Posted on 03/21/2006 7:35:50 AM PST by MadIvan
President George W Bush yesterday issued a stark warning to Iran when he said that America's military would be ordered into action if Teheran carried out its threat to attack Israel.
Using the most uncompromising language he has employed to date in dealing with Iran's nuclear threat, Mr Bush said: "I see a threat in Iran. The threat is, of course, their stated objective to destroy our strong ally Israel.
"I've made it clear and I'll make it clear again, that we will use military might to protect our ally Israel," Mr Bush said to applause.
In his response to a question that followed a speech in Cleveland, Mr Bush made clear that diplomacy was America's preferred approach to Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme.
But the pledge to defend Israel with force marked a vigorous response to a statement by Iran's radical president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has stated that "Israel must be wiped off the map".
Mr Bush's promise of force came as diplomats met to finalise the United Nation's first major diplomatic intervention against Iran.
Mr Bush was sending an unmistakable signal to Iran's leaders in Teheran that any military or nuclear adventure will draw a swift response.
Last night, Britain's high-rise United Nations mission in the heart of Manhattan was at the centre of diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to continue negotiations about its nuclear programme as the representatives of America, Russia, China, France and Germany arrived to discuss the next steps.
Western diplomatic sources said that the first result could come as early as today, when the UN Security Council would be asked to issue a statement condemning the covert Iranian nuclear effort.
A western diplomat said: "The vast majority of Security Council members are ready to act. Russia and China are not signed up yet, but they have given pretty strong signals that they will."
The so-called presidential statement would not contain any threats, but is seen by the West as a key first step to applying international pressure on Teheran.
But as always since the Iraq war, memories of the run-up to conflict with Saddam cloud the debate.
The Russians are hell-bent on preventing the Americans from securing Security Council action which might later be used to justify stronger measures.
So diplomats are working to find a formula that keeps the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), involved in the process while also bringing the heavy guns of the Security Council to bear.
That could take a few more days. Once that has happened, western diplomats say the ball will be in Iran's court.
Earlier this month, Teheran responded angrily when it was referred to the Security Council. Angered by talk of sanctions, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Teheran's envoy to the IAEA, said: "The United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the US wishes to choose, let the ball roll."
1. Give up nuclear weapons, or we will hit your facilities with "dirty bombs", meaning, even if they don't destroy your facilities, they'll be too contaminated for you to continue working there.
2. Quit with the threats or the consequences will be severe (I suggest picking off the mullahs and radicals with assassinations - if at all possible, bury the carcasses in pig fat).
3. All Iranian assets held abroad should be frozen immediately.
Enough pussyfooting around with these bastards, it's time that someone showed them that their behaviour is totally unacceptable.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
I think we should tell them flat out that if they don't cut the crap future generations will ask, "what's a muslim?"
about time Bush starts to talk tough about this situation.
Pat Buchanon should be an amusing this week. :)
I have been hearing for months that late March (new moon is March 29 or 30) would be a good time for action.
I hope and pray that somehow enough of Iran's own poe0ple will have the ability and desire to topple these kooks and bring some semblance of sanity to their government. But of course we can't rely on that as a solution.
Palestinians
want to destroy Israel.
Palestinians
event elected
terrorists to govern them.
Yet the White House wants
Palestinians
to have more of our money!
Iran's a bad guy,
Palestinians
are good guys . . . Oh. Yeah. I see . . .
"Principles" are crap . . .
This is much different than the rhetoric leading up to Iraq.
He is not suggesting there will be a pre-emptive strike carried out by the US.
That should be Israel's job, if they please.
poe0ple = people
"...the heavy guns of the Security Council to bear."
ROTFL!!!!
Get real. The new moon
is a holy time of month
in the Muslim world.
The US wouldn't
do anything that might read
as insulting them . . .
Telling their leadership is like shouting at a rock. Action is all they understand, and all they fear. One only has to look back to the American hostage crisis in Iran, when Carter was President, Iran laughed, when Reagan was elected, they shuddered in fear, situation was over.
This is all well and good but what about the fact that we are usually lumped in with Israel when they call for death to the west?
My tag line says it all.............
None are to be found on the Enterprise because Star Trek takes place in the future! Allahu fubar!
Oops, I forgot.
Seems like they have a lot of holy cities, holy days, etc.
If I didn't know better, I'd say it's ironic that the religion seems to be linked with bloodshed in many, many places around the workd.
;)
There is one war on terror. Israel is the front line.
The Russians are hell-bent on preventing the Americans from securing Security Council action which might later be used to justify stronger measures.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Funny, you'd think the russians would recognize what a threat Iran is to THEM.
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