On NBC‘s Meet the Press (9/9/12), Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and host David Gregory had a discussion about the failures of the Obama administration’s foreign policy that included this:
ROMNEY: The president has not drawn us further away from a nuclear Iran. And in fact Iran is closer to having a weapon, closer to having nuclear capability, than when he took office. This is the greatest failure, in my opinion, of his foreign policy. He ran for office saying he was going to meet with Ahmadinejad. He was going to meet with Castro, Kim Jong Il. All the world’s worst actors, without precondition, he’d meet with them in his first year.
GREGORY: President Bush said that he would stop Iran from going nuclear. So did President Obama. Neither one were able to achieve that. Correct?
ROMNEY: President Obama had a policy of engagement with Ahmadinejad. That policy has not worked and we’re closer to a nuclear weapon as a result of that.
Set aside the talk about the U.S. having a “policy of engagement” with Iran–we have a policy of sanctions. The real question is what Gregory is talking about when he talks about Iran “going nuclear,” and how Bush and Obama failed “to achieve that.”
In this context, “going nuclear” would seem to refer to producing a nuclear weapon, which nobody claims Iran has done. Gregory has mislead viewers on this before: “Iran: Will talks push that country to give up its nuclear weapons program?” he declared a few years back (10/4/09).
There is as yet no evidence that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon. What we know now is that the country has a nuclear energy program, and some countries demand to know more about that program, based on the theory that Iran is hiding something. Perhaps they are, but no evidence to that effect exists.
But it is common for media to start the Iran conversation based on the assumption that there’s a weapon being built. You could see that in Bill Keller’s column in the New York Times today (9/10/12). “Negotiations aimed at preventing the dreaded Persian Bomb have resumed their desultory course,” he explained to readers–before posing what I think Keller believes is a provocative question: “Can we live with a nuclear Iran?”
Keller believes his column is adding something novel to the debate over Iran:
The prevailing view now is that a nuclear Iran cannot be safely contained. On this point both President Obama and Mitt Romney agree.
Keller then goes on: “Let’s assume, for starters, that Iran’s theocrats are determined to acquire nuclear weapons.” The rest of the column consists mostly of a “theoretical exercise” where Keller ends up opposing pre-emptive war in favor of allowing Iran to enrich uranium so long as it doesn’t pursue a weapons program. Then we could “gradually relaxes sanctions and brings this wayward country into the community of more-or-less civilized nations.”
It’s a strange argument, given that Iran says that’s what it’s doing, and the inspectors that are supposed to monitor Iran’s nuclear program are already reporting that there is no evidence any of the country’s uranium is being diverted for a weapons program. It sure doesn’t seem as if sanctions relief is right around the corner.
A truly novel media approach that Keller–or any other columnist–might want to try: Assume, for the sake of novelty, that Iran is not pursuing a weapons program. Then take every fact of the Iran showdown–the sanctions, the threats from various Israeli government officials that a military attack could be imminent–and try to reconcile them with the assumption that Iran is not developing the weapons that are the focus of so much controversy.
It’s much more difficult to rationalize U.S. policy if one explores this “theoretical exercise.” Which is likely why pundits like Keller go a different route.
I hadn’t heard the “Persian Bomb” line before.
It’s doubtful you’ll hear Keller referring to Israel’s arsenal as the “Hebrew Bomb”, don’t you think?
As a long-time FAIR subscriber, it saddens me to see that Hart continues to disseminate the blatant and dangerous lie that there is “no evidence” that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.
I have called Hart out on this several times, but he persists, in his bull-headed way, in severely damaging FAIR’s credibility as an objective media watchdog.
Let’s take a look at how Hart attempts to carry out this deception. I will elaborate a few elements:
1. Apparently out of embarrassment, Hart has now removed the link to an earlier January 2012 article he penned which established only that it is “possible” that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons. For example, in that January 2012 article, Hart cited an engineering professor who said that “Iran’s high-explosive research…[is] not necessarily linked to nuclear work.” That January 2012 piece also asserted that an IAEA report “acknowleges that ‘there exist non-nuclear applications, albeit few, for detonators like EBWs.'” In other words, in that previous article, Hart contended only that it is conceivable (albeit just barely conceivable) that Iran is not enaged in nuclear weapons development.
