Reply #82: First let me welcome you to DU...

[mikelewis]

I hope you learn to love it as much as many of us do.

Secondly, your argument, in its entirety is based on the assumption that Iran is currently seeking to build a nuclear weapon. There is no evidence that has been presented that substantiates that claim in any way. The "evidence" so far presented has been unfounded accusations and innuendo. You are creating a policy built around suppositions that have no concrete facts to back them up.

You mention regional security and the instability caused by a Nuclear Iran. This Iran does not exit as of yet nor is there any proof that it will any time soon. Even the administration has admitted the programs 10 years away from ever being viable, though this weekend Sen. McCain said it was only 6 months away. So who do you believe?

Well, for starters, you can believe El Baredei who has stated time and again there is no evidence to support the accusation that Iran has or is preparing to make a nuclear bomb. You say his hands are tied so he must be lying when he makes these statements. Was he lying when he said the same thing about Iraq? Well, as it turned out, no, he wasn't.

You question Iran's compliance with the NPT and raise red flags over the other nations reactions but you're basing these reactions on faulty intelligence. You're assumptions are equivalent to me saying, Dr. Evil plans to attack us with a giant "Laser". If you can provide evidence that Iran does in fact seek to build a nuclear weapon, please present that otherwise your arguement is a non sequitur.

As to why Iran wishes to seek the ability to enrich their own uranium, it's because they are fully within their rights to do so and according to treaty we should not only encourage it but help them do it.

As to you're question about why they hid their secret nuclear program for 20 years, it's because it was a secret and still is. It's so secret we don't have any proof it exists. Until such a time as we have actionable evidence, all we have is suspicions. We must not kill one person due to a suspicion because one day, someone may suspect you.