Iran: Rhetoric Heats Up

It appears as though the rhetoric is heating up on both sides of the current confrontation with Iran over its insistence on going forward with nuclear development.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has challenged Europe to take back the Jews who emigrated to Israel, adding that no Jews would remain in Israel if Europe were to open its doors.

Israel seems to be sending signals that it will take action if necessary, and even Jacques Chirac is getting into the act.

Israel's defense minister hinted Saturday that the Jewish state is preparing for military action to stop Iran's nuclear program, but said international diplomacy must be the first course of action.

French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday that France could respond with nuclear weapons against any state-sponsored terrorist attack.

Of course with Chirac, you might need to be careful how you define terrorist attack - he said nothing as regards Israel - but Germany also mentioned the use of force.

Germany's defense minister said in an interview published Saturday that he is hopeful of a diplomatic solution to the impasse over Iran's nuclear program, but argued that "all options" should remain open.

We saw how ineffectual the UN Security Council can be in terms of Iraq, what's unclear is if it will now rise to the occasion, or sink down further into a cesspool of corruption and collaboration with rogue terrorist states. The clock is ticking:

Iran broke U.N. seals at a uranium enrichment plant Jan. 10 and said it was resuming nuclear research after a 2 1/2-year freeze. Germany, France and Britain said two days later that talks aimed at halting Iran's nuclear progress were at a dead end and called for Iran's referral to the U.N. Security Council.

Given the Iranian rhetoric against Israel, it's hard to see any point to negotiation. If Iran backs away from previous actions and statements, it would mean losing face in the Middle east.

Ironic that Iranian President, Ahmadinejad appears to be positioning himself as Saddam Hussein always fancied himself, the titular head of the anti-Israel movement within the region. Talking that position puts him on a collision course with the interests of the US and much of the world, which will not entertain the possibility if Israel ceasing to exist.

Most informed sources predict an on going escalation of sanctions and statements which are likely to end in an armed confrontation of some sort. What remains unclear is Iran's plan B should it find its nuclear facilities attacked.

Comments

[splashtc]

ok, and Iran can take back all the Muslims in the USA, England, Phillipines, France, Africa etc...

[COLUMBO]

now the war in Iraq makes sense....the market could not do with both of those countries off line....good strategery!

[Phoenix]

The war in Iraq always made sense. Anyone who thinks it is all about oil isn't thinking.