The Natanz facility in a satellite image (CNN)
Big surprise here. From CNN, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Iranian opposition group with sources inside Iran's military is making public a list of the senior military personnel and military units it says are involved in Iran's secret nuclear weapons programs.The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) says in a summary of its findings that Iran is rushing to complete a first nuclear bomb in "between one and two years."
The opposition group says the nuclear weapons effort by a special military unit functioning secretly outside the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization is under the personal supervision of the Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme ruler.
In a recent report, the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency said parts of Iran's nuclear program are under military control.
The Iranian government denies ever having a nuclear weapons program and says its facilities and programs are used only for the generation of electricity.
The Iranian opposition group's summary says the view of Iran's government is that "because of its problems in Iraq, the United States has no choice but to go soft on Iran."
The NCRI was the first to make public Iran's secret nuclear weapons research activities at sites in Natanz and Arak. The IAEA subsequently confirmed them.
The Iranian government denies ever having a nuclear weapons program and says its facilities and programs are used only for the generation of electricity.
I like to know what they exactly mean from Da Iranian government??
Does it mean President Khamati? He came on public 1 month before and openly and officially announced his defeat against hardliners.
Does it mean Hassan Rohani, da one who is lobbying between paris,rome,geneva and tehran?
Does it mean Rafsanjani who openly in tehran's friday prayers talks about destroying Israel EVEN if all the palestinians there ALSO get killed?
So Who is The Iranian Government?
Obviously CNN is reporting like President Khatami is still on Power!!! and it's The Year 1998!
No Sir! We gave so much blood to show the world that so called "reform" in this regime doesn't exists and it took almost 8 years for us with millions jailed, executed, terroriezed, tortured, kidnapped and killed in cold blood.
Once the world realize there is no Iranian Government but they are dealing with a Islamo-maffia gang as head of a state, maybe they understand better what is going on here in this country. Where every mullah with his bodyguards and the city he reign is an Iranian Government. Khamanei threats Israel and United States with a a-bobm, Khatami denies, Rafssanjani then reassures the thugs in tehran friday prayer that it's right!!!! maybe you need english translation of what rafssanjani says every week in tehran friday prayer to believe what they are doing in Iraq.
If there is to be any chance for the current regime in Iran to be overturned, that chance will be lost if they can boast of having made Iran a nuclear power; the swelling pride of rural peasantry will overcome the misgivings and fury of the most educated, urban Iranians.
Instead of fearing that an attack on Iran's nuclear installations would cause Iranians otherwise disgusted with the regime to rally around it, the United States should understand that destroying the Iranian facilities should take precedence over all other measures and theatres, including Iraq. Nothing, not inhibitions because of the WMD search in Iraq, fears of outcry at the UN, nothing -- should be allowed to stop the destruction of Iran's nuclear program, wherever it is. If it can be done from the air, with or without the help of locals, it should be, but it has to be done. For one knows, with certainty, that if a regime such as that in Iran were to possess such weapons, they would definitely be used against Infidels.
And no matter what the outcry and feigned indignation from Arab countries, in those closest to Shi'a Iran there would not be a wet eye in the house.
This has to be done. If Bush loses, he must then do it between November and January, for Kerry has given every sign -- especially in the kind of people he initially suggested might be useful to disentangle the Arab-Israeli "problem" (i.e. Jihad, without end, against the Infidel state), the unholy trinity of Carter, Clinton, and James Baker -- of being inaduquate to the task, for he unfortunately seems uncomrpehending of the nature of Islam, its tenets, its world-wide threat. Those who do not themselves possess a fixed and rigid ideology have trouble, unless they are schooled in history and literature, comprehending that others do possess such animating ideologies. A failure of the empathetic imagination, which is hardly limited to politicians. One finds it, for example, in so many of those "experts" whom the television and press like to quote, as for example the leprechaun-like Michael O'Hanlon , only too willing to provide a sound-bite on every occasion, now a great expert on the Arab-Israel problem, and now on Iraq, and next week, no doubt, on Saudi Arabia -- but a man who, like so many of his fellows (including Richard Haas, Dennis Ross, et al) has never shown the slightest sign of recognizing the relevance of Islam, or of understanding the tenets of Islam, and how, and why, they are received in the way they are, with varying intensity, which sometimes depend on local conditions that can be modified (cf. Kemalist Turkey, compared to Saudi Arabia).
Well said Hugh. If we must stop everything we're doing in Iraq to destroy their facilities, then so be it. This is as scary as it gets. Based on past history, how anyone could doubt that they will use nuclear weapons if they have them is beyond me.