2. And so Hart is now trying out a new link, this time to a “Common Dreams” piece relying heavily on a New York Times article. The first thing to notice is that the Common Dreams article dates from February 2012, hardly timely given recent reports and activity by the IAEA (as discussed below).
Common Dreams references the New York Times as stating that Iran halted a nuclear weapons program in 2003. This sounds significant until one actually reads the New York Times article and does some background reading, in which case one discovers the following (it took me a few minutes to accomplish this, but perhaps Hart was too busy):
a. According to the IAEA – as detailed in its November 2011 report and subsequent reports – while Iran halted a nuclear weapons program in 2003, it resumed several of that program’s activities subsequently. For example, according to the November 2011 report, the Agency “has become increasingly concerned about the possible existence in Iran of undisclosed nuclear related activities involving military related organizations, including activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile.”
Aside from the detonators mentioned above, IAEA reports have cited to the following evidence of nuclear weapons development:
– Experimental production of polonium-210, which can be used as a neutron initiator for nuclear weapons.
– Re-engineering the payload chamber of the Shahab 3 missile re-entry vehicle in a way that would accommodate a new warhead to be made using enriched uranium.
– Testing a multiple initiation system whose dimensions were consistent with the dimensions for the re-engineered Shahab 3 payload chamber.
– Developing a “prototype firing system that would enable the payload to explode both in the air above a target, or upon impact of the re-entry vehicle with the ground”; the IAEA concluded that “any payload option other than nuclear… could be ruled out.”
– Manufacturing simulated nuclear explosive components.
Moreover, as the New York Times has also reported, Iran has now enriched more uranium than is needed for “peaceful” purposes.
b. The New York Times article cited by Common Dreams also emphasized that American intelligence assessments “are based on limited information” because Iran is a “closed society.” Which brings us back to Hart’s claim that there is no evidence “Iran is hiding something.”
That really takes chutzpah. If there is one thing no one can dispute, it is that Iran is failing to cooperate with the IAEA. As non-proliferation expert Mark Fitzpatrick has stated, if “Iran truly had nothing to hide, why does it take positions that do nothing but hide its nuclear activities? Its systematic violations of NPT safeguards obligations and obstruction of IAEA investigations into allegations of nuclear-weapons-related work are well documented…the ‘purely peaceful’ justification is not credible.”
Of course one of the most serious charges against Iran is that it has been concealing explosives research at the Parchin miltary complex. Just today, as reported by Al Arabiya News, the IAEA demanded immediate access to the Parchin site. Somehow Hart didn’t bother to mention this.
Of course Hart has the right to scrutinize the evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. For example, in his January 2012 article, Hart cited to “an excellent report” stating that “some nuclear experts raise doubt about the quality of evidence” against Iran, and that “some experts…argue that the kind of explosives experiments Iran is said to be conducting are not the kind you would use in nuclear research.”
But Hart simply cannot claim there is “no evidence” that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons development. Or to deny that Iran has been sytematically failing to cooperate with IAEA inspectors.
It is unfortunate that FAIR continues to allow Hart to perpetuate a bald-faced lie. FAIR’s reputation as an objective media watchdog is suffering serious damage, and one hopes that it will not devolve entirely into an anti-Zionist propaganda organ.
Let’s see how Hart reconciles the breaking news on Iran this morning with his claim that there is “no evidence” Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. I can hardly wait to see what contortions he suffers to maintain his absurd position:
“The U.N. atomic agency has received new and significant intelligence over the past month that Iran has moved further toward the ability to build a nuclear weapon, diplomats tell The Associated Press.
They say the intelligence shows that Iran has advanced its work on calculating the destructive power of an atomic warhead through a series of computer models that it ran sometime within the past three years.
The diplomats say the information comes from Israel, the United States and at least two other Western countries. The time-frame is significant because if the International Atomic Energy Agency decides that the intelligence is credible, it would strengthen its concerns that Iran has continued weapons work into the recent past – and may be continuing to do so.”
All nuclear weapons are for peaceful purposes.
Just ask any of the nuclear powers and each will tell you this is so.
We are only testing the viability of the species on this and many other fronts. This species cannot stop killing each other intentionally so how can we ever expect to avoid killing each other inadvertently and destroying the earth by means of war and by means other than war?
