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On The Importance Of Negotiations
How do Iranians react to threats of attack?
Triita Parsi talks about the effect of threats on Iranian public opinion, and on how vitally important it is to negotiate. He underscores the fact that an attack on Iran would unify the country with its leadership and hasten its efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.
How do Iranians react to threats of attack? ... more -
Iran Has Resumed Work on A-Bomb Project
Iran has resumed work on constructing highly sophisticated equipment that nuclear experts say is primarily used for building atomic weapons, according to the latest intelligence reports received by Western diplomats.
The work is aimed at developing the blueprint provided by Dr AQ Khan, the "father" of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, who sold Iran details of how to build atom bombs in the early 1990s.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which has overall responsibility for the country's nuclear programme, has set up several civilian companies to work on the programme whose activities are being deliberately concealed from the United Nations nuclear inspection teams.
This has raised concerns among Western experts that Iran is continuing work on its nuclear weapons programme, despite Tehran’s protestations that its intentions are peaceful.
“If Iran’s nuclear intentions were peaceful there would be no need for it to undertake this work in secret,” said an official familiar with the intelligence reports.
A previous clandestine attempt by Iran to develop P2 centrifuges was halted in 2004 after the existence of a civilian company set up by the Revolutionary Guard was exposed. UN nuclear inspectors found traces of weapons-grade uranium at the company when they inspected the premises.
Reports that Iran has resumed work on sophisticated uranium enrichment technology follow Tehran’s announcement at the weekend that it has no intention of halting its uranium enrichment programme at Natanz.
Iranian officials were speaking the day after they had formally submitted their response to a package put together by the world’s leading powers – including Britain – offering a number of incentives in return for halting enrichment.
An Iranian government spokesman said: “Iran’s stand regarding its peaceful nuclear programme has not changed.”
According to recent intelligence reports, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian President, personally ordered the Revolutionary Guard to set up companies for the secret manufacture of components for P2 centrifuges this year.
One of the companies is in a residential building in Amir Abad, western Tehran, where its work is unlikely to be detected by UN nuclear inspectors. One of the facilities is said to be run by a company owned by the Revolutionary Guard.
The operation is a direct copy of the Revolutionary Guard’s previous attempt to develop P2 centrifuges, when research work was undertaken by the Kalaye Electric Company, which claimed it was manufacturing watches.
When its true activity was revealed to UN nuclear inspectors in 2004, they found the company had succeeded in building the centrifuges and enriching small quantities of uranium to weapons grade.
Senior officials from Iran’s Atomic Energy Agency are supervising the current clandestine programme, which is based on the atomic weapons blueprint sold to Iran by Dr Khan in 1994.
Reports that Iran is actively working on Dr Khan’s blueprint will deepen suspicions that Tehran has resumed work on its nuclear weapons programme.
Iran has resumed work on constructing highly sophisticated equipment that nuclear experts say is primarily used for building atomic we... more -
Iran Vows to Pursue Uranium Enrichment Program
VOA News reports:
"Iran has vowed to pursue its uranium enrichment program, one day after submitting a response to an incentives package drawn up by world powers trying to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions. An Iranian spokesman said Saturday Tehran is ready to negotiate on its atomic program, but that its stance on uranium enrichment has not changed."
VOA News reports: ... more -
McCain wants much larger U.S. military
Republican presidential candidate John McCain wants the U.S. military to be much larger than current expansion plans envision, an adviser to the Arizona senator said this week.
The Bush administration has begun expanding the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to create a combined strength of around 750,000 active duty troops -- a process backed by McCain's Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
But McCain believes an Army and Marine Corps with a combined strength of up to 900,000 troops is necessary, said Randy Scheunemann, an adviser to the candidate on foreign policy and national security.
"Sen. McCain feels the proposed increases are not sufficient. They need to be more, to fully address the challenges we face in the 21st century," Scheunemann told Reuters in a telephone interview.
The U.S. Army and Marines have been severely strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many troops have served multiple tours in the war zones and currently spend only 12 months at home before they deploy again for another year.