I don't have that warm feeling though that the US is willing to act. If it's going to get done, I think Israel will do it. (fingers crossed)
There's an article in the archive here (Nov 2003) about bin Laden and Zawahiri hiding in Iran. If true, that combination is lethal.
Mansoor Ijaz (Fox News) was the source of the article. Is he credible?
In the west there is separation of Church and State.
In a muslim country the Church is the state and there is no reversing this.
The west needs to open some eyes. When terrorist strike they are not terrorist but church a/k/a state soldiers. When the Ayatollah builds a nuclear bomb, it is state sponsered.
(notice) how this will be played out for the western media: Ayatollah builds a bomb, does something with it, people die. The president of Iran says "it was not the state it was extremists", thus protecting Iran from invasion.
But please take note, the bomb is being built by a military unit. So....it is state sponsered.
The west always likes to go after the enemy, and this has been a difficult mental adjustment for the west to not place these people that are attacking under a state (country) and if we could be would attack that state. Just like after Pearl Harbor, we knew who the enemy was and went after them.
Muslims only borders are those between their countries and infidels. So that makes all action state sponsered, that state being Islam.
Remember muslims are not going around saying they want to expand their country they say "we want a state of Islam". The west needs to remember that they already have a country where they can worship, so what are they talking about? The state of Islam is to be the world. And until the west wakes up and sees that all of these attacks are state sponsered they are going to continue.
Islam should not be protected under the political correct movement of religion. It is not a religion. It is a cult.
Is anyone else just a bit sick and tired of hearing what Muslims say they want? I don't care what they want, or what they think. They need to livfe by the law of our land, or move back to their origin.
Shame the Saudis aren't looking towards a Muslim nuke like the Iranians.
Oh, I would imagine that if no one stops Iran, we will probably see an Israeli strike that will take it out. Good ridance.
Additionaly, remember that the UN is part deaf, dumb, blind, and part in agreement to turn their head. Example would be: 1. North Korea built nukes with IAEA inspectors presant, they did'nt know what they were looking for. 2. IAEA has found out that Iran really was preparing for nukes but they have done nothing, when they had the chance to do something there was no response. So Iran continues on. 3. Even now as Sudan muslims kill 6,000,000 Christians the UN pushes it under the rug, but oh, don't kill a Palestinian terorist with a explosive belt because then the UN with act with words (the only time the majority of the UN agrees). 4. Now look at the Iraq oil-for-food investigation. I am sure that even if we find a smoking gun, no one will do anything. But if we do find any state participation then those countries votes within the UN should be banned for a period of time, and those countries should have to pay to Iraq the money with interest and penalty. As for the UN they will condone what is best for the UN not what is best for the world.
There are case after case to show that the UN does not have any value.
I admire Mansour Ijaz greatly. He's a graduate of MIT raised here in America, Paki descent, is a member of the CRF and my sense is that he knows what's going on behind the scenes to a far greater degree than the talking heads who are paraded in front of us constantly. I suspect they are but speculating and outgassing. Mansour knows. I wish he were on Fox more often but I suspect he's far too busy.
Sorry. Flying fingers. That's CFR. You knew that.
Skeptic:
Ijaz could easily be credible. He born of Pakistani parents in Tallahassee, Florida, went to University of Virginia and MIT, and his activities read like a James Bond movie. Much of what he says seems to pan out, and his assessments appear to be very helpful.
I am disappointed that he remains a practicing Muslim. I would be much happier if he at least expressed doubts about Islam the way Irshad Manji does, or if he just gave it up altogether. About the only way I can see him living with it is to sequester off the bad stuff--and that's most of it--like a bad infection, and just derive spiritual comfort from the itty-bitty bit of good stuff. People do that sort of thing all the time--there's no reason he couldn't.
On the other hand, perhaps his continued practice of Islam is part of a "cover;" maybe it gains him access to sources he could never get close to otherwise.
I dunno. But I sure find him an interesting and very bright, even brilliant, man. I sure hope he is the dedicated American that he appears to be.
Thanks Jem, Cubed. From what I've seen, he does appear very knowledgeable. I would have never guessed he was a practicing muslim.
So, assuming he's correct, bin Laden and Zawahiri are probably waiting in the lobby of one of those Iranian nuclear facilities for the first bomb to roll out. That makes Iraq a small side show in comparision to this scenario.
Shame the Saudis aren't looking towards a Muslim nuke like the Iranians.
Posted by Hood Monkey at April 28, 2004 03:55 PM
If you are so blind and ignorant that pretend it's IRANIANS that are making bomb and not a bunch of psychopath mullahs, please, don't talk about the things you don't know or you try to make the facts upside-down.
Why don't you talk about the things you know HoodMonkey, like ummm...., banana?