U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei is set to issue his report to the U.N. Security Council today, and is fully expected to find that "Iran has failed" to meet today's deadline to comply with requests to suspend its uranium enrichment program, setting the stage for a battle in the U.N. Security Council over how to respond to Tehran's failure to comply.
The Security Council will need to consider punitive measures against Iran, with Russia and China so far being "reluctant" to begin sanctions against the Islamic Republic, while other council members such as the U.S. are urging a "strong response" to the expected results of the report.
The diversion that the Bush Administration has been looking for seems to be arriving. Will the U.S. actually allow the U.N. Security Council showdown to go forward, arguing its case for sanctions, or will Bolton and co. "bolt" and let the White House take us down the road of unilateral military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities? Bush has stated he wants all diplomatic options to be exhausted first, but we all know with what truth is being revealed around the invasion of Iraq, that we really cannot take him at his word.
Are we "days away" from bombing as some claim? I don't think so. I think we're weeks away, but probably not much more than a month or two from now. Of course, it may all hinge on "justification", such as Iran's response to the report being released today. Their threats of 'reataliation' if sanctions are imposed are probably not to be taken lightly, but all the saber rattling on both sides is quickly poising the world on the bring of a full conflict, potentially including the use of nuclear weapons by the United States, according to the Bush administrations own admissions that "all options are on the table".
Dangerous times are heading our way.
Also, it could be Fitzmas '06. 6 months after Scooter Libby was indicted, the Grand Jury is set to meet today, after Rove's 3+ hours of testimony on Wednesday. Could an indictment be impending? Or, is Rove actually coopearting as some have suggested? Only time will tell. Personally I do not think we'll hear of Rove indictments today. If we do, I'll be surprised (pleasantly).
Iran Nuclear Fitzgerald Sanctions UN Security_Council IAEA Tehran China Russia Scooter Plame Politics
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