Rice Gives Iran Weeks, not Months, To Decide on Nuclear Talks - 6/2/06

[NNN0LHI]

Well I guess she told them...

http://usinfo.state.gov/is/Archive/2006/Jun/04-829348.html


By David Shelby
Washington File Staff Writer


Washington -- Iran has weeks, not months, to respond to the proposals from the international community to resolve the diplomatic impasse over Iran's nuclear activities, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“{W}e can't wait for months while Iran again says on the one hand maybe they're interested in negotiating, on the other hand maybe they're not. They need to make a choice and the international community needs to know whether negotiation is a real option or not,” Rice told reporters in Vienna, Austria, June 2.

The international community is putting forth a package of incentives and penalties aimed at persuading the Iranian government to suspend its uranium enrichment activities and return to negotiations about its nuclear program. (See related article.)

“I hope that the Iranian government will take a little time to think about the proposal that is being presented to it. This is a way out of the impasse if Iran indeed wants a way out of the impasse,” she told a CBS News reporter.

[whistle]

1. Condi is way over her head in this job as secretary of state

[jimshoes]

2. She says the same thing

about once a month for the last 6 months I think.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Clark sees a 50% to 70% chance of War with Iran after January

I saw Wes Clark speak in New Hampshire a week and a half ago and brought a tape recorder. Here are some of his comments about the chance of war with Iran:

"...I think that we're in a very dangerous position because not only is the clock ticking in North Korea, but the clock is ticking in Iran. The President has basically lined up his statements so that he can not live with the possibility of an Iranian nuclear weapon, and he has made a half hearted effort at diplomacy. We're not talking with Iran directly. He's made a half hearted effort at diplomacy, I believe, so that diplomacy will fail. And then, his plan is, sometime in the Spring of 2007, which is not so far away, he's going to come on Television, he's going to say:

'My fellow Americans. For 5 years we've watched the evil empire of Iran struggle to prepare nuclear weapons. Although our intelligence is not perfect, we have enough information to assure us that they're making progress.

As I told, and promised you, we will not allow the worst weapons to fall into the hands of the worst people. Iran is a state that supports Terrorists. For the good of humanity they can not be permitted to have nuclear weapons. We've asked our Allies to help, we've gone to the United Nations, we've asked the Iranians to forbear, nothing has worked. There is no option remaining, but to use America's military superiority to address this growing and gathering threat.

As I speak to you tonight, the first bombers are over Tehran. We will not falter, we will not fail, we will not be denied, and America will prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons.

Thank You my fellow Americans'

Now that's the speech, OK, that's what's going to happen. I'd say 50, 60, 70% likelihood after the first of the year, IF we don't get Democrats in Congress. Now when that happens, it will be very hard for Democrats to stand and say; 'Oh stop the bombing, we like it when Iran has nuclear weapons.' No we don't, we'll be back on the defensive again. That's why we've got to start speaking out now. We're being set up again, just like we were with Iraq, and what I've found in my life is, generally that if you want a war, you can have one.

Most people are about equally brave, most people will fight. Most people love their families, they love their homes, they believe that whatever they believe in is the single one way to truth, reconciliation and the after life, and most people will fight for it. Most people are not philosophical about it, and whether you're walking into a bar in New York City after the Red Sox have played the Yankees, or whether you're dealing with the Bosnians and the Serbs, or whether you're talking about Christians and Iranians. People will fight for what they believe in. So if we want a war with a billion Muslims, we can probably have one. I don't think we want one, we certainly don't need one, and we should do everything we can to prevent it. And that means this election is the crucial moment for doing that."

[C_U_L8R]

4. That's a lot of weeks