On the Iran front, that nation’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, was quoted in BBC on line as indicating that Iran has a “new proposal” for the UN and the "gang of six" countries which oppose its nuclear ambitions. See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8231763.stm.
This seems to be Iran’s most recent response to President Obama’s promise to engage Iran in dialogue over the nuclear issue. The American proposed window for such talks is expected to close by the end of this month (September 2009). While last week, the prime minister of Israel, visiting in Europe called for “crippling sanctions” against Iran to force it to end its program to concentrate radioactive materials which can be used in a power plant—or if further refined-- in a nuclear bomb. My interpretation is that nuclear-armed Israel sees Iran as a threat to its regional nuclear and military hegemony and is dead-set against Iran even developing the know-how to concentrate nuclear fuels (and to build a bomb). On the other hand, Iran, the signatory to the nuclear disarmament treaty (unlike Israel), has an established right under that agreement to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Iran insists it is not interested in building weapons—only to develop technology for electrical power development. What gives many pause is that in the past, Israel, Pakistan, and India too-- all mouthed the same story--- until they actually tested a nuclear device.
Mohammad el Baradei the outgoing head of the UN atomic watchdog group states that he has “seen no evidence that Tehran has an ongoing weapons program”. El Baradei at a recent interview with the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, (See BBC) has said that “many people are talking about Iran’s nuclear program as the greatest threat to the world. In many ways, I think the threat is hyped.” This statement hit the wires as the arch-conservative Israeli PM, Mr Netanyahu visited heads of state in Europe to encourage the need for “crushing sanctions” against Iran, were it to continue on its present path. Netanyahu has coupled such statements with veiled (and not so veiled) threats to pre-emptively bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Were Iran to reach the technological level of refining nuclear materials and having the technical ability to produce weapons—(such as Japan) but not actually doing so—it could change the balance of power in the Middle East. This is a development that the President finds politically distasteful right now. But that benighted region is now so heavily tilted toward the US and its on-the-scene-ally-Israel that any real movement toward peace between Israel and Palestine is a perennial non-starter. Why bother to play fair with the competition or seek compromise if one player holds all the trump cards? A bit of a shakeup, such as a nuclear savvy Iran—even one with no actual stockpile of nuclear weapons--might force others in the region to more seriously consider peaceful solutions and compromises rather than resorting to napalm, white phosporous, aerial bombardment and home-made rockets to solve problems.
Such a nuclear-stand-off worked for the US during the Soviet-era cold war! And recall that nothing else has worked in the Middle East--so far! Now it's up to President Obama to make sure that Mr. Netanyahu does nothing really stupid...like following through on his bomb Iran threat.
rjk
This seems to be Iran’s most recent response to President Obama’s promise to engage Iran in dialogue over the nuclear issue. The American proposed window for such talks is expected to close by the end of this month (September 2009). While last week, the prime minister of Israel, visiting in Europe called for “crippling sanctions” against Iran to force it to end its program to concentrate radioactive materials which can be used in a power plant—or if further refined-- in a nuclear bomb. My interpretation is that nuclear-armed Israel sees Iran as a threat to its regional nuclear and military hegemony and is dead-set against Iran even developing the know-how to concentrate nuclear fuels (and to build a bomb). On the other hand, Iran, the signatory to the nuclear disarmament treaty (unlike Israel), has an established right under that agreement to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Iran insists it is not interested in building weapons—only to develop technology for electrical power development. What gives many pause is that in the past, Israel, Pakistan, and India too-- all mouthed the same story--- until they actually tested a nuclear device.
Mohammad el Baradei the outgoing head of the UN atomic watchdog group states that he has “seen no evidence that Tehran has an ongoing weapons program”. El Baradei at a recent interview with the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, (See BBC) has said that “many people are talking about Iran’s nuclear program as the greatest threat to the world. In many ways, I think the threat is hyped.” This statement hit the wires as the arch-conservative Israeli PM, Mr Netanyahu visited heads of state in Europe to encourage the need for “crushing sanctions” against Iran, were it to continue on its present path. Netanyahu has coupled such statements with veiled (and not so veiled) threats to pre-emptively bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Were Iran to reach the technological level of refining nuclear materials and having the technical ability to produce weapons—(such as Japan) but not actually doing so—it could change the balance of power in the Middle East. This is a development that the President finds politically distasteful right now. But that benighted region is now so heavily tilted toward the US and its on-the-scene-ally-Israel that any real movement toward peace between Israel and Palestine is a perennial non-starter. Why bother to play fair with the competition or seek compromise if one player holds all the trump cards? A bit of a shakeup, such as a nuclear savvy Iran—even one with no actual stockpile of nuclear weapons--might force others in the region to more seriously consider peaceful solutions and compromises rather than resorting to napalm, white phosporous, aerial bombardment and home-made rockets to solve problems.
Such a nuclear-stand-off worked for the US during the Soviet-era cold war! And recall that nothing else has worked in the Middle East--so far! Now it's up to President Obama to make sure that Mr. Netanyahu does nothing really stupid...like following through on his bomb Iran threat.
rjk
No comments:
Post a Comment