Iran rules out suspending enrichment program (Condi, "you've been punked!")

LA Times ^ | 7/19/2008 | Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi

[tobyhill]

TEHRAN -- Critical talks in Switzerland over Iran's nuclear program began today with both Iranian and United States officials making their highest level diplomatic contacts since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana smiled as they posed for pictures before heading into the closed-door meetings which will include U.S. undersecretary William J. Burns, the State Department's number three official.

[Diogenesis]

[Hugin]

IMHO the Bush decided two years ago not to do anything about Iran. This is just a cover to continue to avoid the situation until next January.

[tobyhill]

Or to at least be able to claim that we tried when Israel crushes Iranian facilities.

[Gay State Conservative]

Israel’s watching....and watching closely.They’ll act at the appropriate moment....if necessary.

[null and void]

We are a little busy right now.

[Oldexpat]

Looks like a number of good dates in Nov when the moon will be down or 0% at night.
We have to wonder how much warning they will give the US before Israel strikes. They will be worried about leaks, but want the USN to be out of the way when they do.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[snarks_when_bored]

I’m smelling a “See? We tried to reason with them before we bombed them!” strategy...

[marvlus]

This will stop the critics (Obama) from saying we didn’t try diplomacy.

[InterceptPoint]

"Uranium enrichment suspension is Iran's red line and we should not accept the suspension even for a short period of time," Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Karamirad, a member of the parlaiment's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, told the Islamic Republic News Agency on Friday.

That seems pretty clear. Iran's position is that they are going to build a bomb. No if. No ands. No buts. So what the heck is the U.S. doing at this idiotic "peace in our time" meeting?

I think all of this supposed (but actually non-existent) softening by the Iranians is simply their scheme for running out the Bush Clock. They know Obama will be a pushover and will settle for some phony, non-verifiable promise by Iran to stop working on their nuclear weapon program.

Sadly, I think Iran has a good strategy that is likely to work, particularly with Condi's new addiction to State Department Kool-Aid and her obvious influence on Bush. Bush should know better.

[calex59]

Actually I see that a lot of FReepers bought into the MSM's claim that the US was going to negotiate with Iran on nukes. Condi gave an interview to try and correct that misconception, too bad you all missed it. She said this was a one time thing, this guy was sent there to lay down the law to Iran and get there answer on dismantling there nuke facilities, under the same conditions that the US has stated all along. It was not a change in policy, it was not an attempt to negotiate, but a flat out question "Is Iran going to submit to getting rid of their enrichment programs or not?" Period.

This no we got is the answer that they expected. I think it is laying ground work for Israel to go ahead with an attack. Bush can now say, "Hey, we tried, they turned us down".

As I said, to bad many of you didn't read the interview Ms. Rice gave to correct this crap the MSM has been spreading about opening negotiations with Iran.

[Hugin]

I doubt Olmert has the balls to pull the trigger.

[Diogenesis]

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I get the feeling that Israel will get the green light to go from president Bush this weekend...... Israel will not pussyfoot around any longer..... it's now or never.

[Gay State Conservative]

I get the feeling that Israel will get the green light to go from president Bush this weekend......

I don't think that the "green light" from us would be pivotal here.Yes,Israel is likely to seek support from us...moral support or even military support.But if that support is denied I can't imagine Israel throwing up her hands in defeat.

[tobyhill]

We weren’t even supposed to be in the same room as them until they suspend their Uranium Enrichment.
Iran just built up the hype of prospects that something was going to happen then pulled the rug out from under this administration.

[I see my hands]

Top notch analyst, you are.

[Dutch Boy]

I was just thinking the same thing. This might be part of a long term strategy to make it blatantly obvious that there is only one solution to the Iran problem and that is attack.

[tobyhill]

The critics will now claim that because our demands that they suspend first was the reason the “negotiations” failed.

[calex59]

This was a one shot deal, it was an ultimatum. You should have read Condi’s interview on it, it was posted on FR. Believe what you like this wasn’t a negotiation and was never intended to be and it is not a change in policy.

[JasonC]

It is long past the appropriate moment and way past necessary, and everybody involved is merely sitting on their backside, spinning furiously. Nobody is going to do a darn thing, and Iran is going to get nuclear weapons, and use them.

[JasonC]

There isn't any policy.

[Paladin2]

"IMHO the Bush decided two years ago not to do anything about Iran"

Well, can't Joe Biden, JF'nK, Levin, & Kennedy along with the able assistance of Jimmah and Syrian visitin' Pelosi get this straightened out b4 the election?

[Gay State Conservative]

Nobody is going to do a darn thing...

Don't bet on that

..and Iran is going to get nuclear weapons..

Or that either

and use them.

If they do get them you're probably correct.

[JasonC]

I'll bet on both. Can't call what will result "winning", anything, however.