If we become any more committed to primitive solipsistic concepts of peace, I fear we’ll all end up prematurely dead.
Billy, you don’t have the slightest idea of what you are talking about. The IAEA have categorically stated that Iran are not developing or even possess the materials to develop nuclear weapons. Back to school with you my boy!
“has become increasingly concerned about the possible existence..”
Do you chase Unicorns also. Has become concerned about the possible existance…..
not one word of Solid evidence. People like this bring to mind the old Jewish adage (and I find it rather appropo’ in this instance) where a man comes home to get his bike, which he is going to take to the bike shop to fix the flat back tire and sees his bicycle is missing so he starts looking around.
But wait! He notices the Neighbors kid, walking around the area and he can see the kid is walking like a thief, talking like a thief and acting like a thief. That little thief he was always looking at that bike and didn’t he once comment how nice he thought that bike was?
So the man starts to go over and grab the little thief and demand his bike back, when the spouse comes out and and says ‘Oh, that nice Mr Snorer came by today and noticed your bike had a flat and broken spoke.So he took it to the shop and will have it back tomorrow.’.
The man turned and looked at the Kid who was now not moving, walking or talking like a thief.
You have turned an essentially innuendo into a fact; you claim the Iran’s are walking, talking and acting like thief and you have no clue where bicycle really is. So take a hike.
And why should Iran not have nuclear weapons?
Here’s an article I wrote in Common Dreams about how the NY Times is beating the drums of war and failed to report Iran’s call for the abolition of nuclear weapons at the non-aligned meeting last month. https://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/08/28-3
Published on Tuesday, August 28, 2012 by Common Dreams
Iran Call for Nuclear Abolition by 2025 is Unreported by New York Times
by Alice Slater
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), formed in 1961 during the Cold War, is a group of 120 states and 17 observer states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The NAM held its opening 2012 session yesterday under the new chairmanship of Iran, which succeeded Egypt as the Chair.
Significantly, an Associated Press story in the Washington Post headlined, “Iran opens nonaligned summit with calls for nuclear arms ban”, reported that “Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi opened the gathering by noting commitment to a previous goal from the nonaligned group, known as NAM, to remove the world’s nuclear arsenals within 13 years. ‘We believe that the timetable for ultimate removal of nuclear weapons by 2025, which was proposed by NAM, will only be realized if we follow it up decisively,’ he told delegates.”
Yet the New York Times, which has been beating the drums for war with Iran, just as it played a disgraceful role in the deceptive reporting during the lead-up to the Iraq War, never mentioned Iran’s proposal for nuclear abolition. The Times carried the bland headline on its front page, “At Summit Meeting, Iran Has a Message for the World”, and then went on to state, “the message is clear. As Iran plays host to the biggest international conference …it wants to tell its side of the long standoff with the Western powers which are increasingly convinced that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons”, without ever reporting Iran’s offer to support the NAM proposal for the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2025.
Surely the most sensible way to deal with Iran’s nascent nuclear weapons capacity is to call all the nations to the table to negotiate a treaty to ban the bomb. That would mean abolishing the 20,000 nuclear bombs on the planet—in the US, UK, Russia, China, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel—with 19,000 of them in the US and Russia. In order to get Russia and China to the table, the US will also have to give up its dreams of dominating the earth with missile “defenses” which, driven by corrupt military contractors and a corporate- owned Congress, are currently being planted and based in provocative rings around Russia and China.
The ball is in the U.S. court to make good faith efforts for nuclear abolition. That would be the only principled way to deal with fears of nuclear proliferation. The US must start with a genuine offer for negotiations to finally ban the bomb in all countries, including a freeze on further missile development. It should stop beating up on Iran and North Korea while it hypocritically continues to improve and expand the US arsenal, with tens of billions of dollars for new weapons laboratories and bomb delivery systems, and fails to speak out against the nuclear activities of other nations such as the enrichment of uranium in Japan and Brazil and the nuclear arsenal of Israel.
In 2010 the UN unanimously agreed to sponsor a conference in Helsinki this year to create a Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone. Such a Zone is the obvious solution to the threat of nuclear weapons in that region. Should the press and government stop hiding this conference and the concept and start talking about creating such a Zone perhaps the nuclear weapons already possessed by two countries in the Middle East would shine out in bright relief, a topic of useful conversation instead of blatant innuendo and speculation. One of course is Israel and the second is the U.S., which has bases, nuclear-armed ships and missiles everywhere including the Middle East. Those two nations have taken no options off the table in their internationally illegal threats to militarily attack Iran. Thus they are threatening to nuke Iran, i.e. wipe Iran off the map. They also easily have the nuclear arsenals to do so.
