Mark Fitzpatrick repeates a bunch of baloney about Iran's nuclear program in an interview with Bernard Gwertzman of the CFR. I thought it would be fun to some of take it apart, since I don't have time to pay attention to the whole thing.
First, I'll deal with the last point raised. Mark Fitzpatrick claims that:
There are various reasons why it's illogical for Iran to insist on having an enrichment program for the purposes of making fuel for a nuclear power program. One is that its insistence on self-sufficiency will be impossible to realize anyway because it doesn't have sufficient uranium ore to provide the basis for the nuclear power program it envisions of ten to twenty nuclear reactors. It has enough uranium ore for one reactor, or for a nuclear weapons program, but not for the nuclear power program it envisions.
But Fitzpatric knows better. Salehi, the current head of the Iran's atomic energy program and former representative to the IAEA explained this clearly in his interview with the Financial Times in 2004: Iran doesn't intend to power all of its future reactors with domestic uranium. Rather, it is developing an enrichment program in order to have better leverage in negotiations over price. As Salehi explained:
Natanz has been designed to produce 30 tons of enriched uranium up to 5 per cent maximum [ - below the level required for a nuclear bomb], and that is only enough for one year’s refuelling. Nantaz, with all its vastness, can supply only one reactor for a year. We are to construct seven reactors, we are starting the bid for the twin reactor in Bushehr in a year’s time, so for that one we need to buy our uranium from outside.
...We say that for other plants we are going to buy our fuel from outside, but we are not going to become hostage to their wishes. Once they know we can develop our own enrichment, then they will enter into bargaining with us – like any other country.
Fitzpatrick also claims that it was Iran that has refused to enter into negotiations over its nuclear program, over an offer to limit Iran's enrichment program:
It's been on the table for over a year now and Iran hasn't responded to it. That offer can't be there forever. Meanwhile, Iran keeps ramping up its number of centrifuges.
But El Baradei, the head of the IAEA, said exactly the opposite:
I have seen the Iranians ready to accept putting a cap on their enrichment [program] in terms of tens of centrifuges, and then in terms of hundreds of centrifuges. But nobody even tried to engage them on these offers. Now Iran has 5,000 centrifuges. The line was, "Iran will buckle under pressure." But this issue has become so ingrained in the Iranian soul as a matter of national pride.
Iran cannot, shouldn't and will not be trusted with nuclear technology peaceful or otherwise.
A bunch of Shite lunatics with nuclear bomb? have you ever heard any of I-am-a-dinner-jacket's speech? he's religious fanatic with an IQ of 65!
Nope, Iran won't be allowed to have nuclear technology.
Posted by: Abraham | July 21, 2009 at 07:55 PM