The IAEA report on Iran, being released this week, provides further evidence–as if any were necessary–about the development of Iran’s nuclear program. It also shows the bankruptcy of Western attempts to stop that program–as if any more evidence were necessary on that score either.
The most successful initiatives to date have been covert, with U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies apparently cooperating to introduce the Stuxnet virus into computers controlling the Iranian nuclear program. Stuxnet–and the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, most likely by Mossad–has slowed down the Iranian program but not stopped it. It has bought time for the West, but we have not used that time wisely. Not even the recently uncovered Iranian terror plot–in which Iranian operatives allegedly plotted with a Mexican drug gang to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington–has spurred Washington into taking tougher action against Tehran.
There had been talk of sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank, but apparently the administration has decided not to proceed with that option, which is one of the few sanctions measures that could apply real pressure on the regime–for fear that it would do damage to global oil markets and the U.S. economy. If we are not willing to suffer any collateral damage, not even economic damage, to stop the Iranian program, then that suggests we are not serious about stopping it. Israel is obviously more serious, but it is questionable whether a military strike on its part–said to be contemplated by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak for the umpteenth time this past week—could do more than delay the Iranian program.
Really stopping the Iranian program would require much tougher steps on the part of the U.S.–steps such as a naval blockade to cripple the Iranian economy and/or air strikes to cripple Iran’s military capacity. Neither is in the offing. Nor, as far as I can tell, is there any serious American-led effort to foment peaceful regime change in Tehran–something ardently desired by most Iranians who have been fed up by years of theological misrule.
So amid all the recriminations and rhetoric this week, the reality will remain unchanged: Iran continues its march to nuclear status, while the West stands by ineffectually watching.
The problem is that whether the US or Israel or a coalition were to resort to a military option in order to take out Iran's nukes (given how far that they have advanced), the knowledge will not disappear; therefore, Iran would only be delayed. (and of course the Russians probably would sell Iran any material that she lost due to the military action.)
If the "International Community" allows the warmongering Israelis to have nukes, why can't Iran also have nukes? n nIsrael has started 8 wars since 1948. Iran has started zero wars in the last 200 years.
Muslim Brotherhood rules from the Atlantic to the Pacific. nIran gives bombs to all terrorists. nEurope in deep doo-doo. nEurope Islamization continues apace. nLights out.