Monday, September 28, 2009

'Iranian nuclear program purely for peaceful power purposes'


A statement that obviously qualifies for a Tui billboard (with 'yeah right' at the end). The Iranian government has tested two short-range missiles with a long-range missile test due today, hot on the heels of Iran's disclosure of plans to build a second uranium enrichment plant, despite mounting tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired two short-range missiles on Sunday and Tehran is expected to test a long-range missile today. Iran's state television showed the tests, part of military exercises dubbed the "Great Prophet 4" taking place on barren desert terrain. Iranian Air Force Brigadier General Hossein Salami said the war games will be conducted in three phases.

Last week, Iran disclosed it is building a second uranium enrichment plant. Analysts say the admission apparently was prompted by Tehran's learning that Western intelligence agencies were aware of its existence.

Tehran insists that its nuclear program is only for energy production, a statement that is rather like Hitler's statement after he had invaded Czechia in 1939 that he had no further territorial ambitions. Er, Mr President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sir, did you not so long ago state that Isreal should be obliterated? Is what we are seeing now just a continuation of that intention?

Understandably Isreal is keen to take military action now, and just as understandably Western leaders are concerned that this would inflame Muslim sentiment everywhere, regardless of what they may feel about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his cronies. Clearly this has completely overshadowed western desire to see the Palestinian issue settled, for which Palestinans have the Iranian régime to thank.

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