Bush Threatens Force Against Iran
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, August 13 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - US President George W. Bush threatened in an interview with the Israeli television broadcast Saturday, August 13, he could consider using force to press Iran to give up its nuclear program.
Asked whether the use of force against Tehran was on his agenda, Bush replied: "All options are on the table," Reuters reported.
"The use of force is the last option for any president and you know, we've used force in the recent past to secure our country," he said in a clear reference to the US-led invasion-turned-occupation of Iraq in March 2003.
"I have been willing to do so as a last resort in order to secure the country and provide the opportunity for people to live in free societies," Bush told a reporter from Israeli public television from his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Despite a lingering standoff, the US has ruled out the use of force against North Korea, which boasts having nuclear weapons and reprocessing spent fuel at its controversial Yongbyon nuclear plant.
Iran resumed work at a uranium conversion plant on Monday, August 8, and has rejected a resolution taken by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to halt sensitive atomic work.
Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is only designed to produce electricity and refutes Western accusations of seeking a nuclear bomb.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had underlined that there was no evidence Iran was developing nuclear weapons.
The right to peaceful nuclear technology is enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that for 35 years has governed efforts to contain the spread of atomic weapons.
The New Yorker’s award-winning reporter Seymour Hersh revealed in January 2005 that American commandoes have been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran.
"The goal is to identify and isolate three dozen, and perhaps more, such targets that could be destroyed by precision strikes and short-term commando raids," he wrote citing well-placed CIA and Pentagon sources.
The sources said the "Iranian campaign" is next on the agenda of the administration of wartime Bush.
Skeptical Bush
"Bear in mind that you cannot treat Iran like Iraq or Libya," said Rafsanjani. (Reuters).
President Bush doubted the EU initiative to defuse the crisis through diplomatic means would succeed.
"In all these instances we want diplomacy to work and so we are working feverishly on the diplomatic route and, you know, we will see if we are successful or not. As you know I'm skeptical."
Referring to the IAEA's recent measure, Bush said: "If Iran doesn't take the steps described in the resolution, we would expect that the next step would be referral to the Security Council".
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Friday, August 12, that negotiations were still possible with Iran on condition the Iranians suspend their nuclear activities.
He said the next step would be on September 3 when ElBaradei reports on Iran's activities.
If Iran continues to defy global demands, another IAEA meeting will likely be held, where both Europe and Washington will push for a referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
Israel has been prodding Washington to adopt a tough stance on Iran and charged that Tehran resumed its uranium conversion activities because it had sensed the "weakness" of the international community.
"Iran made this decision because they are getting the impression that the United States and the Europeans are spineless," a senior official from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israel itself is the only nuclear power in the Middle East.
Although it has never admitted to having nuclear weapons, it is believed to possess an arsenal of about 200 warheads.
“Irreversible”
Iran, for its part, maintained Friday that its decision to resume uranium conversion was "irreversible," warning against treating it like Iraq.
"Bear in mind that you cannot treat Iran like Iraq or Libya," said Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the influential former president, in a weekly Friday sermon.
"You could drag things on but Iran's decision is irreversible," he told the worshiper addressing himself to the West.
"It is very important and will create new conditions for our country and the region. It will turn a new leaf in the history of our revolution," said Rafsanjani, who was the top challenger in Iran's recent presidential election.
Thousands or Iranians took to the streets of Tehran after Friday prayers, denouncing the IAEA resolution and supporting their country’s right to have a nuclear program.
Asked whether the use of force against Tehran was on his agenda, Bush replied: "All options are on the table," Reuters reported.
"The use of force is the last option for any president and you know, we've used force in the recent past to secure our country," he said in a clear reference to the US-led invasion-turned-occupation of Iraq in March 2003.
"I have been willing to do so as a last resort in order to secure the country and provide the opportunity for people to live in free societies," Bush told a reporter from Israeli public television from his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Despite a lingering standoff, the US has ruled out the use of force against North Korea, which boasts having nuclear weapons and reprocessing spent fuel at its controversial Yongbyon nuclear plant.
Iran resumed work at a uranium conversion plant on Monday, August 8, and has rejected a resolution taken by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to halt sensitive atomic work.
Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is only designed to produce electricity and refutes Western accusations of seeking a nuclear bomb.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had underlined that there was no evidence Iran was developing nuclear weapons.
The right to peaceful nuclear technology is enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that for 35 years has governed efforts to contain the spread of atomic weapons.
The New Yorker’s award-winning reporter Seymour Hersh revealed in January 2005 that American commandoes have been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran.
"The goal is to identify and isolate three dozen, and perhaps more, such targets that could be destroyed by precision strikes and short-term commando raids," he wrote citing well-placed CIA and Pentagon sources.
The sources said the "Iranian campaign" is next on the agenda of the administration of wartime Bush.
Skeptical Bush
"Bear in mind that you cannot treat Iran like Iraq or Libya," said Rafsanjani. (Reuters).
President Bush doubted the EU initiative to defuse the crisis through diplomatic means would succeed.
"In all these instances we want diplomacy to work and so we are working feverishly on the diplomatic route and, you know, we will see if we are successful or not. As you know I'm skeptical."
Referring to the IAEA's recent measure, Bush said: "If Iran doesn't take the steps described in the resolution, we would expect that the next step would be referral to the Security Council".
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said on Friday, August 12, that negotiations were still possible with Iran on condition the Iranians suspend their nuclear activities.
He said the next step would be on September 3 when ElBaradei reports on Iran's activities.
If Iran continues to defy global demands, another IAEA meeting will likely be held, where both Europe and Washington will push for a referral to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
Israel has been prodding Washington to adopt a tough stance on Iran and charged that Tehran resumed its uranium conversion activities because it had sensed the "weakness" of the international community.
"Iran made this decision because they are getting the impression that the United States and the Europeans are spineless," a senior official from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Israel itself is the only nuclear power in the Middle East.
Although it has never admitted to having nuclear weapons, it is believed to possess an arsenal of about 200 warheads.
“Irreversible”
Iran, for its part, maintained Friday that its decision to resume uranium conversion was "irreversible," warning against treating it like Iraq.
"Bear in mind that you cannot treat Iran like Iraq or Libya," said Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the influential former president, in a weekly Friday sermon.
"You could drag things on but Iran's decision is irreversible," he told the worshiper addressing himself to the West.
"It is very important and will create new conditions for our country and the region. It will turn a new leaf in the history of our revolution," said Rafsanjani, who was the top challenger in Iran's recent presidential election.
Thousands or Iranians took to the streets of Tehran after Friday prayers, denouncing the IAEA resolution and supporting their country’s right to have a nuclear program.
posted by ltf ha at 7:16 AM
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