Sen. Nelson (Fla) on the Iran "crisis" - "most serious threat"

[Synnical]

Cross post from the Florida Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=145&topic_id=6879&mesg_id=6879

Dear "Cindy":

Thank you for contacting me about the growing crisis over Iran’s nuclear program. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have a particular interest in this issue, and knowing the thoughts of my constituents is very important to me.

Iran has sparked an international crisis over its nuclear program through a long history of dishonesty and deception concerning its enrichment activities. Although Iran is legally prohibited under its international treaty agreements from pursuing a nuclear weapons program, Iran has consistently lied to inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Inspectors have not been given the free and open access to Iranian nuclear facilities that is required to build the confidence of the rest of the world. Just the opposite, Iran has deliberately tried to hide the full extent of its nuclear facilities and operations from public view.

Iran has now thrown the IAEA inspectors out of the country, and refuses to permit anyone to observe its reactors. We do not know the size of the overall Iranian nuclear program, and without independent inspectors, we cannot be sure that Iran is not building a nuclear arsenal. Iran’s actions have shattered the confidence of the international community, and the stakes are too high for complacency.

At the same time, a new and more radical leader has taken power in Iran. He has increased the country’s anti-Israel and anti-U.S. rhetoric, including giving assistance to insurgents attacking U.S. troops in Iraq, and making an inflammatory public commitment to “wipe Israel off the map.” With our closest Mideast ally and over 100,000 U.S. troops now in range of Iranian missiles, we must not sit idly by while this real threat continues to develop.

I view Iran as one of the most serious threats to the United States and our allies. I support pursuing diplomacy and negotiations as long as they are productive, and I believe that Russia and China can and must play an active and responsible role in heading off the crisis. But I must agree with the President--we cannot take military options, as a last resort, off the table. To do so would render our diplomatic negotiations feeble, dooming them to failure, and might also prevent us from taking decisive action should it become necessary. Please know that I will continue to monitor the Iranian situation closely, and I will keep your views in mind as it develops.

I'm not about to do all the formatting I did in the Florida forum, so please just click on the link.

Please!?

Thanks.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[lastknowngood]

1. Give him a god*am gun and ship his ass over there.

n/t

[Redstone]

2. Sure, he'll "keep your views in mind."

And I'm the Queen of Spain.

Redstone

[Synnical]

3. Okay, guess I'll re-post this in GDP

-C.

[Trajan]

4. I am concerned about a Theocratic State

Having access to nuclear weapons ...

I am concerned about Pakistan having them ....

I am concerned about India having them ....

I am concerned about North Korea having them ....

I am concerned about China having them ....

I am concerned about Ukraine having them ....

I am concerned about Russia having them ....

I am concerned about Britain having them ....

I am concerned about France having them ....

I am concerned about the United States of America having them ....


WHY the FUCK would I NOT be concerned about Iran having them ?

Of COURSE I am, and so should you be as well ....

The question asking 'Is it a good thing for Iran to have Nuclear Weapons' ... has an easy answer ...

No .....

There are other questions on which many will differ regarding the proper response to such an event .... THOSE questions are wide ranging .... but of THIS question I cannot see the light of day between us ....

[Synnical]

5. .

[Tom Joad]

6. Israel is the only State in the Middle East to possess nuclear weapons

And it has a very large stockpile.
Like the united states, it has waged wars of aggression.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Someone should inform the senator that Ahmadinajad was elected.

He did not "take power".

Beyond that, his warmongering rhetoric sounds an awful lot like the same load of crap we hear from the White House.

[Synnical]

8. My comments in the Florida Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=145&topic_id=6879&mesg_id=6879

Oh, brain splat, what does this remind me of??? Oh, yeah, the invasion of IRAQ!

Which country was it again that ignored international treaties? Ah, yeah, the U.S. under the Shrub administration.

Which country was it again that has shattered the confidence of the International Community? Ah, yeah, the U.S. under the Shrub Administration.

Which other country also has a new and radical leader? Ah, yeah, the U.S. has uber-conservative, freaky religious and totally incompetent Shrub.

And why are over 100,000 U.S. troops in range of Iranian missiles? Ah, yeah, because of the illegal invasion of Iraq under the Shrub Administration.

And how exactly is Iran a threat to the U.S. again?

I've never been a huge fan of Nelson, didn't even vote for him - voted for an Independent, but only because I knew the Dem had enough votes to get elected over the Repuke challenger. I'm sure I'll bite my tongue and vote for him this year though.

[Roland99]

9. I would have thought Darfur would be an "international crisis"

Make believe dangers don't quite consitute an "international crisis" imho.