Citing Iran’s revelation earlier this week that it is constructing a second, smaller uranium enrichment facility, President Barack Obama demanded that the Iranian government “come clean” about his long-standing accusations of a nuclear weapons program, and said he would not rule out attacking the nation if they refused.
Obama said the second facility, reportedly an underground plant outside of Qom, was “inconsistent with a peaceful program” and claimed that the nation was “breaking rules that all nations must follow.”
Despite these claims, it isn’t apparent that Iran broke any rules with the facility. The IAEA only requires that it be informed six months before the facility is operational, which Iran apparently did on Monday. The IAEA has said the information it has been given suggests the facility, like Iran’s current one, is only designed to enrich uranium to 5%, useful only for civlian purposes.
The revelation is particularly irksome for the US, which was intending a “dramatic” unveiling of its existence today only to learn the IAEA had been told about it days ago. Despite having been beaten to the punch, officials and media outlets still touted it as the uncovering of a “secret” site.
But was the site a “provocation” as Western leaders have tried to spin it, or merely a hedge against attack? The Natanz facility in Isfahan Province that is currently in operation is conspicuously above ground, while the new facility is hidden in the mountains further north. Less convenient and further away from Bushehr, to be sure, but it would add to the difficulty of Israel, which has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran, to destroy its entire nuclear program with an air strike. Rather than thumbing their nose at the West, the facility might be designed to dissuade nations from launching an attack.
So it would seem that Iran is still in compliance with it's NPT obligation and has told the IAEA about it's new "super secret" enrichment facility. The combined intelligence agencies of the United States are in agreement that Iran has no nuclear weapons program. But the current groveling lickspittle in charge seems hellbent to do whatever it takes to satisfy his masters. You can guess when the war option becomes the only one available, who will be doing all the heavy lifting?
So this secondary facility, probably inspired by the serious threats against the existing installation by the US and Israel, is used as an argument for even MORE threats of aggression towards the program?
A never ending cycle to spin the political and media centrifuges but isn't it clear that any action or sanction only drives Iran further away, underground and hostile? By now it should be clear Iran's nuclear and regional ambitions are inevitable.
However, Israel knows an economically and politically stronger Iran would tip the balance of power to the disadvantage of Israel's (Likud) own ambitions or even the current status quo. Any serious sanction or military operation, or even just ridicule, seems then of great importance to them to propagate with as much concealed effort and misdirection as possible.. To the sane in this world it seems all rather bizarre.
Sad to see LB…..uh I mean Obama try to shoot the moon……… He could have been a contendah….
We now know who Obama is, whether or not he knows……LBJ……….with Rahm Kissinger…………
Iran sure seems to be playing the spoiler, but methinks its not for war. It gives me the sneaking suspicion however, that something big is knocking at the door.