Let us also discuss the ongoing war of sanctions, cyberattacks, sabotage and assassinations against Iran. If the war on Iran didn’t start with Saddam Hussein’s attacks in the 1980’s, endorsed and encouraged from Washington in an earlier attempt to engineer regime change as a repeat to 1953, it certainly goes on now.
Let us also ask how should Iran react when it is constantly threatened by two military powers that have historically and illegally bombed other Middle Eastern countries, killed their citizens – men, women and children – with some impunity. How should Iranian leaders react to the super power that subverted Iranian democracy 60 years ago to impose its own dictator? Would any self-respecting Iranian bow and scrape to these attacks and this bullying? Even so, the Ayatollahs say possession of nuclear weapons is a sin. A nuclear bomb is a city killer. It does not distinguish combatants from noncombatants and its radiation does not abide borders. A bunch of such bombs is a climate killer. Yes, a sin.
And finally, to address Peter Hart’s final comment how to rationalize the U.S. and Israel’s bellicose attitude absent any Iranian nuclear weapons development. Simply, 1) Oil, 2) ridding the Middle East of another government that is independent of the 1%, 3) repopulating Iran with U.S. military bases and 4) preventing the demise of the dollar as the international petroleum currency. Any chance that the corporate media and their apologists take up these realities? The U.S. has gone to war for a lot less.
You are all fools. What Iran is about is OIL, not nuclear bombs. The Bomb is about keeping the public scared enough to start another Middle East war should the NeoCons want one. Iran has LOTS of crude to sell but little refining cabability. If they could rely more on nuclear ENERGY (not bombs) for domestic power, they could sell their oil and thereby ease their economic woes. But the Western Powers simply can’t have that. That would lower the price of oil, (YIKES!) so what happened to Iraq (crippling sanctions to keep them from selling their oil) is now happening to Iran. When Saddam decided to sell his oil for something other than dollars, we screamed WMD! and took him out. Iran is just a replay. Netenyahu’s saber-rattling makes for more tension in the region – and that jacks up the price of oil. He’s hoping the high price of oil will make Americans turn out Obama, and he will get his like-minded NeoCons back. When are Americans going to figure out they are being manipulated – again?
All this fear mongering about an “Iranian bomb” borders on the absurd. Israel, the mouse that roard, sits on a nuclear arsenal of perhaps 300 nukes, possesses a nuclear sub with nuclear missiles, maintains the 8th or 9th most powerful military force on the planet, attacks practically all of its neighbors whenever it decides to do that: Gaza 2008-09, Iranian scientists (murdered three), bombs Syria’s peaceful nuke facility, destroys Iraq’s medical radiation plant, attacks Egypt 1967, assassinates democratically elected Hamas leaders, bombs, shells, and invades Lebanon on impulse. Israel resembles another country that ran wild in Europe and disrespected international law 73 years ago. Israel remains the greatest threat to world peace in the Middle East while the United States is the greaest threat to world peace on the planet.
Wow, William, you gave me a headache!
I like all the other comments though.
The one thing that is amazing to me is that Iran belongs to the IAEA, but Israel does not. Israel is the one claiming that Iran has WMDs, and so in all honesty I have to say, how do you kn0w that, and why won’t you, Israel join the IAEA?
If you won’t join so that you will be inspected too, then what you argue really has no value, does it. Why is anyone even listening to you?
One thing Iran and N. Korea has shown us, along with Israel, Pakistan, India and the USA. If you are in the IAEA you are attacked, if you don’t and have nuclear weapons you are safe from the USA or its surrogates in NATO from bothering you. No IAEA inspectors in the USA, Israel, N. Korea, India and Pakistan. Now isnt’ that backwards? Shouldn’t following the law and not threatening all of humanity be rewarded not used as a punching bag and threatened with annihilation by Israel, backed by the USA?
