Bush or Bushehr? Russia Puts its Money on Iran

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, February 23, 2005

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=12884



BUSH OR BUSHEHR? RUSSIA PUTS ITS MONEY ON IRAN

Gulf atomic plant back on track

By Paul de Zardain
Special to The Daily Star



MOSCOW: With a firm handshake from the Kremlin chief, Hassan Rohani concluded his visit to Moscow last Friday. As head of Iran's National Security Council, Rohani made no secret that his meetings were timed ahead of a U.S.-Russia summit in Bratislava this week.



A triangulation of interests has emerged in which Russia is keen on bolstering ties with the U.S., while signing defense contracts with Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin met Rohani's delegation with a broad smile, a signal that work on the Bushehr atomic plant remains on track: "We will continue to cooperate with Iran at all levels, including nuclear energy," a resolute Putin told the Kremlin pool.



According to Izvestia, more than 1,500 Russian engineers are scheduled to bring Bushehr online by 2006. Putin restated his conviction that Tehran does not intend to develop nuclear weapons. Next to him at the bargaining table was Aleksandr Rumyantsev, head of Russia's Federal Agency for Atomic Energy. Rumyantsev is expected to sign a protocol in Tehran on Feb. 26 monitoring the return of spent fuels to Siberia. The precautionary measure has not quieted critics who argue that plutonium can easily be extracted from reprocessed fuels.

SNIP

Linguistic devices may not work after the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Any tracks leading to a Syrian role in the Beirut bombing will isolate Damascus.



"I assume this issue will be raised in Bratislava to avoid additional irritants in the Bush-Putin partnership," says Andrei Kortunov, president of the New Eurasia Foundation in Moscow. Kortunov thinks Putin is responding to the pressure of arms exporters linked to the Defense Ministry. "Putin will be as opportunistic as he is allowed to be. It all depends on U.S. persistence and whether Bush can convince the Europeans to hold the line," says Kortunov.



The delivery of anti-aircraft systems to Syria does not directly violate UN conventions. But if Putin is unable to calibrate his policies, he may have to alter his portfolio and forsake Iran.

[illflem]

1. My feeling is Iran's nuclear ambitions are peaceful also

They've been building hydroelectric dams like there is no tomorrow for over 25 years and have had plans for nuke power for just as long.
I think it must irk the hell out of bushco that a country would want to develop sustainable energy for themselves rather burn up oil as fast as we do.

[cliss]

2. Aha. I think the mystery is solved.

The events of the past month have been very interesting. Bush was whipping himself into a frenzy, pushing for war against Iran.

They pushed relentlessly, and then suddenly the rhetoric stopped last week. Now, Bush says "it's ridiculous" to think that we would invade Iran.

Now I know why he stopped cold. It seems that Russia is deeply involved with Iran. He threatened Bush with World War III; I'm willing to bet.

That could be why Bush scurried off to Europe, to see if he could find any support for invading.

Apparently not.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. *bush plays checkers while Pootie-Poot plays chess

Absolutely zero subtlety from our boy-king. He'll never ever win because the real game is way too complex for him to begin to understand.

And besides, his head is up his ass.

[TheLastMohican]

3. Killing 1500 Russian engineers doesn't sound like fun anymore

Because once Bushco is up to bombing Bushehr, he will sure write the death wish for any aircraft carrier in the Indian ocean with all its crew. Those Moskit missiles are deadly suckers.