Legal Commentary

Iran Reported To Have Covert Nuclear Facilities

By Big Tent Democrat

So said President Obama, French President Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The New York Times reports:

President Obama and leaders of Britain and France accused Iran on Friday of building a secret underground plant to manufacture nuclear fuel, saying the country has hidden the covert operation from international weapons inspectors for years. Western officials claim the site is built inside a mountain near the ancient city of Qum, one of the holiest Shiite cities in the Middle East.

Appearing before reporters in Pittsburgh, Mr. Obama said that the Iranian nuclear program “represents a direct challenge to the basic foundation of the nonproliferation regime.” French President Nicholas Sarkozy, appearing beside Mr. Obama, said that Iran had deadline of two months to comply with international demands or face increased sanctions. “The level of deception by the Iranian government, and the scale of what we believe is the breach of international commitments, will shock and anger the entire international community,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, standing on the other side of Mr. Obama. “The international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand.”

This is no surprise it seems to me. I assume there had been a delay in this announcement due to the disputed election results in Iran. To wit, the West did not want to provide Iran's ruling regime a rallying point. As the reform movement has basically been stamped out in Iran, time ran out. This is a very difficult situation.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 25, 2009 (boomark / email).