Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Question: Isn't Iran Allowed To Pursue Developing Peaceful Nuke Energy?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (01/01/06 through 01/22/2007) Donate to DU
 
stopbush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 01:22 AM
Original message
Question: Isn't Iran Allowed To Pursue Developing Peaceful Nuke Energy?
I thought that I heard that there is nothing wrong with Iran developing nuke power plants; that the UN
and the IAEA don't stop countries from building reactors for power. I also understand that to have
a nuke plant you need enriched uranium.

Are the above statements true, or did I hear incorrectly?...or are the bushies trying to get everyone's panties
in a wad over what is in reality a legal pursuit of nuke power by Iran?

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Kagemusha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 01:25 AM
Response to Original message
1. Iran has some obligations under the nonproliferation treaty
The US has tried to beat it over the head with that.

If Iran simply withdraws then all nuclear development would be perfectly legal, not that the US cares.

FYI.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
cynatnite Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 01:38 AM
Response to Original message
2. It's the way Iran has gone about it
My understanding is that Iran broke seals and took out cameras that kept an eye on their nuclear program. That got people concerned that they wanted to build a nuclear weapon. Considering Iran's history as far as radicalism, their hatred of Israel and involvement with groups like Hamas, it's understandable why most of the world does not want them to have a nuclear weapon.

Even countries like Russia and China are very concerned about what Iran is doing. Russia is willing to help Iran out for purposes of nuclear power, but won't help them in the nuclear bomb business.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Emit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:18 AM
Response to Reply #2
12. Or the way it has been reported that Iran has gone about it?
Will may never know?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:33 AM
Response to Reply #2
45. Nope, that was the PROPAGANDA!
The seals they broke, were put there when Iran VOLUNTARILY suspended uranium enrichment - which they are allowed to do. The Iranians did this to try and show good faith during negotiations. But the US was not interested. As far as the US was concerned Iran was not to be allowed to do what it was LEGALLY allowed to do under the NPT.

So Iran said "screw you" took the seals off and went back to work.

Don't you think if they had broken a SINGLE law, that there would have been full UNSC resolutions regarding that? Of course there would have been! What Iran is being TOLD to do by the US is to give up its rights under the NPT. That is not going to happen.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Eugene Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 01:44 AM
Response to Original message
3. Iran is allowed peaceful nuclear energy under IAEA supervision.
Iran refuses to submit its nuclear program to IAEA inspections like other countries.
Iran has refused compromise deals such as getting their nuclear fuel from Russia.
Everybody is concerned and the U.S. is playing those concerns for all they're worth.

From a BBC News article dated April 11:

Q&A: Iran nuclear stand-off

<snip>

Iran says it is allowed to enrich. So why the crisis?

Iran is allowed to develop a fuel cycle for nuclear power, under IAEA inspection.
However because it hid its enrichment programme before, there is an issue of trust
for the future. It could in theory learn how to make fuel for nuclear power, then
enrich it further for a bomb and leave the NPT.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Emit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:00 AM
Response to Reply #3
5. Wait a minute
I've heard and read a lot of articles and news reports that have said that the IAEA is on the ground right now in Iran. I don't think they are refusing to submit to inspections.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Media_Lies_Daily Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:11 AM
Response to Reply #5
9. That's correct. The IAEA is in Iran right now.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:27 AM
Response to Reply #9
18. IAEA Statement
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 03:30 AM by sandnsea
March 29

"the Agency was unable to conclude that there were no undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran. It called upon Iran to take the essential steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors to build confidence in the exclusively peaceful purpose of its nuclear programme and to resolve outstanding questions."

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8679.doc.htm

I don't think Iran is a threat, but I don't understand why we can't tell the truth about the IAEA and what they're really saying and what is being done. That's how you resolve these kinds of problems, not by pretending they don't exist.

Here's the Board Report
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2006/gov2006-15.pdf
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:40 AM
Response to Reply #18
46. Exactly! Watch the propaganda!
How exactly is Iran supposed to PROVE that there are no undeclared nuclear materials or programmes?

This was the exact same BULLSHIT that the IAEA (as forced by the US) pulled in Iraq. They could prove that what they had seen was not part of a nuclear weapons programme, so they just claimed "but we don't know about what we HAVEN'T seen". Of course, the IAEA could say THE EXACT SAME THING about every nation on Earth!

The IAEA can't prove that New Zealand or Japan or Germany or Switzerland don't have hidden nuclear weapons programmes. You can't prove a negative. What they do however, is selectively choose which nations they SAY that about.

