Bush says Iran has "weeks not months" to respond

Reuters ^ | June 9, 2006 | Reuters

[Starve The Beast]

CAMP DAVID, Maryland (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Friday that Iran has "weeks not months" to respond to a U.S.-backed offer aimed at containing Iran's nuclear ambitions and said Tehran needs to suspend uranium enrichment.

Bush said if Iran does not suspend enrichment, "there must be a consequence" and that it would be action taken in the U.N. Security Council.

"We have given the Iranians a limited period of time, weeks not months," to respond to an offer for an incentives package for Iran to ensure it does not pursue nuclear weapons, said Bush.

[Starve The Beast]

I don't get it. The president is saying that 'there will be action taken', but then he says it will involve the UN Security Council. Those two things don't go together.

[b4its2late]

Weeks should be Days......

[Names Ash Housewares]

Iran is dicking everyone around buying time.
Cruise missile diplomacy will be the answer in the end.

[tomnbeverly]

UN - Action (Oxymoron)

[jw777]

Incentives should be dis-incentives to continue.

[b4its2late]

Yes. That too. Didn't we learn from slick and the maids screw up in North Korea (assuming that little dictator is telling the truth too)?

[areafiftyone]

I am guessing he means Sanctions - not Military action.

[jamese777]

Why is the President offering to give Iran our nuclear technology? Can anyone more knowlegeable explain this to me?

[#1CTYankee]

If we could stop Iran's gas imports the whole place would implode.

[Rennes Templar]

As I undestand it, he is offering technology that can be used only for energy production, not weapons. So if they are sincere about using their technology only for energy production, they would be willing to accept the offer.

[California74]

I believe it's this:

Iran says it's enriching the Uranium for nuclear power. However the way they're doing it can also be used for weapons. (no doubt what they're doing).

The technology the president wants to give Iran is how to use nuclear energy for power in a way that cannot be used as weapons.

[DoctorMichael]

"....I don't get it. The president is saying that 'there will be action taken', but then he says it will involve the UN Security Council. Those two things don't go together...."

Bush is, and always will be, a 'Gentleman' and play by the Marquess of Queensberry rules. Previous to invading both Afghanistan and Iraq he did the same thing.

This is the logical next step.

[Realism]

Tehran, Iran, Jun. 08 – Iran’s radical President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that Tehran was not willing to hold talks over its national “rights”, a reference to its uranium enrichment activities. His speech was aired on state television.

I believe that means "no".

Synonyms: beg off, brush off*, corn, decline, demur, desist, ding, disaccord, disallow, disapprove, dispense with, dissent, dodge, evade, fluff off, hold back, hold off, hold out, ignore, make excuses, nix*, not budge, not buy*, pass up, protest, rebuff, regret, reject, repel, reprobate, repudiate, say no, send off*, send regrets*, set aside*, shun, spurn, thumbs down, turn away, turn down, turn from, withdraw, withhold.

[California74]

What Rennes Templar said oh so much better than I did. ;)

[Sax]

Their entire country is sitting on more oil energy than they'd ever need and since there's no purchasing it or real transportation, it's about as cheap and safe as energy gets. Nuke technology for the sake of supplementing conventional power just doesn't pass the smell test.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Weeks should be Days......"

Weeks should have been flight time of a tomahawk.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Weeks should be Days......"

Weeks should have been flight time of a tomahawk.

tercom-N, rather.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

tlam-n

[misterrob]

We live in a world where people fear the US's ability to do what it wants. Privately the Euros don't want a nuke Iran but they are simply too spineless to do anything. They will also do everything that they can to check our military. China and Russia see Iran as a source of money or energy opportunities so why shouldn't they play Iran off against us?

Bush is doing this to show everyone that we tried diplomacy, we tried to offer a peaceful way to end the situation and that Iran is the one creating the mess. I realize that it is all for show but with the amount of backstabbing that has gone on with Iraq he has few choices but to work this route.

[jw777]

I know we don't know all of the details and there are all sorts of covert operations happening that we will never know about, but, it leaves a very poor impression on the American public to hear, "we do not negotiate with terrorists" and then to see this. No matter who is President. My opinion only.