As a member of the U.S. Senate's armed services committee, McCain has built a reputation for scrutinizing the costs of big weapons programs and he has pledged to pursue that approach in the White House if he wins November's election. Republican presidential candidate John McCain wants the U.S. military to be much larger than current expansion plans envision, an advi... more -
Strike and we'll strike you back, warns Tehran
Head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Mohammed Jafari, was quoted by the Iranian state news agency as saying: "Iran's response to any military action will make the invaders regret their decision and action." Mr Jafari had already warned that if attacked, Iran would launch a barrage of missiles at Israel and close the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet for oil tankers leaving the Persian Gulf. Head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Mohammed Jafari, was quoted by the Iranian state news agency as saying: "Iran's response to any mi... more
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The most radical president in history
Seymour Hersh: The secret war in Iran (part 3 of 3)
Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military intelligence and congressional sources. In his recent article "Preparing the Battlefield," Seymour Hersh, investigative journalist and famed author for The New Yorker, says that the leadership of the Democratic Party has authorized spending over $400 million in support of a presidential finding that greatly expands the use of secret operations inside Iran, including perhaps the use of lethal force. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program. "This president has read it this way: anything that has to do with the military, even if it's intelligence collection by the military, is part of warfare, preparing the battlefield," Hersh tells The Real News Network. "And they don't have to tell Congress anything." In this three-part interview with Paul Jay, Hersh says that a Gallup poll suggests that most Americans would rather the nation talk to Iran rather than go to war, in light of the current conditions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The problem lies in getting more public support. "So one of the things the special operations troops are doing is trying to escalate the amount of incidents inside Iran, trying to get more stuff going, more terrorism, more bombings, more internal disturbances, and hopes, maybe, in the fantasy football world in the vice president's office, in hopes that the Iranian government would crack down on the minorities big time" which would not only mean bad press for them, but give America a vehicle for going in. Seymour Hersh: The secret war in Iran (part 3 of 3) ... more -
Cheney and manufacturing consent on Iran
Seymour Hersh: The secret war in Iran (part 2 of 3)
Seymour Hersh writing in The New Yorker: A Gallup poll taken last November, before the NIE was made public, found that 73 per cent of those surveyed thought that the United States should use economic action and diplomacy to stop Iran’s nuclear program, while only 18 per cent favored direct military action. Republicans were twice as likely as Democrats to endorse a military strike. Weariness with the war in Iraq has undoubtedly affected the public’s tolerance for an attack on Iran. This mood could change quickly, however. The potential for escalation became clear in early January, when five Iranian patrol boats, believed to be under the command of the Revolutionary Guard, made a series of aggressive moves toward three Navy warships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. Initial reports of the incident made public by the Pentagon press office said that the Iranians had transmitted threats, over ship-to-ship radio, to “explode” the American ships. At a White House news conference, the president, on the day he left for an eight-day trip to the Middle East, called the incident “provocative” and “dangerous,” and there was, very briefly, a sense of crisis and of outrage at Iran. “TWO MINUTES FROM WAR” was the headline in one British newspaper. The crisis was quickly defused by Vice-Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, the commander of US naval forces in the region. No warning shots were fired, the Admiral told the Pentagon press corps on January 7, via teleconference from his headquarters, in Bahrain. “Yes, it’s more serious than we have seen, but, to put it in context, we do interact with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and their Navy regularly,” Cosgriff said. “I didn’t get the sense from the reports I was receiving that there was a sense of being afraid of these five boats.” Admiral Cosgriff’s caution was well founded: Within a week, the Pentagon acknowledged that it could not positively identify the Iranian boats as the source of the ominous radio transmission, and press reports suggested that it had instead come from a prankster long known for sending fake messages in the region. Nonetheless, Cosgriff’s demeanor angered Cheney, according to the former senior intelligence official. But a lesson was learned in the incident: The public had supported the idea of retaliation, and was even asking why the US didn’t do more. The former official said that, a few weeks later, a meeting took place in the Vice-President’s office. “The subject was how to create a casus belli between Tehran and Washington,” he said. Seymour Hersh: The secret war in Iran (part 2 of 3) ... more -
Attack on Iran would turn region into a fireball
After reports of Israeli military exercises as rehearsals for an attack on Iran, and about US administration and Congress sanctioning covert operations against Iran, the Iranian Foreign Minister dismisses the idea saying that Israel is in too much internal turmoil to "resort to such craziness." He adds that the US is in no position to "take another risk in the region." Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff says "opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us." After reports of Israeli military exercises as rehearsals for an attack on Iran, and about US administration and Congress sanctioning ... more
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Theran risponde sul nucleare in Unione Europea.
L'Iran ha ufficializzato la sua risposta sul pacchetto di incentivi offerto dalle sei potenze mondiali per la dismissione del suo programma nucleare. Questa mattina l'ambasciatore iraniano a Bruxelles ha presentato il documento, firmato dal ministro degli esteri di Teheran Manouchehr Mottaki, all'alto rappresentante della politica estera europea Javier Solana. L'Iran ha ufficializzato la sua risposta sul pacchetto di incentivi offerto dalle sei potenze mondiali per la dismissione del suo prog... more
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New green technology controls fire ants without harmful chemicals or poisons.
What started out as a heat lamp, a waffle iron, a timer, and one retired Texas rancher, has evolved into a non-toxic fire ant control system with two U.S. Patents to its credit. This is a “green”, long-term solution to the fire ant nightmare and it is perfectly named, The AntAgonizer.
The guiding principles of the invention were discovered by long time Mills County Rancher Sid Brooks. Sid became fascinated by fire ants and their behavior around food and electricity. After some ideas and experimentation, Sid came up with a rudimentary contraption that was both killing and driving away fire ant colonies. Some ants would die on the spot. Others would wander around in circles a bit. According to Sid, “They were dead, they just hadn’t been notified yet.” Without these foragers, food was not getting to the queen and her eggs. Colonies were abandoned.
The AntAgonizer is now top tier technology. Development and design is by Alan Abele, a brilliant engineer with eight U.S. Patents to his credit, several of those in the aerospace industry. Two are for The Antagonizer, one for the innovative timer that controls pulses of infrared energy. The second is for the methodology of the unit, in other words how it kills and controls fire ants. Abele stated, “This product represents the fusion of the biological and engineering sciences and it works.”