Its all propaganda.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Toots Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 08:35 AM
Response to Reply #3
53. Iran has never refused inspections
They are signatories of the non-proliferation treaty and have followed all the rules accordingly. One of the only countries to do so I might add. Outlaw countries that would not sign like Pakistan and India and Israel are our friends.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 01:48 AM
Response to Original message
4. They threatened to wipe Israel off the map
Not a particularly bright move when you're in the middle of nuclear negotiations. Just because Bush is wrong, it doesn't mean Iran isn't equally wrong. Just like Saddam. That's what comes of cowboyism, everybody starts thinking there's one white hat and one black hat, and that's just not true.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:07 AM
Response to Reply #4
7. And get themself
wipe off the map too.

Nah, they can huff and puff and thats all huff and puff
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:07 AM
Response to Reply #7
15. I agree, but
it was still a stupid thing to say, and they still aren't the good guys. I really don't understand some DUers need to make some of these scumballs good guys. They need to be confronted, they need to let the IAEA in, they need to stop supporting terrorists, they need to join the global community.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:08 AM
Response to Reply #15
25. Good Guy BAD GUY
Gee you Americans Hmmmmm
But wait Repuke Democrats hmmmmm
Oooooh Pro choice anti choice
Wheee pro gay anti gay
Aaaaaa right wingers :rofl: religious nutcase

You mean American good guys :evilgrin:
You mean what you do to Iraq right
You mean Agent Orange right as use in Vietnam
Or the napalm
Hmmm falluejah

Sorry world see world know Iran angel compare to what US has done
Good Guys bad guys
Facts are facts
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:11 AM
Response to Reply #25
27. Right.
I'm sure the entire world looks to Iran as its shining beacon of light and freedom. :eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:16 AM
Response to Reply #27
30. So what
The Iranian people can take care of themself
They can choose and they can take care of forming a good goverments

But Americans bullying tactic pissing off people
Moderates dont have a chance
Just say ANTI AMERICAN and hey election won.

Go read up history
You guys fuck up Iran with all the meddlings
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:30 AM
Response to Reply #30
31. OK, now I'm confused.
The Iranian people can take care of themself

Can you elaborate on this? I'm not sure what you're trying to say.


They can choose and they can take care of forming a good goverments


No, they demonstrably can't because they live in a totalitarian state.


But Americans bullying tactic pissing off people
Moderates dont have a chance
Just say ANTI AMERICAN and hey election won.


I couldn't agree more. However that's completely irrelevant to this discussion. You won't find any Bush supporters here.


Go read up history
You guys fuck up Iran with all the meddlings


With all due respect, Iran was fucked up before we started meddling with it, and I think it's entirely likely that it would still be just as fucked up today had we not gotten rid of Mossadegh.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:42 AM
Response to Reply #31
34. OK
You better than Iranian because you Americans
Iranian not people
They no have brains

US biggest danger
The simple believe that they are superior to everyone
Damn dumb believe

Such feel good ego easy to manipulate :rofl:
Hilter play on the pride of being a superior race
Hilter play on blind hate and the Anti Jewish thing born

What dear me this cant be true
no corelationship to mindset happening in US
All nice and quiet
US not like Germany under Hilter
Move along ......
Get over it......
:evilgrin:
Lots of anit Muslim feeling in US
Dont worry right kind of culture ...... Culture of Blinding hate
All muslim country hence is bad guys
Me too from muslims country so me bad guy tooo :cry:
But me not muslim
Me christian
Me dumb fuck hiding under rock
Dont what happening in the world
Me bow down to superior Americans thoughts process even if from MORON this Series1111 woh Hugh111
Make sense
All man are say to be born equal
Sorry in terms of intelligence one cant say so
You mean your intelligence level like bush :rofl:

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:10 AM
Response to Reply #34
40. What the hell are you talking about?
You better than Iranian because you Americans
Iranian not people
They no have brains


I have no idea where you got that from my posts. I think Iran's government is fucking nuts. Hell, I think the current US administration is just as nuts. That's no reflection whatsoever on the people of those countries, but by all means continue to flame away.


US biggest danger
The simple believe that they are superior to everyone
Damn dumb believe


I would say that for a significant section of the human population at large that is true. It certainly is true for a certain segment of the American population and its government. However, I don't think you'll find much support for that idea on DU.

Such feel good ego easy to manipulate

Jesus, and you're accusing me of being an elitist?


Hilter play on the pride of being a superior race
Hilter play on blind hate and the Anti Jewish thing born


No, the "Anti Jewish thing" as you call it predates Hitler by, uh, a few years.


Lots of anit Muslim feeling in US


If you're trying to convince me that the US has bigots and that our president is partly responsible for this, you're preaching to the choir. Which is why I don't understand why you're going on about it.

Dont worry right kind of culture ...... Culture of Blinding hate
All muslim country hence is bad guys
Me too from muslims country so me bad guy tooo
But me not muslim
Me christian

Me bow down to superior Americans thoughts process even if from MORON this Series1111 woh Hugh111


Oh, come off it.

I'm not going to bother with responding to your sarcastic personal attacks. I'd suggest you edit your post before it gets deleted.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:26 AM
Response to Reply #40
44. Wont be first time me post get deleted
Happens when me go in overdrive mode
Just my expression and impression of US overall in terms of mindset

It is not personal :hug:

Feel free to alert mod to delete :)

Sometimes me paint picture like how me see it
Tough to look at but me feel maybe good for reflection.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:45 AM
Response to Reply #31
48. So do Americans...
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 06:49 AM by Karmakaze
"No, they demonstrably can't because they live in a totalitarian state."

You don't really believe your last two elections were REAL do you? And as for totalitarian state, you do realise that that is the state THE PEOPLE created when they overthrew the American backed dictator, don't you? Ever thought they might LIKE their state being totalitarian?

Many Americans seem to like theirs that way...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 07:37 AM
Response to Reply #48
50. "Ever thought they might LIKE their state being totalitarian?"
If this is what progressivism has become, I need to find a new ideology.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 08:48 AM
Response to Reply #50
54. I didnt say I liked it...
I said what if THEY like it? Does being progressive mean FORCING people to submit to our view of the world?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
GeorgeGist Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:58 AM
Response to Reply #27
37. And thanks to FUBAR...
they needn't look here either. Now that's a solution to a problem that didn't need to exist.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:08 AM
Response to Reply #37
39. FUBAR
Me think US still in SNAFU mode :rofl:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:12 AM
Response to Reply #37
41. Heh heh.
I like this line:

Now that's a solution to a problem that didn't need to exist.

How perfectly succinct, true, and funny.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MadHound Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:40 AM
Response to Reply #15
33. So what does that make the US?
When Bushco promises either "a carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs" to represenatives of the Afghan government concerning running a natural gas pipeline through their country?

Every country rattles it's saber on occaission. Interestingly enough, of the two, Iran and the US, who is the one that has followed through on their threats? Who is the country that invaded another sovereign nation illegally and immorally, forcing an ongoing war based on lies? Speaking of needing to join the global community:eyes:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:49 AM
Response to Reply #33
35. You all being fed
on the superiority of Americans.

The unquestioning faith in the country that it can do no wrong.
That questioning the leaders hence is like questioning the country and is unpatroitic

Damn tough mindset here to overcome.
The basic problems of Americans and their policies

Such mindset does not allow for usage of brains

And I think that is why bush win
He play on this simple mindset
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:42 AM
Response to Reply #15
47. And you need to stop promoting the propaganda
They HAVE been confronted, they HAVE allowed the IAEA in, and the IAEA confirmed that their programme was aimed at civillian nuclear power only.

They are not being ALLOWED to join the international community, and they support terrorists no more than the US does.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:17 AM
Response to Reply #4
11. Fishing for a Pretext in Iran
Fishing for a Pretext in Iran

by Juan Cole; March 18, 2006

link: http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=9929

snip:"it is often alleged that since Iran harbors the desire to “destroy” Israel, it must not be allowed to have the bomb. Ahmadinejad has gone blue in the face denouncing the immorality of any mass extermination of innocent civilians, but has been unable to get a hearing in the English-language press. Moreover, the presidency is a very weak post in Iran, and the president is not commander of the armed forces and has no control over nuclear policy. Ahmadinejad’s election is not relevant to the nuclear issue, and neither is the question of whether he is, as Liz Cheney is reported to have said, “a madman.” Iran has not behaved in a militarily aggressive way since its 1979 revolution, having invaded no other countries, unlike Iraq, Israel or the U.S. Washington has nevertheless succeeded in depicting Iran as a rogue state"

snip:"Supreme Jurisprudent Ali Khamenei has given a fatwa or formal religious ruling against nuclear weapons, and President Ahmadinejad at his inauguration denounced such arms and committed Iran to remaining a nonnuclear weapons state.

