Get ready for the folks at the United Nations, who do nothing more than take up space and breath oxygen, to busy themselves and produce - nothing useful other than to give Iran more time, which is exactly what it wants.
Kofi Annan and the United Nations -- No sanctions, more negotiations
As Iran’s president prepared today to reject international efforts to halt his nation’s uranium enrichment program, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan rejected calls for sanctions against the Islamic Republic and offered direct negotiations with the long-awaited 12th Imam.ScrappleFace via Right Wing-Nut!
Russia -- Mikhail Kamynin, the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokesman reiterated Russia' stance that the problem had to be resolved through diplomacy.
China -- Analysts say Iran's answer, described by diplomats as complex and nuanced, was probably designed to divide Security Council members Russia and China, both key trade partners of Tehran, from the United States, Britain and France, which have backed tougher sanctions. All five have a veto on the Council.
France -- “As we have always said ... a return to the negotiating table is tied to the suspension of uranium enrichment,” French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy told a news conference.
As we figured, China and Russia will probably NOT vote for sanctions. Kofi himself has said no to sanctions. And the French, well, after this fiasco with Lebanon and the so-called international military force, can we really count on them for anything except going back on their word?
Others: What then should America and its allies do in the face of Iran’s nuclear defiance? The answer is clear: concede defeat.
Generals today said they have indisputable evidence that Iran is actively involved in the troubles in Iraq.
The report concludes Iran’s influence in Iraq is now greater than that of the United States because the US and its allies have failed to appreciate the changing role of Iran in the region.
And then there's this jewel, Iran has a nuclear 'surprise' in the next few days. Oh boy!
A senior official in Teheran said Wednesday that in the next few days, a "surprise" was expected regarding Iran's nuclear program, Al-Jazeera reported.
Teheran's apparent refusal to suspend uranium enrichment set the stage for a showdown at the UN Security Council later this month. -- Jerusalem Post via Wizbang
Reihl World View is connecting the above story of surprises to a New York Times story about U.S. intelligence.
Some senior Bush administration officials and top Republican lawmakers are voicing anger that American spy agencies have not issued more ominous warnings about the threats that they say Iran presents to the United States.
Some policy makers have accused intelligence agencies of playing down Iran’s role in Hezbollah’s recent attacks against Israel and overestimating the time it would take for Iran to build a nuclear weapon.
"In My World: There's No Cure for Cancer or Being a Lame Duck" (This will make you smile, I promise!)
Bush waited by his car in the desert as a truck and a limousine pulled up. Out of the limo exited an Arab gentleman. "Are you ready to buy?"
"If you have the product," Bush answered.
The Arab opened the back of the truck and took out a barrel. He then pulled off the lid. "Pure crude oil. Yours for only $25 a barrel."
The Arab began to replace the lid, but Bush stopped him. "I want to check this out." He stuck two fingers into the crude and then tasted it. He frowned and then leapt at the Arab, grabbing him by the neck. "You watered it down, you macaca!"
"No! It's pure crude oil! I swear!"
"If you're product is so great... THEN WHY DON'T YOU DIE IN IT!" Bush shoved the Arab's man head into the barrel of oil and held it there until he stopped moving.
"Great," Condoleezza Rice sighed, "You killed another Saudi prince."
Bush left the Arab in the barrel and walked back to the car. "So what? They have thousands more." They both got in the car. (Go read the rest at IMAO)
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Hugh Hewitt in "Every day is August 22", says:
In the New World Order, we must treat every day as August 22.
When we talk about the 'Middle East', exactly what does this term mean?
The Middle East is a term used to define a cluster of nations that include the Arab nations of South-West Asia, Israel and Egypt (geographically in Africa). Traditionally, the countries include Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and Yemen.
But different interest groups use the term 'Middle East' differently. Some, like Britain, include other Islam-dominated African countries of the Sahara region like Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Libya and Tunisia while referring to the Middle-East. But in a true geographical sense, it is best to include only Egypt from the African continent in the volatile region of Middle East, and perhaps Libya too for the sake of its open support to Iran in the Iran-Iraq war.
Islam is the common factor among all these countries with the singular exception of Israel, the only Jewish state in the world. Lebanon also is a multi-ethnic country, though the Hezbollah would like to transform it into an Islamic nation. From A Layman's Guide to the Middle East
Well it's a long day today, anything can happen! Stay tuned.
Linked with:
123Beta, "Syria Protests U.N. Peacekeepers"
bRight&Early "First Cup"
Debbie,
Here's the permalink:
http://123beta.blogspot.com/2006/08/syria-protests-un-peacekeepers.html
Posted by: Butch | August 24, 2006 at 09:53 AM
Actually, I think the translators were a little off there. The Russian's Mikhail Kamynin actually stated that "the problem has to be solved with *bribery*. Just thought I would sort of clear that up, ya know ;)
Posted by: Ma r t i n @ b l o g b a t | August 24, 2006 at 03:43 AM