Posted on 01/13/2006 12:33:05 PM PST by Flavius
Bush: Iran aiming for nukes, Israel's destruction
U.S. President George Bush holds joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warns: 'Iran trying to clandestinely develop nuclear weapon,' says Iran armed with nuclear weapons is 'step closer' to stated agenda of trying to destroy Israel
U.S. President George Bush, speaking at a Washington press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said: "Iran armed with a nuclear weapon poses a great threat to the security of the world. Countries such as ours have a great obligation to step up, working together to send a message to the Iranians that their behavior, trying to clandestinely develop a nuclear weapon, or using the guise of a civilian nuclear program to attain a nuclear weapon, is unacceptable."
Bush's speech was carried live on the CNN news network.
He added: "The current president of Iran has announced that the destruction of Israel is an important part of their agenda. That is unacceptable. The development of a nuclear weapon is a step closer to that agenda."
"It is the world's interest that Iran not have a nuclear weapon," said Bush, adding that Iran must not "have capacity to blackmail free societies."
'Germany won't be intimidated by Iran'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany "would not be intimidated by a country like Iran."
"To Germany, it is totally unacceptable, what Iran said recently, especially regarding Israel and the Holocaust. It is essential we try to persuade as many countries as we can to join us," she added.
The American president addressed the medical condition of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, saying: "Both of us care deeply about the health of Ariel Sharon, we wish him the very best."
Bush said that both he and the German chancellor "hope there will be two states living side by side there in peace."
The U.S. president, speaking about the threat of Islamist terrorism, said: "There's still an enemy that wants to do harm to the American people and to freedom. This enemy lurks... The threat is real."
Obviously.
Indeed, Iran is a very real threat. Hopefully, if we must go to war, the rest of the world will stand behind us this time.
Would be nice, but I wouldn't bet on it.
It must not be for some -- the Europeans for starters.
But seriously, whose help would be forthcoming? Whose help would we desire? Whose help would we require?
We'd get little. We'd want UK, AUS, India, Poland. We'd require none.
It would be very interesting to see what effect it would have if the entire world stood with a single voice to say that Iran will not be allowed to have this nuclear capability. We certainly can't take any lesson from Iraq other than that it's pretty useless to expect behavior modification from a rogue state with half the world refuses to condemn then and the other half is doing business with them under the table.
Countries are like kids, they're going to play both ends against the middle and if they get even a hint that "no" doesn't mean "Hell NO" they will test the limits.
Poor misguided liberals have it exactly backwards. You avoid war by being ready, willing and able to wage war.
Bush is saying exactly what needs to be said. Apparently the Iranian calculation is that they will succeed in building nukes, with which they can then threaten Israel. I'm doubtful Israel will wait to see if Iran succeeds. It seems the only way to avoid a conflict, perhaps a nuclear conflict, is to persuade the Iranians that they can be losers if they persist on their present course.
what segement of western civilization do you think that is
'Germany won't be intimidated by Iran'
Yeah right! Is this the same Germany that accepted the blackmail from the Iraqi terrerists by releasing one terrorist and no longer training Iraqi soldiers (in order to get back a kidnapped German hostage).
Terrorists are looking at actions, not cheap words.
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I guess this is getting pretty serious. Fox News said earlier that 90 of our jet fighters were sent overseas "close to Iran." But the military said it was just a training mission. Yes, right!
"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."—FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."—FReeper Noachian
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"—Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
The Nature Of Bruce ~
A number of E.U. states are importers of Iran's OPEC crude oil. I feel we could be looking at a repeat of the similar political situation just prior to WWII, a lot of diplomatic bloviating with the end result being typical European appeasement, until the real counter measures commence against Iran and also Syria (Hizballah & Hamas).
The global economic energy stakes are high in taking decisive action against the enemy of civilization, but the nuclear unthinkable for non-action.
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