Quote Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat View Post
I would reverse that argument: if Iran really wanted to show commitment to the NPT, it indeed could've taken the similar deal that was proposed last year by France, Russia and America.*


If it is a serious proposal, at the very least it shows a willingness to obstruct, just to stick it to the Americans. Not a willingness to find a workable means to swap nuclear fuel, but power politics set the agenda of Tehran.

Obama now faces the prospect of rejecting a proposal it offered in the first place, or seeing months of effort to enact new sanctions derailed.


Tehran has two goals: build a bomb, and defeat America. I think they are willing to drop either one of these goals, but not both. This new agreement works towards either goal, so a clever move. It will be interesting to see what China does. Russia has gotten more in line with the West. China will have to choose between joining the established powers, or becoming the champion of the emerging ones.



*Showing that in common parlance nobody mistakes the country for the two continents.
There is also a part of not losing face. Turkey, as a muslim country and by being in relative vicinity, is a perfect choice for storing and inspecting the material if need be. It can hardly be said that American have tried to be constructive with Iran in the past.

Your explanation of Iranian foreign policy (build a bomb and defeat America) made me laugh really. Defeat America? Someone would have to be crazy over there. Not even a religious fanatic covers it, I'm talking genuine, certified "cluck-cluck, gibber-gibber, my old man is a mushroom" crazy. I'm still not convinced that Tehran is building a bomb. Sorry, but previous intelligence errors concerning similar issues leave me a bit skeptical.