Originally posted by 27jd
Then what grounds do the EU-3 and the U.S. even have to raise the issues they have?

- As best as I can make out the issues are raised on the grounds that some see Iran with a nuclear weapon as very scary.
There was a small amount of enriched uranium contamination found during one visit.
That was the basis for all of this as far as I can tell (and all now discredited as a serious worry too).

Why doesn't the IAEA just come out and say Iran has met it's obligations, end of story?

- Because it is an on-going issue.
Iran has yet to enrich uranium.
But they have said they want to so as not to be beholden to other countries in their domestic needs.
Others claim then this indicates a clear desire of theirs to make nuclear weapons.

Is it maybe because the obligations set by the IAEA are not sufficient to ensure nuclear weapons are not being created?

- No, I don't think so.
Especially as the current informed US estimates are that Iran is at least 10yrs off of a bomb (if they were trying for one).
There is absolutely no evidence for an Iranian nuclear weapon.
In fact sometimes you get a little closer to the truth when people here talk about 'better safe than sorry'.
There is nothing in reality for anyone to fear right now but the mere thought of what some imagine might happen is, for some, sufficient grounds to
attack Iran (and frankly they couldn't care less if those unprovoked attacks on nuclear facilities result in poisoning (ie murdering) Iranian people
or polluting their territory).

I'm not sure personally, but if it were as cut and dry as you say, how is this an issue at all?

- Because some people are determined to make and keep this as an issue.

It's not just the U.S. and Israel that are concerned.

- I think it mostly is; they are certainly the only place where the threats (implied or outright) are coming from.

What good is being a signatory of the IAEA if the IAEA requirements are not able to deter the production of nuclear weapons, like they are
meant to?

- Well if they actually had a bomb you might have a point but seeing as they are at least 10yrs off of one (and that is only if they are actually
trying for one at the moment).........?

Well if they're not hiding anything, why not go as far as needed for peace?

- They are doing the same as anyone else would do.
They are trying to find a way to keep as much of their security intact as possible whilst saving as much face as possible whilst answering the
concerns.
(cos it isn't like
they don't feel under sustained threat or anything, right?)
They are not, however, just going to roll over and do anything the USA says because the US says so (I take it Iranian/US history isn't unknown to
you?).

Whatever Bush and Sharon claim, Iran should make it completely clear how wrong they are by allowing immediate access, discrediting the U.S.
and Israel.

- ......and can you think of a single time when any other nation has just dropped the security surrounding itself to expose every 'facility' to
demontrate they do not have 'xyz'?
The whole thing about this is you cannot 'prove' a negative; all that will happen is (after every known facility is revealed and found empty) there
will be claims regarding 'secret sites'.
Just like before.
Just like now.
Why would anyone want to engage in that game?

Why did they originally only allow inspectors in to 1 of 4 sites?

- Because they obviously saw this as another put up job by the US and Israel (having just witnessed the similar farce in Iraq).
They insisted the IAEA follow their normal proceedures, which the IAEA subsequently did - to the point where the IAEA now publicly say Iran is
completely fulfilling her requirements and obligations.

If police come to search your home, you can't tell them they can search the living room, but not the kitchen or the bedrooms. It's the same
type of thing Saddam did, just maybe not as blatant.

- But Iran is not the subject of a 'police raid' no matter how much the US likes to imagine all the UN bodies simply are there to act on her
behalf.
You cannot just barge in when and where you like.
You follow the usual proceedures (unless you have some spectacularly good reasons for behaving otherwise....and in this case no one has).
Jayzuss wept, there is a large movement in the US against the whole idea of the world police and having you national sovereignty trashed......do you
think Iranians (with all that has passed between them) look kindly on the USA thinking she can barge in or just get others to barge in (and do the
USA's work for them) and tell them what to do anytime they feel like it?

They have since ended those negotiations, it seems, IMO, they are just stalling as long as they can.

- Again despite all the evidence to the contrary it appears you prefer to simply 'believe' the opposite to current events.
The Russians seem to be making good progress, no?
But whether the negotiations are successful or not, right now, Iran still has not made nuclear weapons nor will she have.

