The Wall Street Journal, 5 March 2012
How to Talk Down Tehran’s Nuclear Ambitions’ by Richard Haass and Michael Levi (op-ed, Feb. 22)
If the director of national intelligence, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the administration don’t believe Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons, why are we leading the charge to impose the severest of international sanctions on Iran?
If Israel and most of our allies are convinced Iran intends to develop nuclear weapons, why should we not be so convinced? If Iran wanted to demonstrate its lack of intent to develop nuclear weapons, why did it prohibit U.N. inspectors from inspecting the most significant nuclear reactor sites? Maybe our ‘intelligence’ isn’t so intelligent.
So, the ‘rational’ actors in Iran are building a hardened, underground nuclear facility at Fordow to protect their civilian-only nuclear program? That’s as rational as the state of denial of our intelligence agencies in their assessment of Iran’s intentions.
Richard Haass and Michael Levi suggest limits on nuclear activities and inspections so Iran cannot ‘complete a dash for the bomb without providing . . . enough advanced warning to react.’
How do the authors suggest the world then react? More talk and sanctions?
Aren’t we at the point now when we have enough advanced notice to react? More talk seems like a weak reaction to a real and immediate security threat.