Iran report fuels worries

F.A.Z. Weekly, Germany ^ | 21. Januar 2005

[F14 Pilot]

21. Januar 2005 F.A.Z. Weekly. The week of President George W. Bush's second inauguration began with a report that disturbed German politicians inside and outside the national government.

The story, written by the prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh for the New Yorker magazine, said on Monday that the Bush administration had been conducting secret spying missions inside Iran since mid-2004.

The story said the missions were designed to gather intelligence on declared and suspected nuclear, chemical and missile sites. These targets ”could be destroyed by precision strikes and short-term commando raids,” Hersh wrote.

In Germany, the report triggered criticism from politicians across the spectrum, including those who opposed the Bush administration's war in Iraq and have watched it turn into a bloody, drawn-out conflict.

Claudia Roth, co-leader of the Greens, was one of the first to speak out. ”We need diplomatic solutions and not threats of military strikes,” said Roth, whose party is the junior coalition partner in Berlin.

A member of the opposition Christian Democratic Union, a traditionally pro-American party, expressed similar views. ”Perhaps, the smart thing to do would be for the Americans not to consider possible military attacks.

Rather, they should more actively and constructively take part in the European Union's diplomatic efforts,” said Friedbert Pflüger, the party's chief foreign-policy spokesman.

The tone was more diplomatic from Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's chief spokesman. ”The American government is keeping all of its options open concerning the nuclear program,” Béla Anda said on Wednesday. ”That is nothing new.”

The United States and Europe have worked together on the issue in the past. The United States alleges Iran may be testing high-explosive components for nuclear weapons, using an inert core of depleted uranium at the Parchin weapons complex as a dry run for a bomb that would use fissile material, according to the Associated Press.

Such work would be part of a general military buildup by Iran, a country that Bush has said is part of an ”axis of evil.” Former Iranian president, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, announced in October that Iran had successfully increased the range of its missile, Shahab-3, to 1,200 miles. That would enable it to strike Israel, U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf and even parts of Europe

. But Iran insists that its military is not involved in nuclear activities and agreed this month to give U.N. inspectors access to the Parchin facility. Germany, France and Britain opened negotiations with Iran on the nuclear issue in the autumn of 2003. Those talks are being held regularly in Geneva.

[zzen01]

Disturbed German politicians, aren't they ALL!

[F14 Pilot]

ping

[Mr. Mojo]

Claudia Roth, co-leader of the Greens, was one of the first to speak out. ”We need diplomatic solutions and not threats of military strikes,”

Correct, threats aren't what's needed at this point.. ...Actions are.

[blackie]

Let's keep the Germans disturbed!

[ElkGroveDan]

Claudia Roth, co-leader of the Greens, was one of the first to speak out. ”We need diplomatic solutions and not threats of military strikes,” said Roth, whose party is the junior coalition partner in Berlin.

Yes. Send in Neville Chamberlain.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

”We need diplomatic solutions and not threats of military strikes,” said Roth, whose party is the junior coalition partner in Berlin.

Germany is upset because America is going after the countries that Germany is selling illegal technology to.

[FBD]

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'Monsters to Destroy'
John Quincy Adams; 1821 speech

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"And now, friends and countrymen, if the wise and learned philosophers of the elder world, the first observers of nutation and aberration, the discoverers of maddening ether and invisible planets, the inventors of Congreve rockets and Shrapnel shells, should find their hearts disposed to enquire what has America done for the benefit of mankind?

Let our answer be this: America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation, proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only lawful foundations of government. America, in the assembly of nations, since her admission among them, has invariably, though often fruitlessly, held forth to them the hand of honest friendship, of equal freedom, of generous reciprocity.

She has uniformly spoken among them, though often to heedless and often to disdainful ears, the language of equal liberty, of equal justice, and of equal rights.

She has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own.

She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart. She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right. Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be. But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force.

She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit.

[America's] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice."

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[Milwaukeeprophet]

Germany has become the most anti-American nation in Europe.It is also the only one where two Nazi parties have been elected to local federal parliaments .Germany and France should be asked to leave Nato.

[MEG33]

I wake up every day concerned about what the greenies think in Germany./sarcasm

[mainepatsfan]

A big hero in German history.

[blackie]

Roger that ~ France and Germany are a disgrace to freedom loving people!

They are part of the Axis Of Evil!

[skimbell]

"In Germany, the report triggered criticism from politicians...who opposed the Bush administration's war in Iraq and have watched it turn into a bloody, drawn-out conflict."

Drawn out conflict? How long was the U.S. in Germany after we had to come and take it away from the Nazi's? We gave it back to the Germans and we still keep a large military force there.

We've been in Iraq less that 3 years and all the nervous-nellies want to know what's taking so long!

What was it that that great American Forest Gump said..."Stupid is as stupid does."

[NonValueAdded]

More and more I'm beginning to believe in the parallel universe or the alternate reality theory in which the liberals and peaceniks are 180 degrees out of phase with reality.

Have they never heard of the phrase "trust but verify?" Diplomacy does not mean sitting down with your enemies and coming to agreement as to how they will kill you. The best chance there is for a successful diplomatic settlement is for the west to have confidence that the full extent of the clandestine nuclear program is known. Yes, the reconnaissance can lead to possible future military strikes, but isn't that the only reason the Iranian leaders are even engaged in diplomacy? If negotiations are successful, there will be no need for such strikes.

I'm drawn to the conclusion that Seymour Hirsch and his ilk are not interested is a diplomatic settlement but rather in Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. The only question left is whether this is through ignorance or malice.

[Darkwolf377]

This is one of a series of stories that show the EU is actively working to create an anti-US coalition, as are the recent outreach actions between Russia and China.

I'm a huge Bush supporter but I wonder if Bush's actions will bring us a new Cold War, with a Sino-Russian bloc and a Euro-Muslim one. Whether this is due to Bush's initiative, or something that would have happened anyway, I'm not sure; it could be just an excuse for long-standing resentment toward the US, and a way of shrugging off post-WW2 resentment from the rest of the world for American influence. Kind of like saying "Hey, thanks for all the help, but that bill is officially paid because we are asserting our own attempt at dominance now."

[stboz]

If I were an Iranian mullah, I'd dang sure be looking over my shoulder...a lot.

Of course, all this Iran stuff could be a smoke screen...for Syria. Keep 'em guessing 'till they freak completely.

[mainepatsfan]

We had to protect their sorry asses from the Red Army for half a century.

[Milwaukeeprophet]

Germany and France are attempting to make the E.U. an anti-American block.They should be asked to leave NATO.Americans should stop buying German cars and French products.Germany,France and Belgium are enemies of America and should be treated as such.

[EternalVigilance]

My best friend was interviewed by German television during the doings in DC the other day.

They asked him a loaded question along the lines of: "If you're a Christian conservative, and it was people like you that reelected Bush, what do you expect him to do for you in the next four years?"

My friend, a fellow FReeper, is a pretty sharp guy. He hit them with a version of my personal mission statement, the one I've been using for several years: "We expect him to further our goal, which is renewing an America that reveres God, respects life, and enjoys liberty."

[F14 Pilot]

EU sides with the Mullahs!