I guess it depends, if the ultimate goal were to do away with nuclear weapons, I would not have a problem with it.

- No one is talking 'Iranian nuclear weapons' but the USA and Israel.

When has the IAEA been threatened?

- I said pressured not threatened. A find distinction ok but one that is there nevertheless.

Why would the IAEA bow to pressure from the U.S. and Israel when there are other nations in the U.N. that can counter that
pressure?

- I think Iraq proved the fallacy of that idea.
However the farce that was Iraq has led to the USA trying to be seen to let Europe attempt to work wonders.
Blame avoidance and all that, you know?

But they certainly directly suggest the IAEA has unanswered questions regarding Iran's nuclear program.

- .....and?
OK, so there may be some questions (to cover the absolute nth degree).
That is a million miles away from the IAEA accusing Iran of making nuclear weapons or Iran having an actual nuclear weapon.

How do you know when they asked?

- If you look you will find several news articles which mention that this site was never subject to an inspection request originally.

I'm sure there are no surprise inspections, if everything is scheduled it makes it easy to move things around.

- That's just the same mentality as used in Iraq.
No matter that they find nothing it's always just them being too crafty by half and hiding everything.
Sorry, I just don't think it credible (and I think you'll find those sentiments all across the majority in Europe).
Frankly I think the Iraqi program that was revealed post gulf war mk1 showed just how unlikely this is (and they now have experience of going after
hidden programs).
I do not think it is possible to move stuff around and leave no trace; a secret facility maybe (but they never stay secret for long) but not a "shell
game", no.

France on Wednesday, speaking in the name of Europe but also Britain and Germany, told the Islamic Republic to cooperate "fully" with the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and present a "crystal clear" report on its controversial atomic activities to the next meeting of the
Agency's Board of Director, scheduled for mi-June, or "face loosing international confidence and possible consequences".
www.iran-press-service.com...
- Not exactly the strongest diplomatic language anyone ever heard, hmmm?
It's negotiation, and Iranians/Persians have been known for centuries as canny negotiators.
We push they give a little but not everything and not for nothing.

French President Chirac warned Iran
He looks pretty pissed, doesn't he?

- Yet despite drawing those kind of conclusions from a mere picture you cannot say that he is saying much to indicate that, hmmm?

IMO the best place to begin would be to stop the spread of the cancer first, then focus on massive arsenals.

- I have no desire to see nuclear weapons spread myself.
I do think that this is being handled in a manner that probably ensures they will be, if not with Iran then someone else.
But I do think that for a nuclear free world we have to look to who has the most and do something about those vast stockpiles.
The possibility that Iran might at some point down the line get a pifflingly small nuclear capacity compared to the USA's or Russia's or Frances or
China's or the UK's hardly seems to be focusing in on where the main problem lies.

Whether you see it as the point or not, it's true.

- I disagree, the point is not that others feel they have a right to produce nuclear weapons (Iran has made no such claims herself) and will try to
get them.
IMO the true point is that when faced with what they see as threats and intimidation by countries
already in possession of nuclear weapons
those without may well try to move to get them so as to deter attack (whether nuclear or not).

Bush is temporary, after he's gone, all those countries will still have nuclear weapons, do you think they will just give them up after the
threats and intimidations subside?

- Why not?
That is exactly what happened between the so-called superpowers.
Once they realised the vast destructive power of what they had, got out of the habit of continuing to make or imply insane threats and decided to
begin to try and trust each other they were able to make serious strides in giving up large parts of their nuclear weaponry.
It may be that this ends up being a necessary step if it comes to it.
Maybe, as India and Pakistan are now finding, they are better off knowing that whatever small spats they have neither are really going to attempt to
try and kill the other so horribly because each would lose.
Maybe that is the point at which things move on a sensible and realistic footing.
It isn't unknown, once each side realise that neither can win a victory of any real meaning over the other the sane talk may well start.

Are you willing for your children to live under a greater and constant threat of nuclear war because of Bush? That's the point.

- I think you are mistaken.
I think our track record on conflict resolution between the nations is getting better.

No big money in nuclear wasteland either, is there?

- No arguement here about that one.
[edit on 11-11-2005 by sminkeypinkey]