Lawmakers vow swift action over Iran's alleged nuclear inroads

[bemildred]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON — US lawmakers on Sunday vowed quick action against Iran following a report that weapons experts believe Tehran has the know-how to build an atomic bomb -- even as a senior US official downplayed the news article.

A chorus of congressional voices, both Republican and Democratic, urged tough action against Tehran following a New York Times report that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has determined Iran now has "sufficient information" to build a nuclear weapon.

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"The Iranians will have a nuclear weapon if something doesn't change their minds. We need tough sanctions. We need to do them now," Democratic Senator Evan Bayh told "Fox News Sunday."

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading congressional voice on defense and security matters, said he would like Congress to set aside a week dedicated to a raft of new sanctions legislation against the Islamic republic.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hjTLhjE7ndHJMylf3D3Gpn3uq8rw

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1. Iran 'co-operation' draws praise

US National Security Adviser Jim Jones said Tehran was now "willing to come to the table", following talks this week between Iran and major powers.

The head of the UN's nuclear agency, who is in Tehran, said there had been a "gear shift" towards co-operation.

He announced that inspectors would visit a newly revealed nuclear site in the Iranian city of Qom, on 25 October.

The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says the US administration is still a long way from taking Iranian co-operation on the nuclear issue for granted, but it does see some reasons for optimism.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8289673.stm

[RC]

2. How much of Iran's nuclear projects are the result of threats by the US against them?

With our history starting, supplying and financing wars against innocent people, this is a legitimate question.

[jbnow]

3. I don't know the political etiquette on this but with negotiations just beginning,

indications of Iranian cooperation and of more unanimity among the group of countries about sanctions...I hope Congress will be working WITH the white house on this.

It's not like it will be a lengthy wait to see if Iran is cooperating and this is certainly more progress than we have seen before. I'd hate to see the Congress pass a law with strict sanctions that would take place even if Iran cooperates fully.
I hope quote of Bayh saying 'we need tough sanctions. We need to do them now' was very incomplete and he immediately talked about the potential progress we are seeing.

[bemildred]

4. War!!!

War! War! War! War! War! War! War! War!War!

You got the idea now?

[Truth2Tell]

5. I guess when you're a politician in a nation that loves war

your only choice is to fall all over yourself to war monger the loudest and toughest.

[Wizard777]

6. Congress is going with the NYT over the NIE?

:wow: Well just dayum. So what is the name of this reporter that is now forging our international policy? Better yet lets dig into his past a lil further than that. He was born.......now fill in that big blank right up until he finished writing that article that is now defining our international policy. If we are going to put this kind of power in the hands of one reporter. I think we are entitled to a chromatograph analysis of his last fart. We can deal with the fact that he actually farted later. I mean really. Congress has lost it's freakin' mind....... AGAIN!

[peacetalksforall]

7. Bye-Bye Bayh!