From The New York Times. In an Interview with Fox News Condi Rice issued this warning to the Iranians

We have believed all along that Iran ought to be referred to the Security Council and then a variety of steps are available to the international community.'' [. . .].

'They need to hear that the discussions that they are in with the Europeans are not going to be a kind of waystation where they are allowed to continue their activities; that there's going to be an end to this and that they are going to end up in the Security Council.'

Just to make sure the point was clear Rice also said, "Iranians need to hear that if they are unwilling to take the deal, really, that the Europeans are giving ... then the Security Council referral looms." And then just to make doubly sure there was no confusion, Rice told reporters after her meeting with NATO and EU leaders, "I think everybody understands what the 'next steps' mean." Back in Washington, Georgie chimed in with this little bit, "the reason we're sending that message is because Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a very destablizing force in the world." I wonder if the generals in charge of providing security in Iraq are already being "requested" to start planning for the invasion of Iran via Iraq. I knew the 80s were making a bit of comeback, I just didn't know it'd be in such a big way.

Meanwhile Geogie & Co. aren't doing much saber rattling about

evidence that North Korea had gone beyond building new weapons for its own small nuclear arsenal, and may have provided aid to other nations by selling a partly processed form of uranium that can be enriched into bomb fuel. While there is some dispute about when the uranium was sent to Libya, there is some evidence that the transaction took place as recently as early 2003.

Sure we sent a mid-level diplomat to China to beg the Chinese to do something about the N. Koreans and their penchant for producing and selling nuclear-bomb material to other countries, but have said nothing about how a N. Korea with an active and productive nuclear arms program is a destablizing force in the world (at least not in the grand way we have with Iran). Gee, no wonder the Iranians are a bit miffed. I mean India, Pakistan, and N. Korea all have nuclear bombs and Georgie isn't threatening to take them to Security Council.
posted by Idle Crank at 2/09/2005 02:37:00 PM