Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

"Do as we say, not as we do" does not work. It does not work between parents and children, and it does not work between nations. Iran confirmed this truth today (as if confirmation was needed for such a common-sense notion) when it announced a day ago that the agreed-upon suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment program was temporary, and that Iran reserved the right to develop a nuclear bomb. More than declaring their right to have the bomb, Iran feels strongly that they need a nuclear deterrent to counter the power of the United States, and to defend their country from U.S. aggression.

With President Bush having branded them "evil" and with US forces deployed in Iraq to their west and Afghanistan to their east, the Iranians seem to be gambling that their best interests lie in having their own nuclear deterrent.

Europe's willingness to compromise in negotiating the agreement with Iran is no real assurance of Iran's safety, because Europe cannot give Iran "what it wants most: a guarantee against U.S. military action. Without that, analysts say, Iran is likely to continue a diplomatic game of alternating concessions and declarations of nuclear intent until there's direct engagement by the US."