LONDON, Nov. 3, 2007

Iran: Arab Deal Won't Stop Nuke Projects

Tehran Welcomes Joint Uranium Enrichment But Still Plans To Make Its Own

  •  (AP / CBS)

  • Play CBS Video Video Sanctions Against Iran

    CBS Foreign Affairs Analyst and Hunter College professor Pam Falk, offers some insight on the new sanctions against Iran and what this could mean for the future.

  • Video Will Iran Sanctions Work?

    Bob Schieffer talks with Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about whether the Bush administration's sanctions on Iran will prevent the country's nuclear proliferation.

  • Video Eye To Eye: Sanctions On Iran

    "Only on the Web": Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks with Katie Couric about the international implications of the U.S.'s latest sanctions on Iran.

  • Timeline The U.S. And Iran

    Key events in once friendly, now contentious relationship between Washington and Tehran.

  • Interactive Nuclear Armed World

    The world's nuclear weapons powers, missile defense and a history of the nuclear weapons age.

(AP)  Iran welcomed a recent Arab proposal Saturday to set up a consortium to provide Mideast countries with enriched uranium but said it would not halt its own enrichment activities, the official news agency IRNA reported.

"We welcome proposals for our participation in joint enrichment projects with other countries, but it won't be acceptable if the condition is to stop enrichment in Iran," IRNA quoted Javad Vaeedi, a top nuclear negotiator, as saying.

Vaeedi was responding to a proposal outlined Thursday by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal under which Arab states in the Persian Gulf would set up a consortium to provide Iran with enriched uranium to help resolve the country's standoff with the West over its controversial nuclear program.

The Saudi official told the Middle East Economic Digest that the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - would develop a uranium enrichment plant in a neutral state outside the Mideast, such as Switzerland, to provide nuclear fuel to the region.

"Raising such ideas is no problem as long as they don't contradict Iran's rights," IRNA quoted Vaeedi as saying. "All of Iran's resistance has been to preserve its rights regarding uranium enrichment."

The U.S. and several of its Western allies believe Iran is using its nuclear program as a cover for weapons development, but Tehran denies the charge, insisting it is focused on electricity generation.

Iran says it is now operating about 3,000 centrifuges at its Natanz uranium enrichment plant in central Iran and plans to expand it up to 54,000 centrifuges, the level of a full scale enrichment program.

Quote

All of Iran's resistance has been to preserve its rights regarding uranium enrichment.

Javad Vaeedi, Iranian nuclear negotiator
Two rounds of U.N. Security Council sanctions have failed to persuade Iran to halt enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce nuclear fuel to generate electricity or fissile material for a warhead.

The five permanent Security Council members, plus Germany, agreed Friday to come up with a new sanctions resolution if November reports by the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency do not show improved Iranian cooperation.

Earlier this week, Iran and the IAEA ended a third and final round of talks aimed at resolving remaining questions on Iran's P-1 and P-2 centrifuges, machines used to enrich uranium.

© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Share:
  • Share
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Mixx
Add a Comment See all 40 Comments
by tbweb November 6, 2007 2:07 AM EST
Posted by NYCProphet at 01:30 PM : Nov 05, 2007,,,

SlipSter01 Posted:

Ron Paul voted against the Do-Not-Call Registry
Ron Paul voted against extending Unemployment Compensation Act
Ron Paul voted against the Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks
Ron Paul voted against stricter penalties for sexual predators
Ron Paul voted aginst the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act
Ron Paul voted against the Child Custody Protection Act
Ron Paul voted against the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act
Ron Paul refused to recognize A Resolution Honoring the Contributions of Catholic Schools
Ron Paul regularly votes against funding the military (year after year)
Ron Paul voted against the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act
Ron Paul voted against Expressing Solidarity With Israel in the Fight Against Terrorism
Ron Paul voted against the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Amendments Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act
Ron Paul voted against deterring and punishing terrorist acts in the United States and around the world
Ron Paul voted against Urging the Secretary of Energy to Fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Military Construction Appropriations
Ron Paul was the only vote against the resolution To Promote Freedom and Democracy in Viet Nam
Reply to this comment
by damnedrelign November 5, 2007 10:35 PM EST
In reply to NYCProphet.
Should we permit what is recognized as a most definite and extremely dangerous rogue regime - religiously, ideologically and militarily - which is already fomenting violent revolution vis a vis its neighbors,
to procure nuclear weapons? How well would it have been if Hitler and/or the murderous popes, clerics, and agents of the then-imposing or ''crusading'' Catholic Church, and now Iran''s ayatollahs and Achmadinejad...
...had nuclear devices?
At the very least, NYCProphet, would you concede to us that a nuclear Iran would not be a comforting even for you?

Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:30 PM EST
My fellow Americans just don''t seem to care that our nation, along with The Constitution upon which it was founded, is being flushed-down the NWO toilet by our nations'' bought and paid for politicians and media. While the Oligarchs warn and insite fear in the sheeple about the prospect of terrorism, they at the same time leave our border wide open, and fund and conduct illegal wars overseas that do nothing but encite the terrorism which their Orwellian Laws like the Patriot Act and the John Warner Defense Authorization Act pretend to protect us from. Wake up America! It''s not about protecting you from terrorism, or saving the planet from Global Warming, or any of that other fear-mongering garbage the sold-out, mainstream media feeds you 24/7. It''s about feeding the bankers and the military industrial complex, and facilitating the global elite''s ability to ratchet-down control over the American people, placing us into a total control grid where they can surveille, track and control everywhere we go and everything we do. It''s the groundwork for totalitarianism. It''s the New World Order plan of Bush, Clinton, Edwards, McCain, Giuliani, et.al., being executed quite beautifully. You''re a frog in a pot. In order to cook a frog, you don''t throw him into a pot of boiling water. If you do, he''ll resist and jump-out. What you do instead is, you turn the heat-up REAL SLOW, and by the time the water is boiling he won''t be able to jump out anymore, because it''s too late--he''s already doomed.
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:27 PM EST
Sadly, even though Clinton voted for the war in Iraq, and a host of Laws aimed at removing your liberties, so many Democrats are blinded by her cult of personality that I predict they will overwhelmingly vote to put her crime family back into office. While I''ve made some progress in educating Liberals as to the phony staged consensus of the left-right paradigm, the fact remains that a majority of Democrats still see the White House as some kind of political Super Bowl, where the success of their "team" is the be all and end all - to the expense of America as a whole. The Punch and Judy show theatre that was the "troop surge" debate in the Senate characterizes Hillary''s role in hoodwinking Americans perfectly. The debate is framed as not whether the U.S. should get out of the Middle-East altogether, but the relative minutia of whether to feed thousands of more troops into the meat grinder or not. Clinton''s Campaign Manager recently compared Hillary to Margaret Thatcher, which translates as more war, more dead Americans, and a further desecration of the tattered shreds of what''s left of our Constitution. Clinton is the ultimate global elitist and represents the Democrats supposed base, the poor and downtrodden, about as much as Lindsay Lohan represents grace and dignity. I''m sure she informed the likes of David Rockefeller and Queen Beatrix as to her presidential aspirations during her last visit to attend the Bilderberg Group conference, which brings me to my next prediction.
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:23 PM EST
I predict that in the near future Earth will be dominated by a powerful, one world government. Once free nations are slaves to the will of a tiny, global elite. The dawn of a new dark age is upon mankind. Countries are a thing of the past. Every form of independence is under attack, with the family, even the individual itself, nearing extinction. Close to 80% of the earth''s population has been eliminated. The remnants of a once free humanity are forced to live within highly controlled, compact, prison-like cities. Travel is highly restricted. Superhighways connect the mega-cities and are designed to keep the population from entering into unauthorized zones. No human activity is private. Artificially intelligent super computers chronicle and catagorize a person''s every action. A prison planet run by a ruthless gang of control freaks, whose power can never be challenged, will dominate. This is the vision of Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and their fellow members of The Bilderberg Group. Their goal: a program of total dehumanization, where the science of tyranny is Law. A worldwide control grid, designed to ensure the overlords'' monopoly of power forever. Our species will be condemed to this nightmare future unless the masses are awakened to their New World Order master plan, and mobilized to defeat it. Erected secretly, the Georgia Guide Stones are a testament to their totalitarian plan for a world religion; global Laws; a global court; and a global army to enforce those Laws.
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:20 PM EST
Since its first meeting over 50 years ago, the Bilderberg Group, a secretive gathering of global power brokers, which includes Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, et.al., has inspired layer upon layer of ridicule. In recent times, the deeds laid at the group''s doorstep have included the creation of the European Union, the invasion of Iraq as well as the group''s current efforts to create a North American Union, which will erase U.S. borders and national sovereignty. All to service its most cherished goal: the creation of a world government. After it was reported that a well-received speech by Senator John Edwards at their meeting in Stresa, Italy, was one reason for his selection as John Kerry''s vice-presidential running mate in 2000, people began to ask, "Is the Bilderberg Group now molding the worldwide political scene?" Over 120 of the world''s most powerful monarchs, politicians and business leaders attend the annual, invitation-only gatherings to discuss global issues and to formulate their own policy objectives. The hotels involved are closed-off to other guests, and to reporters. Guards are placed around the perimeter. Attendees promise to keep quiet about what they hear and say. "They do not have to sign anything, but they understand that they do not talk," said Maja Banck-Polderman, the organization''s Secretary. Tony Gosling, a British reporter who has followed the group says, "I think that a forum where so many rich and powerful people meet should be open to public scrutiny."
