I can't accept good news without feeling a bit suspicious. For example, today the Guardian reports that the US plans to station diplomats in Iran for the first time since 1979. This news is a remarkable shift from President Bush's attitude two months ago when he equated talking to Iran with appeasement.
But wait. What's Congress doing? Trying to pass a strongly worded piece of legislation (H.CON.RES.362) demanding that "the President initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities by... prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran; and prohibiting the international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran's nuclear program."
Despite the statement that "nothing in this resolution shall be construed as an authorization of the use of force against Iran", it could easily be confused for exactly that. After all, it calls for stringent inspection requirements which mean a naval blockade which would of course involve the use of force.
But wait. Now one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Robert Wexler, is saying he made a mistake. He now plans to amend the bill adding language "highlighting a more effective American strategy that calls for direct engagement with Tehran for the purpose of thwarting Iran's nuclear weapons program and ending its support for international terrorism."
Wexler also states "I fully understand and share the American public's mistrust of President Bush and his administration, which has abused its executive powers, willfully misled this nation into a disastrous war in Iraq and disturbingly continues to beat the Iran war drum."
So I have to wonder why he sponsored the bill in the first place.
What also puzzles and surprises me is that Condoleezza Rice has been a major proponent of negotiations with Iran all along. Her push for diplomacy makes me hopeful that maybe she at least learned something from the Iraq war... But wait. No. She is still proud of the decision to invade Iraq. Yeah, it's a scary thought that Rice could be our last, best chance for peace.
Meanwhile, Dana Perino keeps repeating the same stuff about how Iran must do what we say before we will negotiate. Makes me wonder if she understands what the word "negotiate" means.
So forgive me if I'm suspicious of any good news.
2 comments:
The Iranians are working towards nuclear weapons. Can you blame them?
It is a defensive move. and a wise one at that.
Notice that the only two nations that stand up to U.S. Imperialism are North Korea, and Pakistan. What do they have in common?
They have nukes.
Nuclear Proliferation will restore justice and peace to our world. It will make our nation stop bullying the world. We should support Nuclear Proliferation!
Nuclear weapons make war obsolete because they make victory impossible. It was mutually assured destruction that kept the peace between the Soviet Union and the United States. The peace lasted for decades.
It is bigotry to think that a hereditary Islamic theocracy couldn’t grasp the concept of mutually assured destruction. When both parties have nuclear weapons it is suicide to attack. Governments want to stay in power,, they don’t want to be incinerated.
What government would ever order a suicide attack?
The United States needs to step aside and allow the natural spread of nuclear technology. Technology throughout history has always spread. Gunpowder started in China, which was the most powerful, most advanced, and wealthiest nation on earth at the time. Now,, everyone has gunpowder. The most isolated illiterate tribesman carrys an automatic rifle when they go to war.
In the future, every Mullah, Generalismo, and War Lord will have access to nuclear weapons. All of them will be able to unleash an atomic fireball, but all of them will know that the same thing will come back at them. As rational beings that will realize this is unthinkable.
Once everyone who wants an atomic bomb has one,, Peace will prevail!
Support Iran’s nuclear program. Support Nuclear Proliferation. Help bring forth the new age of Atomic Peace
Yeah it's a real paradigm shift to believe nuclear proliferation is good for peace, but I've been hearing a few people say this since the 80's. Unfortunately, these people were not the ones in power.
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