I've been reading a lot about the European plan to prevent the Iranians from acquiring nuclear weapons, and this article from the
NY times offers a little new info, more on the flip...
It seems some actually work may have occurred on the much hyped "Charm Offensive" last week, or what I like to call "Is Mr. Bush's Charm Offensive?" tour. According to the article the US has accepted the Russians plan to provide the Iranians with fuel rods on the condition that all the spent rods are returned to Russia after they have been used to produce energy. While at the same time the US has been pressuring the Europeans to dissuade the Iranians from their plans to develop enrichment facilities so they can produce their own fuel rods. Why all this behind the scenes shenanigans on our part?, well in what seems to be one of the lamest rationales in Bush history the article states:
A European official said, however, that Mr. Bush told his European counterparts last week that if he joined in the negotiations with Iran, it would cause a political furor in the United States and signal prematurely that Washington was prepared to recognize the legitimacy of the Iran government.
Ok so lets make sure we all understand this, the Bush administration is refusing to take part in talks with Iran, which most agree is the only way the talks will succeed because it doesn't want to signal that Washington accepts the legitimacy of the Iranian government. So it is preferable to have Iran go nuclear and not be recognized as a legitimate government, then having Iran without nukes but a legitimately recognized government? Indeed. In the face of an increasing resistance to the Ayatollah's government inside Iran it seems the neocons would like to wage war with the country, which most agree would hinder if not destroy the nascent democratic movement inside the nation. A nation isn't legitimate or illegitimate because we declare it is, who died and made us the keepers of the legitimate government council? A government is only legitimate if the people it governs sees it as such, period. We may not like the form of government they choose but that means nothing.
With that said coming to the table and talking with the Iranians gives them no legitimacy, this country can be such egotistical holier then though assholes. The Europeans are already talking with them, why are we so much more important then they are, to the extent that their dealing with the Iranians means nothing, and only ours can confer legitimacy. This is why a lot of the world hates us, it's not because of our freedom; it is because we think our shit doesn't stink! And forcing democracy down everyone's throat won't make us safe. We aren't the big kid in the sand box folks (more like the bully in "A Christams Story"), we are just as vulnerable as everyone else, we need to learn this fast.
And finally, while writing this diary GOD spoke to me and he wanted me to convey this message:
Neocons this is GOD, you are fools. Your policies are delusional, remember what I said about loving thy neighbor, well the entire world is my neighborhood, and you are killing God's children, and I don't take kindly to that, so stop or face my wrath.