where do they get these ideas?

[sisyphusshrugged]

Iran wants to develop new nuclear technology, including "dual-use" technology that can be adapted for weapons

President Bush pressed Iran on Monday to give up its nuclear ambitions as Iranian officials asked European nations to help them obtain advanced technology that could be used to make the weapons.

``The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Great Britain have gone in as a group to send a message on behalf of the free world that Iran must comply with the demands of the free world,'' Bush said. ``And my attitude is, we've got to continue to keep pressure on the government, and help others keep pressure on the government.''

In a document last week, however, Tehran asked the three European powers to back Iran's insistence that it have access to ``advanced (nuclear) technology, including those with dual use'' - a term for equipment and technical expertise that have both peaceful and military applications.

U.S. officials say the new demands, which stunned German, French and British diplomats, effectively stalled negotiations.

The Europeans have not formally responded to that demand, which was made available to The Associated Press. Instead, they urged Iran to act on its pledge to clear up nagging suspicions about its nuclear efforts by Sept. 13 when the International Atomic Energy Agency meets.

Iran said Monday that the international community has no reason to be suspicious about its nuclear work. ``Iran has not violated any of its commitments to international treaties in its nuclear program,'' Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Pakistan doesn't want inspections of their nuclear programs, despite the fact that we know they've provided nuclear materia to Iran

Pakistan's foreign minister insisted Monday his country was cooperating with a United Nations probe into Iran's suspect nuclear program, but ruled out allowing inspectors into Pakistan as part of the crucial investigation.

"Pakistan is a responsible member of the international community. We have been cooperating with the IAEA and sharing information," said Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, who is on a two day visit to Tehran.

"Of course we will cooperate and are cooperating," he told a press conference.

"But as far as inspections of Pakistan are concerned, that is out of the question. We are not a signatory of the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)."

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have found traces of highly-enriched uranium inside Iran, leading to suspicions Iran has been trying to produce nuclear bombs and not just atomic energy as it insists.

and who is standing in their way? Certainly not us. We think inspections are a bad idea.

While unexpected, the decision by the Bush administration last month to oppose inspections and verification as part of the Fissile Materials Cutoff Treaty is not surprising. Since taking office, the administration has taken a number of steps that have undermined the ability of the United States and the world community to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

But given the fact that Bush agrees with most analysts that the greatest danger facing the United States is a nuclear weapon falling into the hands of a rogue state or terrorist group, his actions are counterproductive and defy good sense.

The fissile materials cutoff would ban the production of enriched uranium and plutonium, the two ingredients used for setting off a chain reaction nuclear explosion. It was designed to reinforce the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and impose restraints on the three nuclear powers which are not parties to that treaty.

By refusing to establish an inspection regime for the fissile materials cutoff, the Bush administration has thwarted a 10-year effort by the international community to lure Pakistan, India and Israel into accepting some oversight of their nuclear production programs.

The Nonproliferation Treaty strikes a grand bargain among the five declared nuclear powers and the rest of the world that the non-nuclear states will not develop nuclear weapons, in return for which the nuclear powers will reduce and eventually eliminate their own nuclear weapons.

Since coming into office, the Bush administration has undermined this reciprocal arrangement in a variety of ways, despite the fact that it could make America safer and more secure...

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

With Iran's borders controlled by Pakistan, Russia, and us (all nuclear armed), the odds of anyone talking it out of having their own counterthreat are vanishingly slim. Similarly, the likelihood that India, Pakistan and Israel would let anyone anywhere near their nuclear programs (whether or not we agree to oversight on ours) is minimal.

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

Perhaps.

Fatalism isn't my idea of a negotiating posture.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

I hope we didn't tell any juicy nuclear stuff to Ahmad Chalabi.

[(Anonymous)]

don't joke around about that stuff.

I would imagine the Judith Miller/Rumsfeld/Office of Defence intelligence connetction has leaked some stuff.

Chalabi has crossed to Iran completely. He is telling everything to them now.

We gonna pay for all his trachery.