Hello Vudak,
Originally posted by Vudak
Can anyone link an actual "legit" news agency... CNN, BBC, anything, that reports what the linked blogs have said? Especially about Iran promising to give their reaction on August 22 to the West's demands that they end their Nuclear program?
Yes the August 22nd date is legitimate and was set by Iran in response to UN pressure (they wanted a much earlier response). The following is from Reuters:
TEHRAN, July 13 (Reuters) - Iran said on Thursday it would not abandon its right to nuclear technology in a defiant statement after Tehran's case was sent back to the U.N. Security Council over its atomic dispute with the West.
But U.S. President George W. Bush kept up the pressure saying Tehran could not "wait us out" and Germany warned "other steps" would be necessary if Tehran did not respond to a package to rein in its atomic work.
Five permanent Security Council members, the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China, plus Germany backed a package calling for Iran to halt uranium enrichment in return for economic and diplomatic incentives. But on Wednesday they asked the council to intervene after Tehran failed to reply.
"Our answer to the P5+1 package is clear, the Iranian nation abides by international laws and regulations but will not abandon its obvious right to obtain nuclear technology," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by state TV.
The West says Iran wants to enrich uranium to produce atomic bombs, a charge Iran denies. It has refused to halt the work.
"We are trying to investigate the proposed package positively," Ahmadinejad said in comments carried by Iran's Fars news agency, but repeated that Iran would give its final reply by Aug. 22 despite pressure for a swifter response.
For several weeks the west was wondering, "why August 22nd?" Gradually however, consensus is building that Ahmadinejad picked an Islamic Holy Day with a connection to Jerusalem specifically to make a high profile symbolic gesture. The best case scenario is that once again he thumbs his nose at the west on the enrichment question, the worst is the stuff of nightmares...
In any event, it's becoming increasingly obvious that Iran filling Southern Lebanon with short and medium range missiles and then sending in Hezbollah to do a highly provocative raid followed by the largest series of barrages yet, was planned well in advance. Iran has deliberately baited Israel into a proxy war on their terms, I hardly expect their only goals are to generate bad PR for Israel and give them a bloody nose.
My general read is that Ahmadinejad is specifically attempting to jump start a regional Jihad against Israel - so far the Arab league has resisted that impulse, but given the increasing level of protests amongst the
umma in their own countries he may get what he wants - especially if he can provoke an Israeli response against a major power like Iran - which is precisely what they want.
Their sense, right or wrong is that Israel has never been weaker, that western support for Israel is evaporating, and that America is too over-extended and politically hamstrung to intervene. Israel's failure to quickly roll-over Hezbollah and recent change of strategic command will only have encouraged that theory.
- SEAGOON