In fact, the Iranian regime has gone further, calling for the Middle East to be a nuclear-weapons-free zone. On Feb. 26, Ahmadinejad said:
“We too demand that the Middle East be free of nuclear weapons; not only the Middle East, but the whole world should be free of nuclear weapons.”
Only Israel among the states of the Middle East has the bomb, and its stockpile provoked the arms race with Iraq that in some ways led to the U.S. invasion of 2003. The U.S. has also moved nukes into the Middle East at some points, either on bases in Turkey or on submarines.

Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has allowed the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect and monitor its nuclear energy research program, as required by the treaty. It raised profound suspicions, however, with its one infraction against the treaty--which was to conduct some secret civilian research that it should have reported and did not, and which was discovered by inspectors. Tehran denies having military labs aiming for a bomb, and in November of 2003 the IAEA formally announced that it could find no proof of such a weapons program."

snip"Bush’s allegations about the Iranians providing improvised explosive devices to the Iraqi guerrilla insurgency are bizarre. The British military looked into charges of improvised explosive devices coming from Iran, and actually came out this past January and apologized to Tehran when no evidence pointed to Iranian government involvement. The guerrillas in Iraq are militant Sunnis who hate Shiites, and it is wholly implausible that the Iranian regime would supply bombs to the enemies of its Iraqi allies."

link to full article: http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=9929
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Emit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:29 AM
Response to Reply #11
13. Ahmadinejad said: We too demand that the M. E. be free of nuclear weapons
... Ahmadinejad has gone blue in the face denouncing the immorality of any mass extermination of innocent civilians, but has been unable to get a hearing in the English-language press.

~Snip~

On Feb. 26, Ahmadinejad said:

“We too demand that the Middle East be free of nuclear weapons; not only the Middle East, but the whole world should be free of nuclear weapons.”

Only Israel among the states of the Middle East has the bomb, and its stockpile provoked the arms race with Iraq that in some ways led to the U.S. invasion of 2003. The U.S. has also moved nukes into the Middle East at some points, either on bases in Turkey or on submarines...



News you won't find on Fox, or apparently on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, etc., etc.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:49 AM
Response to Reply #13
14. nor will you find this "minor" detail
snip: "in November of 2003 the IAEA formally announced that it could find no proof of such a weapons program. The U.S. reaction was a blustery incredulity, which is not actually an argument or proof in its own right, however good U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton is at bunching his eyebrows and glaring."

from: Fishing for a Pretext in Iran

by Juan Cole; March 18, 2006

link: http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=9929
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:17 AM
Response to Reply #11
16. As have Japan and Saudi Arabia
Instead of trying to hold up Iran as a poster child for freedom and peace, why not use a country that has a teensy bit of credibility. Pakistan has even called for a nuclear freeze in the region.
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?p=24

And that last part blaming ALL the guerilla attacks on Sunnis is just so much bullshit. The Shiites have their militias and have been participants in the violence in Iraq as well. Do you not remember Sadr?? Iran has not only instigated some of that, but they're also instigators of some of the diplomatic antaganisms as well. There just isn't one group that you can point a finger at in the Middle East and call the bad guys. It isn't that simple.

And frankly, I haven't read one single article by Juan Cole that has had all the facts correct. I know he is considered a god on the blogosphere, but he actually leads the left astray quite a bit which makes it more difficult for the left to have credibility when talking about ending the war or creating a ME path to peace.

Iran isn't an imminent threat and may never become a threat, but to keep pretending the people are living in these countries with peace and prosperity is just to have your head in the sand.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:39 AM
Response to Reply #16
19. I don't think Dr. Cole is holding up Iran as an example of anything
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 04:29 AM by Douglas Carpenter
At least I personally did not interpret it that way.

He is simply putting the record straight of what Iranian officials actually said and what the actual details actually are.

The U.S. is not possibly preparing for an imminent attack on Pakistan. It is probably preparing for an imminent attack on Iran. Pakistan is certainly no more of a democracy and probably less of democracy than Iran with probably just as bad if not a worse record on human rights.
They certainly have no more of a favorable view toward Israel than Iran. Pakistan certainly has more verifiable links to terrorism than Iran.

