President Ahmadinejad uses attack as the best form of defence

London Times ^ | 11/29/2009 | Richard Beeston

[Saije]

We are now moving into the endgame of Iran’s decade-long drive to acquire the hardware and technology to build a nuclear bomb. What happens next could determine whether Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state, whether the region is plunged into another war, or whether Iran and the Arab world embark on a nuclear arms race.

Yesterday’s announcement showed that President Ahmadinejad has once again calculated that attack is the best form of defence. After being censured by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week, which referred Tehran to the UN Security Council, the Iranians have decided to call the bluff of the international community.

They believe that the world is unwilling or unable to take serious steps to prevent it from building its own uranium enrichment industry. Enriched uranium can be used as nuclear fuel or, in its highly enriched form, provide the fissile material to build an atomic warhead.

In the past, meaningful action by the UN Security Council in the form of economic sanctions has been blocked by Russia and China, which have major commercial ties with Iran. The Iranians have also been working hard to bolster their position in the international community. Although regarded as a pariah in the West — particularly after the contested presidential election results this summer — Mr Ahmadinejad is still welcome in many capitals around the world, most recently Brasilia and Caracas.

The Iranian strategy is clear: defy the West, woo Moscow and Beijing and build up support in the developing world.

Iran has calculated that the Obama Administration, which offered this year to end three decades of hostility, is distracted by the domestic problems and the war in Afghanistan.

[Saije]

I think the writer is being kind. Iran may see Obama as distracted. More likely it sees him as naive and weak. But hey, he and Michelle caught a basketball game last night.

[MajorThomas]

President Ahmadinejad understands power. He understands the use of power and the control over weak people. He does not care how deep you can bow, or how many beers you share to attempt to mend fences, if you think otherwise, you are doomed.

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

The Iranian president is as much an “empty suit” with respect to wielding real power as BO. He is the sock puppet of the Iranian mullahs, who (for now) are the real shot-callers in Iran, kind of like our banksters (for now) are calling the shots here at home.

A good discussion of the Iranian case is offered here:
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20091123_sanctions_and_strategy

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]