Washington Post Editorial
Iran’s Failed ‘Litmus Test’
Will there be consequences for Tehran’s stonewalling of U.N. nuclear inspectors?
On Monday, some six months after the expiration of the deadline, the IAEA issued a report saying, in essence, that Iran had not acted in good faith and was engaging in delaying tactics. “Substantial explanations” were still lacking, the agency said, for documents showing that Iran had worked on bomb-related explosives and a missile warhead design. Moreover, while the IAEA has been cooling its heels, the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been installing two new and more advanced sets of centrifuges at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, without providing required notification. International inspectors were denied access to sites where the centrifuge components were manufactured. “Iran has not provided the Agency with all the information, access to documents and access to individuals necessary,” the IAEA report says.
From Obama’s campaign website…
Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World Trade Organization. ”
Amir Taheri, writing in today’s WSJ, sees more than a few problems with Obama’s foreign policy,
Mr. Ahmadinejad is talking about changing the destiny of mankind, while Mr. Obama and his foreign policy experts offer spare parts for Boeings or membership in the World Trade Organization. Perhaps Mr. Obama is unaware that one of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s first acts was to freeze Tehran’s efforts for securing WTO membership because he regards the outfit as “a nest of conspiracies by Zionists and Americans.”
Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit
And in other foreign policy news….
ABC News: Al Qaeda Tape to Call for Use of WMDs
Authorities: New Tape to Urge Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction on Civilians
Intelligence and law enforcement sources tell ABC News they are expecting al Qaeda operatives will post a new video on the Internet in the next 24 hours, calling for what one source said is “jihadists to use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons to attack the West.”
“There have been several reports that al Qaeda will release a new message calling for the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against civilians,” FBI spokesman Richard Kolko told ABC News in an e-mail.
Surely, these people can be reasoned with. All they need is a little tough love, a good stern talking to and they’ll see the error of their ways.