Two comments (from London) on William’s posts:
“The diplomats say the information comes from Israel, the United States and at least two other Western countries.” The report doesn’t say who these diplomats speak for, although maybe we should assume it is the IAEA. But as soon as they turn out to be quoting Israel, the US and “at least two other [unidentified] Western countries”, their credibility goes out of the window. It was from those same sources that we were treated to all that bullshit about Iraq 10 years ago. Why should anyone believe anything those sources say – sorry, unidentified “diplomats” for someone or other say they say – again?
And if the Iranians have been running computer models to see how much damage an atomic burst might cause, perhaps they are doing it to see what the effect of an Israeli nuke attack on Tehran would be. After all, of all the players in this “game”, Israel is the only one that is talking about using (never mind just developing) nuclear weapons.
This week Mitt will begin receiving Top Secret intel from Obamas staff(protocol).My guess is like Obama before him, he will start to temper his remarks in regard to what that intel tells him.It may bring more to his table to how Obama has handled things….or less.It may show him stark realities concerning the truth about Irans ambitions….or he may come away feeling as some of you do(that Iran is an innocent party in a power struggle)One thing I do know is this.Peter Hart is not privy to that intel.So lets all agree he is talking out of his hat.William above is correct.Information/intel was released last week to all the atomic watchdog groups showing Iran is running computer simulations for the detonation of a nuclear device.Little like a guy on your street setting up a machine gun on the corner next to the kids bus stop,with two bandoliers of bullets draping his shoulders.Is it wrong to think he might be up to no good?These computer sims have one purpose and one purpose only.
To those who say on this sight that they take Iran at their word,and believe that the inspections of those sights Iran has allowed is good enough for them ,I ask this……If Iran detonates a nuclear weapon on some Friday(proving they have lied and deceived all along) and announces they have joined the nuclear club…..What should we do on Saturday?
Let’s see:
Nation I has not invaded another nation in aggressive military actions or outright war in over 200 years.
Nation U has not stopped aggressive military actions since WWII (and there were many prior to WWII — just ask the remaining indigenous people of the USA. Or ask Mexico and lots of other nations south of the border.).
So, seriously, which one is the nation which should be labeled a belligerent?
Jawbone that is such a weird twisted viewpoint.Iran fosters terrorism round the world -helping in every way they can without actually “officially”sending in troops, and they are completely innocent……because they have not “declared” war on those they are at war with?If the US were to send in troops to stop terrorism (some of which is funded by Iran)WE are the guilty party?Iran has been in Jihad since the fall of the shah.Remember poor old Jimmy Carter?Way back in the 70s?We are at 2012 now.Forty plus years!!!!
The leader of Israel says 6 months from now Iran will be able to build a bomb.Our intel says one year.FAIR says poppies,poppies,poppies sleep ,sleep.The people on this sight seem to say America is at fault.America is the real danger.Iran has no intention of ever building a bomb.we believe them.Well if in six months Iran announces they have the bomb,can you all admit you don’t know your ass from a whole in the ground?A simple yes or no please.None of your smoke screens thrown up in a blizzard of adjoining facts and bullshit.Yes …or no.
michael e: and the US (and Israel) foster terrorism around the world WITH actually “officially” sending in troops. Only imperialist-minded Americans (and Israelis) are blind to this fact. When you point a finger to others three end up pointing back to you!
Freespirit….The UN sends troops too.Yet they are not terroristicThe two are very different things.And you did not answer yes or no.
michael e: You are so in the head that you wouldn’t recognize an emotion if it hit you between the eyes! And Emotions are what allow us to feel empathy with others. The people of Iran are suffering because of Americans like you. They have done nothing to you but they suffer crippling sanctions all based on lies and hypocrisy. And this is not enough. Americans are so alienated and angry due to a spiritually bankrupt culture that every so often they go along with their leaders to sacrifice the blood of little dark people half way across the world to quench their rage. The blood of the people of Iran is on YOUR hands because you don’t question your government’s bullshit. Because you want blood to be spilt for your miserably alienated and addictive life… I have family back there who are suffering and might be killed soon because of morons like you whose heartless complacency enables and empowers rabid Zionists like Netenyahu and self-serving imperialists like Obama.
