Iran's Nuclear Program
The spread of nuclear weapons has been an issue that is prominent in today’s political forum. It was a major campaign issue in the last presidential election and has been labeled by many as the single greatest national security issue facing America today. In his 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush called out three countries, Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, labeled them an “axis of evil,” and warned that they would pursue weapons of mass destruction to attack or blackmail the United States and its allies. That part of his speech was widely derided by the liberal press as overly confrontational. However, almost four years after that speech it is obvious that President Bush was correct in his assessment. North Korea has apparently become the newest member of the world’s nuclear community, while Iran is positioning itself to become a nuclear power by developing the needed infrastructure and training people in the necessary skills to create and maintain nuclear weapons.
Unlike the case of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, there is not yet evidence that Iran has acquired the nuclear material necessary to build a bomb. It seems that Iran will not be in a position to construct a nuclear weapon for a few years, but it is moving as fast as it can.
On February 9, 2003, Iran's program for building facilities that would eventually produce enriched uranium, which is the most important ingredient to create a nuclear weapon, was revealed. In late February, Dr. Mohammad El Baradei, the head of the United Nations mandated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visited Iran to confirm. For the next several months the IAEA's experts and inspectors visited Iran several more times. In September 2003, the IAEA gave Iran an ultimatum to reveal all the details of its nuclear activities by the end of October 2003. Not surprisingly, Iran ignored the ultimatum because it was not backed up by any threat of force.
While Iran insists that its construction of a nuclear plant is purely for energy related purposes, it is clear that this explanation is just a smoke screen. Iran wants nuclear weapon capability in order to become the dominant regional power in the Middle East and to deter a possible U.S. or Israeli attack. Russia, with its vast nuclear knowledge and need for money and oil, has been more than happy to assist the Iranians expand their nuclear capability and will continue to do so unless enormous diplomatic pressure is pushed upon it.
The core of this debate is trust. That is, is the world willing to trust a nuclear Iran? The Iranian dictatorship continues to support the international terrorist organization Hezbollah, wants to wipe Israel “off the map,” represses its people’s call for freedom, and deems America as “The Great Satan.” Iran wants nuclear weapons to threaten Israel and to make it difficult for the United States to conduct military strikes against it in the future for fear of nuclear retaliation upon our Mid-East ally Israel. Obviously, this is not the kind of regime the free world should allow to control the most powerful destructive force created by man.
What is also painfully clear is the inability of Europe and the United Nations to do anything of substance to solve this problem. This is the Iraq and Saddam Hussein situation all over again. The politicians of Europe and the bureaucrats of the United Nations will once again dither like they did with Saddam Hussein. The United States and Israel will have to literally drag the world community to condemn Iran, but will be unable to convince them to do anything about it. Resolutions will be passed, leaders will “strongly warn” Iran that their continued pursuit of nuclear weapons will have “serious consequences,” but in the end, after Iran ignores all these warnings, nothing will be done. When it comes time to act (and in my opinion that time has long passed) Europe and the United Nations will delay and call for more talks and more diplomacy. Diplomacy has been tried over and over with Iran and diplomacy’s time has passed.
Since Iran is only a few years away from becoming a nuclear power, the United States must take the necessary preventative steps now. Harsh economic sanctions and even precision military strikes must be considered in order to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. If no other country is willing to join America in this effort, then so be it. The Europeans and the United Nations with their weak and ineffectual bluffing, disguised as diplomacy, have failed once again when it comes to enhancing the security of the world. Yet again, it is time for the United States to step up and do the right thing.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
Unlike the case of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, there is not yet evidence that Iran has acquired the nuclear material necessary to build a bomb. It seems that Iran will not be in a position to construct a nuclear weapon for a few years, but it is moving as fast as it can.
On February 9, 2003, Iran's program for building facilities that would eventually produce enriched uranium, which is the most important ingredient to create a nuclear weapon, was revealed. In late February, Dr. Mohammad El Baradei, the head of the United Nations mandated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visited Iran to confirm. For the next several months the IAEA's experts and inspectors visited Iran several more times. In September 2003, the IAEA gave Iran an ultimatum to reveal all the details of its nuclear activities by the end of October 2003. Not surprisingly, Iran ignored the ultimatum because it was not backed up by any threat of force.
While Iran insists that its construction of a nuclear plant is purely for energy related purposes, it is clear that this explanation is just a smoke screen. Iran wants nuclear weapon capability in order to become the dominant regional power in the Middle East and to deter a possible U.S. or Israeli attack. Russia, with its vast nuclear knowledge and need for money and oil, has been more than happy to assist the Iranians expand their nuclear capability and will continue to do so unless enormous diplomatic pressure is pushed upon it.
The core of this debate is trust. That is, is the world willing to trust a nuclear Iran? The Iranian dictatorship continues to support the international terrorist organization Hezbollah, wants to wipe Israel “off the map,” represses its people’s call for freedom, and deems America as “The Great Satan.” Iran wants nuclear weapons to threaten Israel and to make it difficult for the United States to conduct military strikes against it in the future for fear of nuclear retaliation upon our Mid-East ally Israel. Obviously, this is not the kind of regime the free world should allow to control the most powerful destructive force created by man.
What is also painfully clear is the inability of Europe and the United Nations to do anything of substance to solve this problem. This is the Iraq and Saddam Hussein situation all over again. The politicians of Europe and the bureaucrats of the United Nations will once again dither like they did with Saddam Hussein. The United States and Israel will have to literally drag the world community to condemn Iran, but will be unable to convince them to do anything about it. Resolutions will be passed, leaders will “strongly warn” Iran that their continued pursuit of nuclear weapons will have “serious consequences,” but in the end, after Iran ignores all these warnings, nothing will be done. When it comes time to act (and in my opinion that time has long passed) Europe and the United Nations will delay and call for more talks and more diplomacy. Diplomacy has been tried over and over with Iran and diplomacy’s time has passed.
Since Iran is only a few years away from becoming a nuclear power, the United States must take the necessary preventative steps now. Harsh economic sanctions and even precision military strikes must be considered in order to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. If no other country is willing to join America in this effort, then so be it. The Europeans and the United Nations with their weak and ineffectual bluffing, disguised as diplomacy, have failed once again when it comes to enhancing the security of the world. Yet again, it is time for the United States to step up and do the right thing.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
posted by The Conservative Guy at
10:53 PM
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