It appears that Tuesday the UN elected Iran to the disarmament council. A council dedicated to countering the expansion of nuclear armaments.\n\nDoes this make sense?
125650
What's next? Will Taliban be next representatives of liberals?
213931
Interesting question.\n\nAt the moment the truth is that Iran is stating absolutely that it doesn't want 'Nukes', instead it is claiming a right to develop a nuclear capacity for peaceful power generation. With the price of oil rising globally this seems a sensible strategy.\n\nOf course the problem is that this could be masking a drive for the development of nuclear weaponry.  \n\nIs this justified?  Well there are two schools of thought.  \nThe first is that for defence purposes it is.  Iran is a developed nation in the Middle East and one of its neighbours, Israel has a nuclear capability.  Iran could justifiably argue that it requires a nuclear deterrent to counter that of Israelis.\n\nThe second is that no, it's not.  Iran has been explicitly threatening to the West and Israel (whom it said it intended to 'wipe off the map') and whilst the rest of the world are looking to dismantle nuclear stock piles, it is incongruous for a nation to be building a nuclear capability.\n\nNot sure of the answer, but hope this helps.
24528
I'm not going to turn this into an anti or pro Bush diatribe (personally, I'm indifferent to him), but the Iran situation is indeed very serious, and it is not just Bush that thinks so.  France, Germany and Britain have been working on this for many years.  China and Russia are stake holders.  Even the Australia Group has issued an opinion.  What you're observing is simply more attention being paid to the matter by the media (don't forget the European Union has been working on this seriously since at least 2000, even before September 11).  Iran clearly wants nuclear weapons and has made overt threats to use them, which escalates the situation above a mere arms race.  Further, Iran has not been transparent with the program, which is a direct violation of an international treaty which the country signed on its own accord.  However, when the EU-3 first noticed that Iran had broken the treaty and bought the issue to international attention, the Iranians suddenly became indignant -- essentially casting asside an agreeement they had made with civilized society.   However, now the attention of the world's citizens is on Iran, I hope that the same level heads that have been working 'behind the scenes' continue to prevail.
347978
They need something over there to be bombed.  I think a few cruise missiles are in order simply to wake up ahmadinejad and scare the sheet out of him.  There must be some actions and repercussions for what they are doing.  If there aren't, why would they ever stop?  It needs to be done now BEFORE they have a nuclear arsenal.  Same goes for north korea.
283064
AA my good friend, I think we may AGREE on this one. Iran's primary motivation is to construct nuclear weapons, nuclear power would be a secondary benefit and of course like any good sociopath, Iran is playing the "energy end up" while minimizing (to the outside world) the thought of developing nuclear weapons.
245729
The Iranian leadership appears to advocate violence to other states as a matter of doctrine. There have been speeches by the leadership promising to wipe Isreal off the face of the map.\n\nIran is not averse to supplying arms to other groups to go and further their political aims. The idea that they may also supply terrorists with even low grade Uranium for use in a dirty bomb is not a pleasant thought.\n\nIran has supplied arms to Sunni muslims in Southern Iraq before. Iran supports Hezbollah terrorists and pays money to suicide bombers families. One of the first acts after the revolution was to sieze the American embassy and hold staff hostage. Iranians took hostages at their own embassy in London.
513178
I spent over an hour reading the article and the comments by viewers .  The bravado displayed by citizens of other countries, reminds me of my days overseas.  The rest of the world under-estimates our will and strength . This is a war-game, but this 'game' is not for fun . It's to prepare for the inevitable destruction of Iran's nuclear capability, plain and simple .
464070
It's should be an OUTRAGE TO THE WORLD that this rich tyrant in Iran dare to announce he wants to wipe another country off the planet. WHAT IS THE UN FOR?  Is the whole world going to back down and let these possessed guerillas rant on with their threats to humanity???????  This is like a nightmare coming to fore.
277449
Well the Security Council of the UN is investigating things like the genocide in the Sudan and the Iranian nuclear issue. It was formed by all of the member countries.
621212
I think we shouldn't give up diplomatic efforts until a) it is clear  that diplomatic efforts won't work or b) we are convinced that Iran is just using the delay to press full speed ahead towards a weapons program.\n\nHowever, from what I hear from the EU as well as the US, b) isn't far away, unfortunately.