Regarding Iraq there is simply no evidence according to the British DOD of Iranian involvement in supplying weapons to enemies of an Iraq's Iranian-friendly elected government. No one seriously doubts that the Iraqi majority and its elected government would seek closer ties with their natural cultural and religious allies in Iran
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:44 AM
Response to Reply #19
20. No, Iran is as bad as Pakistan
Easily as many verifiable links to terrorism. Easily as bad on human rights. You don't have to praise or excuse Iran's behavior to argue against a nuclear attack. And yet that's how Cole's piece comes off, particularly the denial of Iran being involved in the inner workings of Iraq. They have always been, and even more so since we went in. Between Bush and Iran, there's no good guy. Just like there wasn't a good guy between Bush and Saddam. We don't need to go down that road to argue against nuking Iran.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:57 AM
Response to Reply #20
21. fair enough
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 03:58 AM by Douglas Carpenter
as long as there is agreement that any military strike against Iran would be insanity - disagreeing over who is worse Pakistan or Iran is irrelevant.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 04:53 AM
Response to Reply #19
23. What he says is true up to a point.
But in many ways it's also glossing over some important concepts. For instance:

Ahmadinejad’s election is not relevant to the nuclear issue, and neither is the question of whether he is, as Liz Cheney is reported to have said, “a madman.”

While it may be true that the mullahs hold the true power in Iran, it's not as if the words of the President carry no weight, and his words can certainly be a window into the thinking of the real power-brokers in Iran. I think this is especially true with this Iranian president, given his relatively close ties to the mullahs and the military power structure.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Karmakaze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:56 AM
Response to Reply #16
49. Quick... your propaganda is showing!
Find ONE post where anyone said the people of Iran are living in peace and prosperity? You can't because no one said it! Well, except you of course.

So this post of yours agrees that Iran has done everything asked of it regarding nuclear research, and that the IAEA declared their reserch to not be part of a nuclear weapons programme. In fact you really can't shoot down ANY of the actual arguments made, so you come up with this strawman "peace and prosperity".

Pfft..
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 04:48 AM
Response to Reply #11
22. Aww...
Ahmadinejad has gone blue in the face denouncing the immorality of any mass extermination of innocent civilians, but has been unable to get a hearing in the English-language press.

Isn't that cute? I suppose he wants to gently wipe Israel off the map. Perhaps move it to a nice beach in Florida.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:06 AM
Response to Reply #22
24. the simple point is the President of Iran has made it clear on several
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 05:10 AM by Douglas Carpenter
occaision that he has no intentions of launching an attack against Israel and is not in the position to do so anyway. Those are the facts.
Modern Iran has never attacked anyone. This cannot be said about some other countries in the region.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:10 AM
Response to Reply #24
26. Right.
I suppose they'll just let Hezbollah do it for them.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:15 AM
Response to Reply #26
29. Hezboullah happens to be the largest political party in Lebanon
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 05:38 AM by Douglas Carpenter
I certainly don't consider them a great group of guys and they certainly have been guilty of terrorism. But they are far from alone on that.

No credible source believes Iran is an imminent threat to Israel or the U.S.

Any military attack against Iran would have absolute devastating affects on the entire region, fuel terrorism and make the current debacle in Iraq look like a Sunday School picnic. This virtually everyone agrees with. It would be an act of absolute insanity that both America and Israel would suffer from greatly for years if not generations to come.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:33 AM
Response to Reply #29
32. I never suggested that they were an imminent threat.
I don't believe they are an imminent threat. I do believe, however, that one way or another they are going to be denied nuclear weapons. I also think that denying Iran nukes is about the only sane goal in this situation. As usual, the Bush policy to achieve this goal is stupid and will be implemented with extreme incompetence. But yes, in the long run I think Iran is completely capable of developing a nuclear weapon and giving it to Hezbollah, and I base this on their history, not the statements of the monkey man in Washington.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:58 AM
Response to Reply #32
36. no sane person wants Iran to have nuclear weapons
but so far there is no actual evidence that they are actually even working on it.

And yes they like most Shiites are sympathetic to Hezboullah as is the elected government in Iraq.

A nuclear strike on Israel would likely cause the death of hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions of Arabic people and likely the destruction of Islamic holy sites and the desecration of a land considered sacred to Muslims; and this is before any retaliation. I find this all quite implausible. And remember there has long been a proposal supported by Iran and almost every country in the Middle East to make the Middle East completely free of nuclear weapons.

