Chomsky: Negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis is within reach

[muriel_volestrangler]

The US must take three basic steps to defuse this confrontation. The consequences of not doing so could be grim

Iran's nuclear programmes, as far as is known, fall within its rights under article four of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), which grants non-nuclear states the right to produce fuel for nuclear energy. The Bush administration argues that article four should be strengthened, and I think that makes sense.

...
When the NPT came into force in 1970 there was a considerable gap between producing fuel for energy and for nuclear weapons. But advances in technology have narrowed the gap. However, any such revision of article four would have to ensure unimpeded access for non-military use, in accord with the initial NPT bargain between declared nuclear powers and the non-nuclear states.

In 2003 a reasonable proposal to this end was put forward by Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency: that all production and processing of weapon-usable material be under international control, with "assurance that legitimate would-be users could get their supplies". That should be the first step, he proposed, toward fully implementing the 1993 UN resolution for a fissile material cutoff treaty (or Fissban).

ElBaradei's proposal has to date been accepted by only one state, to my knowledge: Iran, in February, in an interview with Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator. The Bush administration rejects a verifiable Fissban - and stands nearly alone. In November 2004 the UN committee on disarmament voted in favour of a verifiable Fissban. The vote was 147 to one (United States), with two abstentions: Israel and Britain. Last year a vote in the full general assembly was 179 to two, Israel and Britain again abstaining. The United States was joined by Palau.
...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1800630,00.html

Sometimes I feel Chomsky is good at criticising, without offering solutions that are likely to get implemented given the actual current politics. But in this piece I think he puts forward a good plan. It's mainly "listen to ElBaradei", which is no bad thing. If anyone but Bush and his cronies were in charge, I'd feel there'd be a good chance of it being followed. But I'm pessimistic about the decisions Bush will make in a way I never was about his father or Reagan.

[Warren Stupidity]

1. They are not interested in working anything out.

The cabal wants to run the table. They have two years to finish what they started and Iran is next. They'd like to take out Syria as well, but that is looking unlikely.

[marmar]

2. Yup...

Iran could deliver the nukes gift-wrapped to Condi Rice and it wouldn't matter. The course has been pre-determined. Beware of neocons offering ultimatums.

[cliss]

3. Notice how quiet they are lately about Iran?

Not a peep coming out of Washington. What about the war drums that they were beating, day and night.

I've read on a few news groups that there have been battles being waged behind the scenes, right here in Washington. It seems that the mercantilists decided to wage war against the PNAC (or Cheney & Rumsfailed) they threatened them if they decided to continue attacking Iran.

I believe they got China involved. Someone wrote that China decided to torpedo the US Dollar if they continued with their madness.

And remember about 2 weeks ago, how the dollar kept going down? Then, suddenly, Rice stopped talking about Iran and now the dollar has stabilized?

[Demeter]

5. I Wonder If the Army Has Spoken

If the Praetorean Guard has put the Little Emperor on notice that he doesn't get any free rides any more, that they will not commit crimes for him any longer, that he better watch his back.

The thought is delicious.

[Terran1212]

6. I think the military brass realizes an Iran escapade would be impossible

That it is already in deep trouble fighting in Iraq, and does not need more trouble with Iran.

[cliss]

7. Amazing, isn't it?

I'm still trying to put the pieces together. Without a doubt, something happened about 2 weeks ago. They suddenly shut up.

Here's what I discovered:

a) Quite unexpectedly, the retired generals suddenly started sounding the alarm bells about Iraq & Afghanistan. Someone wrote on a news group that they felt that Bush was out of control and they were going to "get his hands away from the red button" so to speak.

b) Out of the blue, a group of former people who have been very influential in the government like Zbigniew Brzezinski, Madeline Albright and others show up. They arrive on Bush's doorstep wanting to "work together" for a solution in Iraq.

c) Someone wrote that there is a huge war going on between the 'war-mongers' and the industrialists. It seems that Cheney and Rumsfailed have very powerful backers: Rumsfailed has the military industrial complex like Northrup Grumman, Boeing etc. Cheney has the oil industry like Halliburton. But they're not the only businesses in this country!! Apparently they have had enough: they are actually LOSING business from these wars and instability which is getting worse.

d) The currency markets. Someone wrote that they were getting fed up with Bush. They threatened to make the dollar go down to practically nothing, if they didn't shape up. To prove it, they let the dollar go down in the currency markets. If the dollar were to tank completely, it would create a huge worldwide depression. Bush and Cheney might as well pack their bags and go home.

[Demeter]

4. Don't Worry--Bush Will Find A Way To Screw It Up

after all, why should the Iranians be allowed to manage their own legal peaceful power generation projects without a Sword of Damocles hanging over their country?

[joe_shmoe]

8. -- Sign this petition against military action against Iran --

It is with grave concern that I observe the growing threat of a new U.S. war--this time against the people of Iran.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn /


thanks,
J-shmoe

[myrdred]

9. sounds like a good idea

The Fissban sounds like a great idea to help keep track of nuclear weapons material. What worries me is that it will not prevent Iran or any other nation from doing it in secret. So BushCo's worries about nations like Iran and NK secretly developing nuclear weapons will not go away and we may still see military action against one of these nations even with the fissban in place.

I think Iran should just let UN inspectors in with complete unrestricted access in order to prove to the world that the US is falsly accusing them of developing nuclear weapons. That would be the biggest slap in the face to the BushCo administration right now and would further turn world support away from Bush and maybe even allow us in the US to do something to get his dumb ass out of Washington.

[joe_shmoe]

10. just in case.....

god - I hope he's right. If not...



-- Sign this petition against military action against Iran --

It is with grave concern that I observe the growing threat of a new U.S. war--this time against the people of Iran.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn /


thanks,
J-shmoe