422974
Sala'm Aga / Khanum!\n\nDo you want to imply that Iran's case is similar to that of the Iraq during last days of Saddam when he was denying having any WMD and USA was insisting that he was lying?\n\nIn any case, there is a great difference in the analogy. Iran has been more-or-less positively identified by the IAEA to be moving towards a secret nuclear weapons program, as per circumstantial evidences its inspectors and 'monitors' has obtained.\n\nSo, in my personal view, the President of Iran Mr. Ahmedinezad is playing high-wire act and also brinkmanship with the West (not only with USA). I am a Muslim and I worked in Iranian Air Force for two years as civilian specialist and I have no ill feeling for the Iranian people.\n\nGod forbid, if Iranian people had to live the miserable life that of Iraq then it would be solely the present government of Iran that would be held responsible to ignore numerous warnings to refrain from its present belligerent attitude and sit with world community and sort out its differences across the table.\n\nInshaAllah we hope major catastrophe could be averted and Iranians can live and prosper and be the Malaysia of the Middle East!\n\nKhuda Hafez
156381
Russian and China will either abstain or diplomatically stall this process in the Security Council. This may be a victory for Iran. While we are sitting here in the U.S. the politics of international affairs is presenting a different angle. A different tune is being drummed in the Middle East and Asia. It's being hoped by Iran and Pakistan that China will silently stall or veto in the Security Council. \n\nBoth Iran and China have historic ties to China. The only country which may be hoping for a security council action would be India. India would dare not interfere in Iran, Pakistan and China's affairs. If you are uncertain about this, please look this up in some history text book or encyclopedia.\n\nEvents are more complicated than they appear and Iran knows that it can stall this process. Relations between the U.S. and Russia aren't all that peachy as well. The last think the United States wants is military action. This will be a colossal mistake in the history of American foreign policy, much worse than Vietnam or Iraq. Iran has a much older history and roots its pride back to Alexander and the Persian Empire. They do not like to be told what to do and how to do it. The only people who can or should be talking to them is Pakistan and China because of close historic ties.\n\nThe Bush administration needs to get Pakistan involved in this diplomatic effort. Iran does not have decent relations with China, it has a "strong" relationship with it.\n\nThe west needs to look at Iran from a different angle because if a wrong step is taken, there will be a major moslem uprising in the Middle East. They will perceive it as a war against Islam. The effects will be felt all across Europe and North America. \n\nThe only group of people who will say "No" are Americans. They think that economics will trump eastern philosophy, culture, history and domestic politics.\n\nKeep this good discussion rolling!
286941
you don't understand the situation. US believes Iran will use it's nuclear technology to build nuclear weapons. Iran is using it for energy and Iran is allowing UN to inspect it's nuclear facilities. Only why there is a controversy is because US believes Iran will attack Israel with nuclear weapons and US is putting on the pressure to make sure Iran does not have any nuclear weapons.
318770
Iran is not talking for its defense. Iran is talking about attacking.\n\nAttacking and defending are 2 different words and have different meanings, Blackman!
346946
Look we're the only superpower. We have nukes as a deterrent. Would we use them? Sure if we needed to, but that would be a last resort. As to Israel, they are our ally and Thus we let them keep nukes as a deterrent. It is one way for Ismael to ensure not being over run by its enemies in the middle east. Why can't Iran have nukes? North Korea? Because we said so that's why. (Please refer to first sentence.)
477970
i believe the Iranian President is kinda radical crazy and is pretty much hellbent on controlling other countries in the middle east,Everyone knows he wont be happy till they have nucks,and I believe he will use them, unfortunately for the Iranian people most countries believe that also.He's probably Hitler reincarnate.
348910
Iran is trying to become a legitimate  player in the middle east, We declared Iraq, Iran and North Korea.. We invaded one (Iraq), we are at a stand still with North Korea, and Iran is probably thinking ,,,,If I want to get america to take us seriously..We need a Nuclear weapon...So I understand their motivation. They feel  a nuclear weapon equals respect...Sadly, from us it probably does....