Robert Parry: Déjà Vu Over Iran A-Bomb Charges

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



Déjà Vu Over Iran A-Bomb Charges
November 10, 2011

Exclusive: The mainstream U.S. news media is again ratcheting up tensions with Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program by hailing a new report on the topic. But the press is once more falling down on its duty to examine the allegations carefully, writes Robert Parry.

By Robert Parry


The New York Times is trotting out some of its favorite words – like “meticulous” – to praise the new report by United Nations weapons inspectors citing Iran’s supposed work on a nuclear bomb, and the Washington Post says the findings “ought to end serious debate” about Tehran’s nefarious intentions.

So, rather than undertake a careful examination of the report’s claims, America’s preeminent newspapers are once more putting on display their deep-seated biases regarding the Middle East. Any claim against a Muslim adversary must be true.

In the words of New York Yankees great Yogi Berra, “it’s déjà vu all over again.”

It seems every time an allegation is made against a “designated enemy” in the Middle East, the Post and Times editors cast aside professional skepticism, a pattern that has included Iraq’s WMD (oops!); a U.N.-sponsored report on Syria’s guilt in the Hariri assassination (“meticulous,” the Times said, though the report later fell apart); and the flat-fact claim of Libya’s role in the Lockerbie bombing (highly dubious in terms of evidence, but useful in justifying Muammar Gaddafi’s ouster and murder). ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://consortiumnews.com/2011/11/10/deja-vu-over-iran-a-bomb-charges/

[bananas]

1. Even ElBaradei said Iran was developing nuclear weapons capabilities and in violation of IAEA

Iran's enrichment facilities are more than they need for reactor fuel,
and they've moved them onto a military site into underground bunkers.
There's no way to deny this is a military program.
If it gets bombed, it will be a military site which gets bombed, not a civilian site.

[cpwm17]

2. Do you have a link for that claim about ElBaradei?

ElBaradei discounted this alleged evidence that the new head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, gives credibility. ElBaradei has a track record of being right.

If Iran's nuclear facilities get bombed, it would be an unprovoked attack on human beings. That's called murder.

[bananas]

3. Posted in LBN in 2009

U.N. Atomic Energy Chief Says Iran Wants Bomb Technology
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3928432

People were trying to spin it, so I also posted a poll:
Poll question: Is El Baradei's 'gut feeling' the same as Bush's?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5879627

(edit to delete stuff to keep it simple)

[cpwm17]

4. The reason there are UN trade sanctions on Iran is.

the US pushed for them. The US used its influence to pass the resolution in the UN Security Council. The resolution is illegal.

There is no evidence that Iran is in violation of anything regarding nukes. They have the most closely watched nuclear program in the world.

Iran has a right to a nuclear program. It is the West that is causing hardship on Iran for doing what many other nations in the world are doing - including the US.

Military sites are not legitimate targets when the nation isn't involved in any aggressive war - which Iran hasn't done since before the US was a nation. To attack any military site in this case would be a war crime.

With all of the war loving kooks in the US, I support Iran's development of nukes. But there is no evidence that they are doing so, though I think they're crazy if they aren't.

Iran faces a potential disastrous war in the near future, worse than the unprovoked war that Iraq and the US conducted against them in the 1980's. Iran knows what it's like to face WMD's from Iraq and the US. In that case Iran didn't retaliate with WMD's. Their religious leaders prevented it. It's not in their character - unlike the US.

[bananas]

5. ElBaradei: Iran on "wrong side of the law" with new nuclear site

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1504123.php/ElBaradei-Iran-on-wrong-side-of-the-law-with-new-nuclear-site

ElBaradei: Iran on "wrong side of the law" with new nuclear site

Sep 30, 2009, 15:12 GMT

New Delhi/Vienna - Iran did not comply with international laws telling the International Atomic Energy Agency about a new nuclear site too late, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei told Indian TV station CNN-IBN in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.

Iran's revelation last week that it was constructing a second uranium enrichment plant has raised tensions ahead of Tehran's talks with the permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - as well as Germany in Geneva on Thursday.

'They are saying that this was meant to be a back-up facility in case we were attacked and so they could not tell us earlier on,' ElBaradei said in New Delhi.

'Nonetheless, they have been on the wrong side of the law, you know, in so far as informing the agency about the construction, and as you have seen it, it has created concern in the international community,' he said.

<snip>

[cpwm17]

6. Iran would disagree

Iran did declare their activity well before six months prior to introducing nuclear material into the Qom facility. This would put them in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Some say that Iran should abide by the Additional Protocols, but Iran's government didn't agree to this and is not obliged to follow them - as ElBaradei apparently claims.

Obama lied when he claimed that the US exposed the Qom facility, which was allegedly illegal. But it was the Iranians that announced its existence as required by the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran needs to keep some secrets, and to protect their nuclear sites. They are repeatedly being threatened with unprovoked war by the US and Israel. This is illegal by international law. Now that's the real crime.

[bananas]

7. Iran violated their agreements

This article lays it out:

http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2009/09/25/iran-violated-international-obligations-on-qom-facility/nju

Iran Violated International Obligations on Qom Facility
James M. Acton Proliferation Analysis, September 25, 2009

Update: On 30 September, speaking in New Delhi, the IAEA Director General confirmed that Iran has violated its obligations.<1>

Iranian President Ahmadinejad has said that Iran's new centrifuge facility is "perfectly legal." Here is why he is perfectly wrong.

<snip>