Posted on 09/05/2006 12:05:11 PM PDT by Flavius
BY BARRY SCHWEID AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON
Enlarge | Purchase President Bush gestures during remarks on the global war on terror on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006 in Washington. Bush used terrorists' own words Tuesday to battle complacency among Americans about the threat of future attack, defending his national security record as the fall campaign season kicks into high gear. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Bush said Tuesday a nuclear-armed Iran would blackmail the free world and raise a mortal threat to the American people.
"I am not going to allow this to happen," Bush said in a speech on terrorism. "And no future American president can allow it, either."
With allies urging a go-slow approach on pressuring Iran to stop enriching uranium, Bush pledged to work closely with other governments to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff with Tehran over its nuclear programs.
But he also stressed, "the world's free nations will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon."
Iran has refused to stop enrichment as a precondition to negotiations on U.S. and European offers of concessions, including U.S. help with civilian nuclear programs.
"Their choice is increasingly isolating the great Iranian nation from the international community," Bush said.
"It is time for Iran's leader to make a different choice," he said.
While standing firm on seeking U.N. sanctions against Iran, the administration acknowledged Tuesday there would be weeks of intensive diplomacy to nail them down.
"There is going to be some work that's required in the Security Council," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "I would expect that that is going to be tough, intensive diplomacy over the course of the coming weeks."
But he said the U.N. Security Council had already made it clear in a resolution that if Iran failed to meet an Aug. 31 deadline to suspend uranium enrichment, the Council was prepared to vote for sanctions.
And so, he said, the United States intends to proceed "down that pathway."
Iran has renewed to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan an offer of negotiations about its nuclear programs, but has declined to suspend enrichment of uranium as a precondition.
Tehran insists that its nuclear activities are designed to produce civilian power and are within its rights.
Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns is due to hold talks in Berlin on Thursday with European, Russian and Chinese diplomats on strategy for applying sanctions.
To maximize chances for agreement, the Bush administration is inclined to seek graduated sanctions, beginning with such limited measures as restrictions on providing Iran with technology that could be used in military programs.
European governments as well as Russia and China have urged patience with Iran. The senior European diplomat, Javier Solana, is expected to meet Wednesday in Vienna with Ali Larijani, the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator.
McCormack said the administration would encourage governments "that might have some sway over Iran to engage them and to send a very clear message to them that they need to comply with the just demands of the international community."
Don't know about this. Didn't like it a month ago, don't like it now. It's got a 'read my lips' smell to it.
I do not see our President leaving office before the threat of a nuclear Iran is removed. I'd take him at face value and the Iranians better do likewise. Gotta believe we are busy building inventories and psychology to accept the short term energy dislocation needed to get the job done.
Shalom.
Why would you say that?
He said we'd go into Afghanistan...we did, and we're still there.
He said we'd go into Iraq...we did, and we're still there.
What about his dealings with that part of the world gives you the sense that it's a "read my lips" moment (as you put it?)
I read "Fail Safe." That didn't end well for us nor the Russkies.
I was thinking more of the set-up than the ending. The U.S. dropped a bomb on New York as a way to keep the Soviets from escalating to a full-scale nuclear war. However, we wouldn't have to do that for Tehran. A simple apology would suffice.
Shalom.
Also, there is no way to stop Iran from having nukes except by overrunning the country.
The 'dead or alive' talk was supposed to be over.
He said we'd go into Iraq...we did, and we're still there.
When this President says he's going to do something, he does.
If I was Amajamadingdong, I'd be worried.
Baloney. Iran will have nukes. They may already. We have no political will for the consequences of a pre-emptive strike. The left and the internationalist weenies would bring the U.S. to its knees.
I think the real problem is what to do after a nuke with no return address vaporizes Atlanta. What do we do then?
It's got a 'read my lips' smell to it.
I'd have to agree to a certain extent. When are We going to get the "The president of Iran and the mullahs have 48 hours" speech. Right now, these people are playing us and the rest of the world for suckers.
That is pretty far from the way all that actually went down.
Do you think W is going to hear a dial tone?
Iran may wait till Bush is out in 08, hoping to get a Dem tool to work with.
Hey, watchit bub. You'll get flamed for an opinion like that. I was flamed because I think most of our politicians are soft on terrorism and are against using all available resources to win the war.
Ditto that. But not a UN deadline. Those come and go like the sunset. A US mandated deadline. Period.
Have we ever prevented *anyone* from getting The Bomb we didn't want to have it?
I disagree.
There has to be an ultimatum EXPLOSION! That's when it is for real.
That's the only thing they understand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.