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:17 PM EST
Are we a Nation of Laws? Consider the Patriot Act. The Law is 342 pages long, or 57,000 words, making it a bit longer than Dostoevsky''s "Notes from Underground" or, if you''re partial to pigs, about twice the size of Orwell''s "Animal Farm." The Patriot Act is the reigning champion of our government''s un-American activities. When it was first paraded before Congress and the Senate following the 9/11 attacks. Few Members, other than Congressman, Ron Paul, who dissaproved of its Draconian provisions, voted against it. Most in Congress simply gave it a rubber-stamp of approval for fear of appearing "unpatriotic" to their constituents during our national moment of crisis. Now in effect, the Law wrecks a generation''s worth of constitutional protections against government snooping, legalizing police-state tactics in searches and seizures, criminalizing certain forms of speech and political activity, and opening the way for the mistreatment of foreigners in government custody and wholesale expulsions and imprisonment. It is a repugnant, unnecessary Law that goes against the very principles its name stands for. Yet, it remains unchecked and unbalanced by public opinion, lawmakers or the Courts. So, yes, we''re a nation of Laws. But the Laws aren''t much to speak of when they''re designed to hoodwink the public and win its docility. Neither is public responsibility much to speak of these days when its docility is secured with nothing more than a ploy-riddled play on the word "patriot."
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:13 PM EST
Under The Patriot Act, the government''s Law enforcement branches have used their prosecutorial discretion to target citizens who voice their dissent. The Law enforcement targeting of citizens who exercise their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion since 9/11 is certainly no exception. The oxymoronically-named Patriot Act section 802 defines domestic terrorism so broadly that it could apply to an individual exercising his or her freedom of speech, expression, and assembly through acts of civil disobedience. In June 2004, Buffalo, New York, artist Steve Kurtz was detained by Law enforcement and had his home searched by FBI agents. Despite finding only harmless paints, which Kurtz uses in his politically motivated art projects. The FBI proceeded with a Grand Jury hearing to indict Kurtz under the Patriot Act''s biological agents provision. The Justice Department frequently uses Section 805 of the Patriot Act, "Material Support for Terrorism," to imply that a person has some link to terrorism. Georgetown Law Professor David Cole''s May 5, 2004, testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary explains that "in many cases, those who have been charged with material support have done nothing more sinister than to exercise their First Amendment right to freedom of speech or freedom of association." It gets worse.
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:10 PM EST
With the full support of Senators Clinton, Obama and McCain, President Bush recently signed into Law the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007, which, according to Senator Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually "encourage the President to declare Martial Law." It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of Laws that limits the President''s ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic Law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions. Public Law 109-364, or the John Warner Defense Authorization Act (H.R.5122) (2), which was signed by the President in a private Oval Office ceremony, allows the President to declare a "public emergency" and station troops anywhere in America and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of your Governor or local authorities, in order to "suppress public disorder." President Bush seized this unprecedented power on the very same day that he signed the equally odious Military Commissions Act. In a sense, the two Laws compliment one another. One allows for torture and detention abroad of those who dissent and are stripped of their citizenship, while the other seeks to enforce acquiescence at home, preparing to order the military onto the streets of America.
Reply to this comment
by nycprophet November 5, 2007 4:06 PM EST
Section 1076 of the massive John Warner Defense Authorization Act, which grants the Pentagon another $500-plus-billion for its ill-advised adventures, is entitled, "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies." Section 333, "Major public emergencies; interference with State and Federal Law" states that "the President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, to restore public order and enforce the Laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of ("refuse" or "fail" in) maintaining public order, "in order to suppress, in any State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy." For the current President, "enforcement of the Laws to restore public order" means to commandeer guardsmen from any state, over the objections of local governmental, military and local police entities; ship them off to another state; conscript them in a Law enforcement mode; and set them loose against "disorderly" citizenry - protesters, possibly, or those who object to forced vaccinations and quarantines in the event of a bio-terror event.
Reply to this comment
See all 40 Comments

Exclusive Webshow

Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror. Watch Now

Latest News
News in Pictures
Scroll Left Scroll Right
Connect with CBS News

Stay connected with the CBS News using your favorite social networks and online news applications: