There is a very important topic that's being neglected by our mainstream media and that is regarding nuclear material and nuclear programs.
I'm turning to this community because of the depth and breadth of knowledge found in its members.
This week we saw reports that Iran has enriched uranium at the Natanz enrichment facility, and heard claims from Barack Obama that Iran is "pursu[ing] a course that would lead to weaponization."
- On what basis, Mr. President, can you make that claim?
These are alarming words, echoes of the run up to the Iraq war.
Obama has called for the State Dept to formulate further sanctions.
Last December and this January the House approved sanctions against Iran and so did the Senate.
Then today I read in the New Scientist an article that dishonestly claims Iran's
uranium is a "step away from weapon grade"
"Weapons grade."
Sounds threatening. Until I do some research and learn that 90% enrichment of U-235 is considered "weapons-grade" not the "20%" supposedly achieved at the Natanz facility.
What proof does Obama or Hillary Clinton have for this nuclear scaremongering?
The media, our politicians, and the military-industrial complex is once again scaring the public and beating the drums of war.
Without commenting on what "weapons grade" uranium is (ie, 90% enrichment of U-235), or what the process of enrichment entails, or going into detail regarding regulatory bodies for nuclear material, safety of such material (and its waste), or presenting some context of civilian and military use of nuclear material, the mainstream media is once again irresponsibly raising the hysteria.
The state of Iranian nuclear technology is controversial; there exists no consensus on what Iran is or isn't capable of, or what it's intentions are.
- How many people even understand the hierarchy of power within Iran, or the control of the military or its weaponry?
No one mentions Israel's history of aggression in the region, it's refusal to acknowledge the findings of the Goldstone report, let alone its known possession of nuclear weapons (thanks to Mordechai Vanunu).
- What are the international agreements on what Iran (and others) can and cannot do with nuclear material, and is Iran within the acceptable parameters? Is the US making a lot of noise over nothing?
In 2008 we saw now-forgotten stories about violence in Iraq that Bush Administration officials claimed came from Iran, or that weapon caches allegedly originated across the border in Iran were being used against American soldiers. All Hogwash.
Add to this confusion the warprofiteers, the Zionist ideologues in the US political culture (ex Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh--who inexplicably are considered moderates!), the role of think tanks and others with agendas pushing for war with Iran, and you begin to see the need for such public education as I've mentioned above.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that people like Obama or Sec of State HRC make claims about Iran's intention. So often we hear that Iran wants to threaten Israel, without anyone stating the obvious fact of Israel's military superiority (thanks to American dollars and support). If Israel wanted to, it could erase the 70 million lives in Iran overnight. But where is this counternarrative?
Can this community put together a series of articles on this important topic of nuclear programs, civilian and military, the regulation of such programs, the quantification of military capability and threat (with the unequivocal identification of states that possess nuclear armaments).
Too much is at stake for citizens NOT to know more about this topic.