Just days after espousing delusions of grandeur regarding a peaceful end to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, President Bush announced the transfer of $123 million in precision-guided bomb kits (“smart” bombs) to Saudi Arabia;
[1] a transaction that is part of the much larger “Gulf Security Dialogue,” which plans to sell $20 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Oman.
[2]
Bush also made sure to end his “peace” visit by warning U.S. allies in the Middle East to harden their stance against Iran “before it is too late.”
[3] Predictably, this sentiment was echoed by Israel, the consummate U.S. proxy, when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made it clear that his country will consider “all options” in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
[4] Both statements were made just two days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded a tour of Iran’s nuclear program, where the IAEA was given access to Iran’s facilities and provided with new information regarding Iranian research and development activities.
[5]
These statements come amidst renewed protest over the “U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative,” which U.S. Ambassador (Ret.) Robert Grey, Jr., Director of the Bipartisan Security Group, has presciently clarified: “It is ludicrous to characterize an agreement which would enable India to produce nuclear weapons as a step forward for non-proliferation.”
[6] However, it appears the U.S. will continue this pursuit despite the acknowledgement by Robert G. Joseph, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, that “India has informed us that it has no intention of relinquishing its nuclear weapons or of becoming a party to the (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) NPT as a non-nuclear weapon State…”
[7]
Such foreign policy decisions no doubt lend credible support to claims by many NPT parties who are already “adamant that the United States and other nuclear weapon states are not complying with their own obligations, namely, to pursue nuclear disarmament.” Of course, it is obvious that if the U.S. was concerned about its own compliance, all it would need to do is apply to itself the principles President Bush has outlined for the rest of the world, where he says “We cannot allow rogue states that violate their commitments to undermine the NPT’s fundamental role in strengthening international security.”[8]
It should hardly need mentioning that these events follow the recent well known U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which concluded that Iran had ceased its nuclear weapons program by 2003. The report also confirmed that the U.S. intelligence community is confident “Iran does not currently have a nuclear weapon” and that they do “not know whether it currently intends to develop nuclear weapons.”
[9]
But conclusive evidence seems to have little impact on U.S. obstinacy. According to a senior U.S. administration official, President Bush reassured Israel that “he can’t control what the intelligence community says, but that (the NIE’s) conclusions don’t reflect his own views” regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
[10] Following this rationale, Iran’s current compliance with the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obviously deserves punishment; so yesterday Bush called for new economics sanctions against Iran, clearly without warrant, that is, unless you happen to share his “views.”
[11]
[1] “U.S. to sell Saudis smart bombs to help keep Iran in check.” January 15, 2008.
San Francisco Chronicle.
[2] “US looks to sell arms in Gulf to try to contain Iran.” March 21, 2007.
Boston Globe.
[3] “Bush Urges Unity Against Iran.” January 14, 2008.
New York Times.
[4] “Olmert says “all options” open against Iran. January 14, 2007.
Reuters.
[5] “IAEA Chief Concludes Visit to Iran.” January 13, 2008. International Atomic Energy Agency.
[6] “Diverse Coalition Launches Campaign to Stop U.S. Nuclear Deal with India.” January 16, 2008. Bipartisan Security Group
[7] Robert G. Joseph, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. November 2, 2005. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
[8] “NPT Compliance: Issues and Views.” April 26, 2005. Congressional Research Service
.
[9]“Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities.” November 2007. National Intelligence Estimate.
[10] “Bothersome Intel on Iran.” January 21, 2008.
Newsweek.
[11] “US to Pursue New Iran Sanctions.” January 16, 2008
. New York Times.
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