Free spirit……You just attacked me.You attacked the Israelis,and their leadership.You attacked America and her leader.You think of the Iranian leadership as being innocent bystanders to a world gone mad…..”The United States is a corrupt and morally bankrupt nation,run by her zionist masters.Soon innocent blood will be spilled here because of imperialist powers that mean to destroy you through their evil crippling sanctions designed to turn you into beggars on the world stage.To the Jews I say this.If war does comes the blood is on YOUR hands”(Adolf Hitler speech sept 1938)Some things never change Free spirit.You stole his script and words.In doing so you just are as frightening as can be.Literally bone chilling and frightening.Don’t play us for fools.This is not 1939.
The leaders of Iran are insane sir.Clinically insane.Ah ma needs a job in my estimation is as well.Even to look at his face and eyes I believes shows an existing medical pathology.We in this country have given the Iranian leadership the ultimate respect.We do not treat them as poor innocent children.We listen to their words.We take them at their words.Their threats are not parsed away as so much fluff.For you to say in effect that they were only kidding.Or that they never really said that is not going to sway us.Sheria law means to enslave the world sir.We will not stand by and allow that to happen.We will defend ourselves AND Israel.The Iranian people are educated and good people I believe.They should move now to free elections to remove this theocracy of madness.This banker and trainers of world terrorism.If they mean to build a bomb…or if they ever use a bomb against Israel or this country in any way shape or form(by moving weaponized nuclear ability to terrorist factions)They should know the cataclysm that will befall their people instantly.They may be mad,but I hope they are not so stupid as to not count megatonnage.Free spirit this is a dangerous game they have played too long now,You arguments of relativism and blame will not work.Saddam thought he could flaunt his madness in the faces of the world without repercussions.The day came when they called his bluff.He said on his death bed he was surprised Bush did.I think Israel wants confirmation Iran is not building weapons.The kind of confirmation that will ease their minds.Nothing else will do.No more arguements.No more games.If that is done I believe the world will breath a sigh of relief.Beyond that Iran is a nest of hatred.I pray that changes.Some of my very good friends are Doctors from Iran.A wonderful land.What is happening there is a tragedy.
michael e: There is not a sane Iranian in the world who doesn’t hate the regime of Iran esp. Ahmadinejad. To sacrifice a whole nation because of a despotic regime who has done nothing to you or Israel is stupid. And you are stupid.
Reality tells us that this beast wants to be fed human lives.Our military and the corporate
oligarchs will not stop until the total annihilation of everything on earth is complete.The
madness,the sickness is so pervasive it is almost unbelievable if not for the real time play
by play.Humans are destined to become extinct because it is in our nature to destroy.No
nation in history has ever used its power or resources for the betterment of humanity,but
used the majority of its resources to produce weapons of mass destruction .We sit now at the
doorstep of annihilation rather for this reason or not there will be another excuse to use the
weapons we so painstakingly produce to use on our fellow human beings.If an accident do
happen before we get a chance to launch this next shock and awe,it will save us the trouble of putting the gun to our own head and pulling the trigger.Brilliant human beings
know not any other way,but to destroy
Freespirit
Believe it or not….you and I have come to a point where we are in total agreement.And you are correct.It is stupid.Stupid to say and stupid to do.The dumbest, most horrible thing that any leader may ever HAVE to do(Order a thermo nuclear attack to save his own people).Living through those days of mutual destruction with the Russians ,people of my age understand this game.And it is the most dangerous game known to man kind.Once it was between nations.With Iran we could enter a new phase.That of nuclear weapons being used by what our intelligence service sees as insane men.Men who now lead Iran, who may not be to far removed from the men who flew planes into our cities.Men who may out source weapons to their toady terrorist factions.This the ultimate nightmare.
During those years we and the Russians moved carefully never to threaten one another.Iran cant stop this type of rhetoric for even a day.The odds of things escalating are very high.And yes the innocent Iranian people are the pawn.Or a pawn.Israelis and oil flow -other pawns.Even as far as the continental US
Freespirit even you and the Iranian people hate these men.They must be stopped from gaining nuclear weapons.It is like handing a mad man a suicide vest at a party.If they do somehow fool the world and gain one….They will be surrounded by anti missile defenses.They will be on a hair trigger of nuclear response.If they get a weapon out….and it is used,i need not tell you what could happen to millions of Iranians.Again….This can be defused.It must be.Or I hope Iran will rise up and become a nation of Democratic laws ,and free elections,that step away from this theocracy and sharia law.