Posted on 06/02/2007 6:03:42 PM PDT by familyop
A diplomatic solution is the best way to deal with Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has said.
"Having to take care of this problem militarily is in no-one’s interest,” he said.
Speaking Saturday at the sixth annual International Institute of Strategic Studies’ Asia Security Summit in Singapore, Gates expressed optimism about progress in curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions through the “Six-Party Talks.” He said he’s hopeful the diplomatic approach will prove successful in addressing Iran’s efforts, too.
Iran poses a threat to Southwest Asia and potentially Europe, particularly as it builds missiles of increasing range, Gates told defense and military leaders from 25 Asian nations during his keynote address.
During a question-and-answer session that followed the speech, Gates said the U.S. intelligence community generally agrees that Iran will be able to develop a nuclear weapon sometime between 2010 and 2015, and possibly even earlier. “There are those who believe that that could happen much sooner, in late 2008 or 2009,” he said.
Efforts to get Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities aren’t aimed at legitimate energy-production programs, he stressed. “I don’t think anyone begrudges Iran the capacity to have peaceful nuclear power under proper safeguards and supervision,” he said. “They key is whether they will have nuclear weapons.”
That’s a distinction Gates said is impossible to make due to the way Iran conducts its affairs. “The reality is … we really don’t know,” he said.
As a result, Gates called on the United Nations Security Council to “ratchet up pressure” on Iran, “not next year or the year after, but right now.”
In addition, he called for the international community to come together to strengthen sanctions against Iran so it has to make some hard decisions.
These sanctions would force the Tehran government to “begin to face some serious tradeoffs in terms of their economic well-being and their economic future for having nuclear weapons,” Gates said.
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PERFECT Post.
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As they say, from our posts to God’s ear. Our very lives may depend on defeating the human debris that we’ve elected who now want to destroy everything we hold dear! The “in your face” arrogance of our elected officials local, state, and federal are a disgrace to our heritage. It is up to us to vote these scum out of office. I pray that the outrage brewing amongst American voters explodes at the next
election. American patriots, past and present, haven’t sacrificed to allow those that think of themselves as “Royalty” to stay in office. Our children and grand children’s lives depend on us now.
NEVER FORGET
I walked among the falling snowflakes today and met a soldier at Valley Forge. He held his musket in his bloody hands; he stood barefoot in the snow, starved from a lack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family-surrounded by nothing but death, carnage, and war.
He stood tough before me, with a bright fire in his eyes and the air of victory on his breath. He looked angered and disgusted as he said these words to me,
I gave you a birthright of freedom born in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read it.
I fought in the snow, barefoot, to give you the freedom to vote; yet you stay home if it rains.
I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech; yet you remain silent on crucial issues because it might be bad for business.
I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you; yet it has stolen democracy from the people.
How easily you forget! It is the soldier not the reporter who gives you freedom of the press.
It is the soldier not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.
It is the soldier not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, and whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protestor to burn the flag!!
How easily you forget! The names of those who stood beside me, who have come after me, who are coming to me now.
It is the soldier, who in his duty and honor, gives you the freedom to be free!
He glared at me for a moment or two, while his breath hastened to ease; A single tear slid down my cheek and his heart began to bleed. I walked slowly up to him and placed my hand upon his wound. His blood drenched my skin and I shook with tears and guilt while quietly he whispered, “Never forget!”
I raised my head and whispered back, “I never will!” …to the headstone on the grave that read, “Here a soldier died so you could live.”
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PERFECT POST II
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Good point...*sigh* ....
Maybe France will do it! /s
bttt
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