Even so as you say they are going about deterring a nuclear-armed Iran all wrong. Before Bush Jr. came to power the pro-democracy and western- friendly forces within Iran were on the march and making real progress. When Iran or anyone is under threat critics of the state lose influence and nationalist fervor rises dramatically.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cessna Invesco Palin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:14 AM
Response to Reply #36
42. Totally.
That idiot in the white house bears a great deal of responsibility for the current situation. I can't think of a more wrong person for dealing with Iran.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bdamomma Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 07:58 AM
Response to Reply #42
51. the man of one liners
sitting in WH has to go, he can go to hell, about protecting the American People, this man who sits in WH who wraps himself in the flag and "politicizing" religion must go, he is clearly not all there mentally. We now are invading and attacking countries that never did anything to us, for this man's addiction of oil. He must be stopped. I hope the IAEA comes back with some helpful and encouraging info today. These people want Nuclear power and not nuclear bombs.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Toucano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:07 AM
Response to Original message
6. Aren't they allowed to develop nuclear weapons?
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 02:26 AM by Toucano
They are clearly threatened by the west. Do they have less right to a nuclear deterrent than India or Pakistan or the United States? On what grounds?

They're being governed by a "mad-man", right? So it the United States.

It's difficult to make a logical or rational case against Iran's right to nuclear weapons while the U.S. is designing and developing a new generation of nuclear weapons.

On edit: Corrected misuse of "Iraq" when typing "Iran". I've been doing that a lot lately.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
radwriter0555 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:10 AM
Response to Original message
8. What on earth makes you think that ANYTHING coming from bush is truthful
and accurate?

Come on! Are you going to get duped again?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Emit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 02:12 AM
Response to Original message
10. Here's a fairly comprehensive history of events
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 02:16 AM by Emit
Seems a good resource, although I am not familiar with the site.


http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:3bylinb86BAJ:www.reachingcriticalwill.org/legal/iran.html+Iran+Russia+Pursue+Developing+Peaceful+Nuke+Energy&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=12

on edit, and excerpt:

In its resolution of 24 September 2005, the IAEA Board pointed out that “Iran’s policy of concealment has resulted in many breaches of obligation to comply with its Safeguards agreement,” though “good progress has been made in Iran’s correction of the breaches and in the Agency’s ability to confirm certain aspects of Iran’s current declarations.” However, it “finds that Iran’s many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with its NPT Safeguards Agreement, as detailed in GOV/2003/75, constitute non compliance in the context of Article XII.C of the Agency’s Statute.”

In addition, after inspections, the Director General of the IAEA can make resolutions which call for certain measures to be followed by the particular State Party, such as the suspension of certain activities (i.e. uranium enrichment). However, since enriching uranium is Iran’s right, compliance with these requests is not legally binding but is a voluntary confidence building measure. In the Iran case, the E3 (France, Germany, and the UK) and Iran adopted the Paris Agreement, under which Iran “decided, on a voluntary basis, to continue and extend its suspension to include all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, and specifically: the manufacture and import of gas centrifuges and their components; the assembly, installation, testing or operation of gas centrifuges; work to undertake any plutonium separation, or to construct or operate any plutonium separation installation; and all tests or production at any uranium conversion installation.” While the IAEA can verify and monitor this suspension, it does not have legal authority to enforce it.


Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 03:19 AM
Response to Reply #10
17. How about the IAEA itself
Seems to me that would be the best source of information.

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LynnTheDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 05:12 AM
Response to Original message
28. YES, under the NPT Iran has the LEGAL RIGHT to persue nuke energy.
FACT.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Oversea Visitor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:05 AM
Response to Reply #28
38. Does it matter Lynn
They only seeing the elephants in the room........
NUKE ......... FEAR.......BLIND HATE............AMERICAN SUPERIORITY........
The American superiority mindset damn easy tool to use by ROVE
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
malaise Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 06:17 AM
Response to Original message
43. This has been my question from day one
Edited on Thu Apr-13-06 06:18 AM by malaise
Finland, for example, has just moved towards more nuclear energy without as much as a squeak from any of the so called great Western (read white) nations often referred to as 'the world'.

There is this 19th century view that only Westerners have the right to blow the world apart in the name of civilization. Given the Western world's propensity to bomb the rest of the planet into this uncivilzed version of civilization, who can blame them for believing that others may follow suit. The Western world is no longer able to hide from their obvious hypocrisy and double standards. :puke: :puke:
Ban all fugging nuclear weapons on the planet.

Edit -Gr.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bdamomma Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Apr-13-06 08:02 AM
Response to Reply #43
52. Yes,
ban all nuclear weapons. Grown up men and their disasterous toys.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Dec 26th 2024, 05:16 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (01/01/06 through 01/22/2007) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC