"Evil cannot be accommodated. It must be defeated."
I think the President is aware of this. I also think he figured the regime wouldn't allow the Dole team into the country. But there was nothing to lose either way by offerring, and certainly something to gain either way.
Powell may be ready to "talk nice" to the regime, but he doesn't seem to be on the same page as Mr. Bush.
Thank Goodness.
Wednesday January 7, 22:41 PM
"Maximum alert" in southwest Iran as 26 tremors hit in quick succession
Iranian authorities put a major oil- and gas-producing area in southwest Iran on a state of "maximum alert" after 26 earth tremors jolted the region in less than 36 hours, state TV reported.
The measure, ordered by President Mohammad Khatami, was taken in and around the towns of Masjed Soleiman, Izeh and Baghmalek -- situated around 450 kilometres (280 miles) southwest of Tehran in Khuzestan province.
The report said a succession of tremors, measuring between 2.7 and 4.9 on the Richter scale, had jolted the area since early Tuesday.
Iran has been on a quake footing after a massive earthquake hit the southeastern city of Bam on December 26, killing up to 35,000 people.
"The president has given the order to the concerned services to be on maximum alert and we are very worried," Masjed Soleiman's prefect, Sattar Akbarzadeh, told state television.
The official also warned that in Masjed Soleiman there was a major risk of potentially explosive leaks from the vast oil and gas field underneath the city.
He nevertheless called on residents to "remain calm", while revealing that overnight "people had been sleeping on the streets or in prepared areas even though there was heavy rain" and appealed for 20,000 tents.
"All administrative services in the province have been placed on maximum alert," Shapour Rostami, an official from the provincial natural disasters unit, also told state television.
"We have prepared three camps around the towns of Masjed Soleiman, Izeh and Baghmalek, and all schools have been closed," he said.
"All facilities in the three towns have been mobilised, and all facilities in the province are ready to be sent there if needed."
Masjed Soleiman was last hit by a major quake in September 2002, when an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale caused five injuries.
The Bam quake has also prompted the Islamic republic's clerical leaders to consider proposals to shift the political capital out of quake-prone Tehran, which sits on several major seismic faultlines.
Hassan Rowhani, a top cleric, said the Supreme National Security Council which he heads would "seriously study the problem of moving the capital" in a meeting on Saturday.
During the 20th century, around 20 big quakes hit Iran, leaving more than 140,000 people dead. Since 1991 alone, and before the Bam disaster, nearly 1,000 earthquakes have claimed some 17,600 lives and injured 53,000 people, according to official figures.
in the province are ready to be sent there if needed."
http://sg.search.news.yahoo.com/search/news_sg_pf?p=ukey%3A5836875My local news, (Atlanta) covered a story about a housing complex that is being built in Bam, to house 5,000 people. I'll try to find more information.