Posted on 04/23/2006 1:57:22 PM PDT by LibWhacker
WASHINGTON -- Lacking assurances from Russia and China that they would approve UN sanctions, the U.S. administration is trying to deny Iran technology, assets and especially weapons to slow down a suspected nuclear weapons program.
As part of that campaign, a top U.S. State Department official on Friday urged Russia to drop its plan to sell Tor anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.
"We hope and we trust that the deal will not go forward because this is not the time for business as usual with the Iranian government," said Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, who has been trying to line up support for the sanctions proposal the United States and the European Union are hoping to make at the UN Security Council early next month.
Referring to Russia and China, Burns told reporters Friday "the message privately was that we do not have an agreement" about specific tactics in the Council.
But he said no nation wanted to see Iran build nuclear weapons -- a goal Iran denies pursuing with its enrichment and other nuclear programs -- so other measures were being promoted.
Burns said "it's time for countries to use their leverage with Iran," beginning with prohibiting Iran's access to technology that has military application.
A lot of countries have multibillion-dollar trade relations with Iran "and they ought to begin to rethink those commercial trade relationships," Burns said.
And no country should sell weapons to Iran, he said.
Undersecretary of State Robert Joseph, who is in charge of nonproliferation policy at the State Department, said he talked to officials in the Persian Gulf region about limiting banking transactions with Iran to crimp its ability to acquire more technology. He said he also discussed greater cooperation in establishing a missile defense.
"The Iranians have put both feet on the accelerator," he said. "They are moving very quickly to establish new realities on the ground associated with their nuclear program."
At the end of the month, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is due to make a report to the UN Security Council.
"There's only thing he can really report," Burns said, "and that is that Iran is not in compliance with the presidential statement issued by the Security Council."
Adopted last month, it calls on Iran to suspend enrichment-related activities and to resume negotiations with the European Union.
Day late and a dollar short. The toothpaste's already out of the tube.
Only *military action* will stop it.
Quit pussy footing around and bomb the crap out of Iran.
Or are we just trying to get rid of Israel, the only real democracy and friend in the mid-east?
It might get Iran's attention if the U.S. pulled out of the U.N and threw them out, first.
I cannot possibly even suggest a possible strategy for excising the U.N. tumor. The libs, under pressure from the moonbats to the Euroweenies would howl at the Moon with such intensity it would push it out of orbit.
""As part of that campaign, a top U.S. State Department official on Friday urged Russia to drop its plan to sell Tor anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.""
As odious as it sounds, we might have to start supporting chechian rebels, or at least threatening to
I've thought the same thing many times. How we could do it so it wouldn't boomerang on us, I have no idea.
i know exactly what I am proposing. welcome to the world of real politics.
Here is a new map.
Do not trust Russia. Axiomatic!
Do not trust France. Axiomatic!
Do not trust China. Axiomatic.
Look to the Kurds and other ethnic groups.
And remember, subs, subs, and more subs....
As Bismarck said "Diplomacy is warfare concealed".
And Clausewitz said "Warfare is an extension of diplomacy".
When Bush says all diplomatic efforts are being pursued, we must remember the above citations.
Every day we wait makes it more expensive in all terms.
Bomb their nuke facilities.
bomb, bomb, bomb,
bomb, bomb Iran,
Bomb, bomb, bomb,
Bomb, bomb Iran...
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