NEWS: Bush offers to help EU over Iran

US President George W Bush has offered his services and has said he is willing to help European countries as they negotiate with Iran over it's nuclear programme. He stated that the US has apparantly been looking at how it could help move the process forward, even though the European plan would offer Iran economic incentives in trade for it to give up its nuclear programme. "I have told our European friends who are handling the negotiations on behalf of the rest of the world that we want to help make sure the process goes forward, and we're looking at ways to do this," Mr Bush said.



Is this more of a message from the US to Europe to get the situation with Iran sorted soon or they'll do it for them? Or is it showing Iran that although they think they may be able to hold off the EU Bush is showing them that the US is standing right behind them and will react if they do so?

Either way it seems that Bush is in a hurry to get this resolved soon, with reports of Iran building tunnels to protect their nuclear materials in case of an attack could they be expecting one in the future?

[edit on 4-3-2005 by John Nada]

I think we're basically telling Europe we're willing to try it your way, but if doesn't work you better be ready to back us with a harsh response.

I do not think that a man who described a country as being an "axis of evil" being involved in discussions is a very good idea. He is the last person they will want to try to reason with.

Europe needs the US to give Iran security incentive's or no deal will be reached.

thanks,
drfunk

[edit on 4-3-2005 by drfunk]

This sank out of sight.

Bump.

ouch, looks like a case of wisdom creeping out of our foreign affairs department. Nothing the US can say will be accepted by Iran, no matter how fair, decent, or blatantly pro-Iranian it could be.

But the EU has already shown it's just as ready to make the details to prop up it's financial experiments by selling everything and anything to any nation with the oil and the cash. French missiles, German reactors, whatever.

Basically, this accomplishes two things-first, it allows someone to negotiate with Iran whom Iran won't lose face by listening to (sad how even such things as nuclear weapons come down more to pride of a few leaders than anything else)
Second, it gives the EU and it's UN arm a chance to clean up it's act, after the recent scandals show the UN opposed the war mostly because the voting delegates were personally bribed with Saddam's oil vouchers. here the EU has a chance to prove it's a legitimate government, not a cartel of formerly competing businesses out only for profit. Though until the populations actually *vote* for "their" EU representatives, I doubt that there will be any long term commitment to the betterment of anything but stakeholders' and owners' personal pocketbooks.

Originally posted by Phugedaboudet

ouch, looks like a case of wisdom creeping out of our foreign affairs department. Nothing the US can say will be accepted by Iran, no matter how fair, decent, or blatantly pro-Iranian it could be.

Manners are never wasted. ...Sure, Iran isn't going to accept the US as a long lost brother, but the effort will be respected for what it is.



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Well, among people, sure. But among politicians, where the party line is more important than the truth? And where the "right thing" often won't be done if it was expressed first by the opposition?

We can't make the mistake and think Iranian politicans are less sophisitcated, less sneaky, less diabolical, and/or less rotten. Remember, these people were negotiating trades that made or broke empires, as the Persian Empire centuries ago.

Even our slimiest political tools are mere babes in the woods compared to a milennia of practice.

Originally posted by soficrow

Originally posted by Phugedaboudet

ouch, looks like a case of wisdom creeping out of our foreign affairs department. Nothing the US can say will be accepted by Iran, no matter how fair, decent, or blatantly pro-Iranian it could be.

Manners are never wasted. ...Sure, Iran isn't going to accept the US as a long lost brother, but the effort will be respected for what it is.



.