeted the heart of the world oppressor in his struggle, meaning the occupying regime. I have no doubt that the new wave that has started in Palestine, and we witness it in the Islamic world too, will eliminate this disgraceful stain from the Islamic world.”
Apparently not; one of the International Atomic Energy Agency negotiators told reporters, “Yeah, we had a good trip.”
Well then. Were the rogue regime’s nuclear ambitions even discussed? They were touched on, at least.
Reuters goes on to explain, “The IAEA issued a brief statement saying another meeting would take place from Feb 21-22 in Tehran. The U.N. agency said it had explained to Iran its ‘concerns and identified its priorities, which focus on the clarification of possible military dimensions’ to Iran’s nuclear program.”
Not even the milquetoast IAEA truly needs “clarification” any longer. The agency issued a report late last year admitting that Iran has consistently been working to build a nuclear weapon since at least 2003. That report was only issued once Iran’s enabler-in-chief, former IAEA head Mohammed ElBaradei, stepped down. For years, ElBaradei waffled and equivocated about mounting and decisive evidence.
Well then. Were the rogue regime’s nuclear ambitions even discussed? They were touched on, at least.
Reuters goes on to explain, “The IAEA issued a brief statement saying another meeting would take place from Feb 21-22 in Tehran. The U.N. agency said it had explained to Iran its ‘concerns and identified its priorities, which focus on the clarification of possible military dimensions’ to Iran’s nuclear program.”
Not even the milquetoast IAEA truly needs “clarification” any longer. The agency issued a report late last year admitting that Iran has consistently been working to build a nuclear weapon since at least 2003. That report was only issued once Iran’s enabler-in-chief, former IAEA head Mohammed ElBaradei, stepped down. For years, ElBaradei waffled and equivocated about mounting and decisive evidence.
His regular line was, “the agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran.”
It seems the IAEA is back in equivocation mode. Despite all the evidence, it’s counseling patience with Iran.
“The Agency is committed to intensifying dialogue. It remains essential to make progress on substantive issues,” Yukiya Amano, director general of the IAEA, said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, a more realistic view of Iran is being offered by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
In a written statement delivered on Tuesday, Clapper admitted “that some Iranian officials — probably including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — have changed their calculus and are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States.”
He even admitted that sanctions on Iran are failing — miserably.
“The sanctions as imposed so far have not caused them to change their behavior or their policy,” Clapper said.
Still, given the Obama administration’s history with Iran, the “good talks” are likely to bring calls for more patience and understanding, for more “dialogue” and maybe even a “reset.”
But the world can’t wait. A nuclear Iran, in even the president’s own words, would be unthinkable. In his State of the Union speech, Obama said. “Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.”
Let’s hope he means it.
It seems the IAEA is back in equivocation mode. Despite all the evidence, it’s counseling patience with Iran.
“The Agency is committed to intensifying dialogue. It remains essential to make progress on substantive issues,” Yukiya Amano, director general of the IAEA, said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, a more realistic view of Iran is being offered by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
In a written statement delivered on Tuesday, Clapper admitted “that some Iranian officials — probably including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — have changed their calculus and are now more willing to conduct an attack in the United States.”
He even admitted that sanctions on Iran are failing — miserably.
“The sanctions as imposed so far have not caused them to change their behavior or their policy,” Clapper said.
Still, given the Obama administration’s history with Iran, the “good talks” are likely to bring calls for more patience and understanding, for more “dialogue” and maybe even a “reset.”
But the world can’t wait. A nuclear Iran, in even the president’s own words, would be unthinkable. In his State of the Union speech, Obama said. “Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.”
Let’s hope he means it.
