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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (55688)	7/22/2004 11:33:25 AM
From: carranza2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793623

Iran is the biggest story in the world. Its support of Hizbollah, AQ, and its nuclear efforts make it a huge threat. The CFR document I linked in my opinion does not set forth an adequate recognition of the threat. Why did so many of the 9/11 hijackers need to go to Iran? What earthly purpose motivated them? Here is one of the CFR's report's conclusions with respect to Iran's influence over Iraq and Afghanistan: The Task Force concluded that, although Iran’s leadership is pursuing multiple avenues of influence and is exploiting Iraqi instability for its own political gain, Iran nevertheless could play a potentially significant role in promoting a stable, pluralistic government in Baghdad. It might be induced to be a constructive actor toward both Iraq and Afghanistan, but it retains the capacity to create significant difficulties for these regimes if it is alienated from the new post-conflict governments in those two countries. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. To suggest that a country whose idea of pluralism is a purely Islamist government overseen by Mad Mullahs can potentially be an influence in favor of a stable pluralistic society in Iraq is pipe-smoke. Another issue I disagree with the CFR report is what to do with in the short therm about Iran's nuclear ambitions. I think it is a given that they will continue; the report urges saanctions if the Iranians do not show compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Sanctions don't work, as we learned in Iraq: In the short term, the United States should press the IAEA to exercise its Additional Protocol verification rights vigorously in order to deter and detect any clandestine nuclear activities. This should serve as a decisive test case for Iranian compliance with its bligations under Article II of the Nonproliferation Treaty and for the credibility and viability of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime. Tehran must clearly understand that unless it demonstrates real, uninterrupted cooperation with the IAEA process, it will face the prospect of uniltilateral sanctions by the United Nations Security Council. Over the longer term, the United States should aim to convene a dialogue on issues of cooperative security involving Iran and its nuclear armed neighbors.