Iran: time for decision
By Mike Pellicio
The foreign ministers of Great Britain, Germany and France have concluded that ongoing negotiations over Iran's nuclear program have hit a "dead end."
Russia, typically one of Iran's allies, has hinted that it may refer the Islamic Republic to the United Nations Security Council. China, along with the four other permanent members of the security counsel, has urged Iran to cooperate. Iran insists it seeks nuclear energy to be technologically savvy, not for weapons.
Why is everybody worried about Iran going nuclear? Well, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. He is also an avid holocaust denier who once announced: "Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury."
This man is more dangerous than Kim Jong-il, and his country going nuclear is far more threatening than North Korea is now.
We are no longer at war with Stalinism, but rather with terrorism -- and Iran is a big sponsor. It indoctrinates its youth as anti-Semites prepared to explode themselves on Israeli buses and support terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.
So what should be done about Iran? That's a trickier question. What's encouraging is that the rhetoric has improved from the West. What's not encouraging is that the U.N. has a terrible track record of dealing with these things.
France has said that it's not quite ready to advocate UN sanctions against Iran. Iran has said that it's not afraid of sanctions. There's an obvious credibility gap here: What France thinks is too severe Iran finds laughable.
Will a military response suffice? Iran claims aggression will provoke a "crushing response." Ah, I see, a "crushing response" from non-nuclear Iran, who continues to seek innocent nuclear energy. Right.
It's obvious that Iran doesn't want to be attacked, but it's also clear that nobody wants to hit them. Think of just some of the consequences: A drastic rise in their terror sponsorship, shelling of Israel, and oil embargoes.
As the British, German and French foreign ministers say, Iran has a "documented record of concealment and deception," and something must be done about it. The United States needs to push the U.N. to sanction Iran, forcing China and Russia to take sides. If successful, as the sanctions set in and Iran responds, the West should prepare for a confrontation with the bloodthirsty Ahmadinejad.
Mike Pellicio is a junior political science major.