The AntAgonizer uses small pulses of infrared energy to disrupt and ultimately destroy fire ant colonies. The system controls fire ants without using toxic chemicals that can poison property, contaminate water resources and endanger children, pets, livestock, fish, waterfowl, and beneficial insects.
The Antagonizer has been in development for almost seven years, says Ginger Spies, AntAgonizer principle. “During that time we have learned a lot about the behavior of fire ants and we have heard stories that are just amazing. We know of a fire ant attack that ended a funeral service and sent people running for their cars; of golfers who couldn’t putt out because of infested greens; of football players who were taken to the hospital during a game because the field had been treated with pesticides earlier that day; and numerous attacks on small children and the elderly. Fire ants are truly capable of spectacular injury and damage.
Sid Brooks, retired rancher, has started a movement and it’s one he hopes will contribute to a major paradigm shift for the way we treat the Earth and ourselves.
What started out as a heat lamp, a waffle iron, a timer, and one retired Texas rancher, has evolved into a non-toxic fire ant control ... more -
Behave yourself America
It surprises me to think this dialogue is still going on. Do America not learn that Violence is not allways the solution.
Listen to what India external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee has to say; it kind of makes sense. I do not think I even have to ask the question, Invade Iran and kick their brown butts or be sensible and engage with dialogue instead? It surprises me to think this dialogue is still going on. Do America not learn that Violence is not allways the solution. ... more -
McCain sings entire Barbara Ann song. McCain McKaraoke.
McCain sings about bombing Iran and we get a look at what that might look like.
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Sex trade: Wives outnumber singles!
Tehran, Jul 2 : More married women are involved in prostitution in Tehran than single females, while the age of those working has come down and now ranges from 15 upwards, Iran’s Sarmayeh newspaper said on Wednesday quoting academic research.
“According to recent research carried out in Tehran, the phenomenon of prostitution is being seen in married people more than single individuals,” Kaze Rasoulzade Tabatabai, specialist in women’s studies, was quoted as saying.
The academic, who the newspaper said was presenting the result of studies on prostitution at a conference in Tehran, said that younger people have now become involved.
“The age of prostitution was over 30 in the 1980s and 1990s but now the age has fallen to 15 and above.”
Rasoulzadeh Tabatabai, who heads the study group of “harmed women and girls” as well as the psychology group of Tehran’s respected Tarbiat Modares University, said motivations have also changed.
“If prostitutes were only looking for the covering their basic needs in the past, now they are concerned about their secondary demands,” he said.
Prostitution is strictly illegal in Iran and punishable by prison sentences and lashes. However officials have long openly acknowledged the capital has a problem with prostitution.
Typically, prostitutes in Tehran used to be young women who had moved from the provinces to the capital in search of a job or to study and entered the sex trade in order to make ends meet.
But Rsoulzadeh Tabatabai said that even this was changing.
“The phenomena of prostitution was previously more common in migrants but now this has been spreading more among the local Tehranis. We cannot relate it to the issue of migration anymore.” Tehran, Jul 2 : More married women are involved in prostitution in Tehran than single females, while the age of those working has come... more -
Seymour Hersh: The secret war in Iran
Hersh: VP Cheney believes he is going to save the world (part one)
Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program. Hersh: VP Cheney believes he is going to save the world (part one) ... more -
Secret war against Iran is underway
According to an article in the New Yorker, Seymour Hersh says Democratic Party leaders signed on to secret war against Iran.
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Bush's Covert Operations in Iran
The New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh on CNN. "If that doesn't make people nervous, I don't know what would."
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Bush to get go-ahead for war with Iran
Introduced less than a month ago, Resolution 362, also known as the Iran War Resolution, could be passed by the House as early as next week.
The bill is the chief legislative priority of AIPAC. On its Web site, AIPAC endorses the resolutions as a way to ”Stop Iran’s Nuclear Program” and tells readers to lobby Congress to pass the bill. In the Senate, a sister resolution, Resolution 580, has gained co-sponsors with similar speed. The Senate measure was introduced by Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh on June 2. It has since gained 19 co-sponsors.
Introduced less than a month ago, Resolution 362, also known as the Iran War Resolution, could be passed by the House as early as next... more -
Secret war against Iran underway
n an article in the "New Yorker", Seymour Hersh says that the President got up to 400 million dollars in a “Presidential Finding” and that top democrats were involved. An unidentified source told Hersh:"The Finding was focused on undermining Iran's nuclear ambitions and trying to undermine the government through regime change." The funds were requested at the same time that a US National Intelligence Estimate late last year stated that Iran had halted any kind of Nuclear Weapons program they may have had by 2003. Despite the report the Bush administration and many in congress continue to talk about Iran as a nuclear threat. In an interview with CNN, Hersh talked about Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney: "They believe that their mission is to make sure that before they get out of office next year, either Iran is attacked or it stops its weapons program," As well, a non binding resolution with bipartisan support is moving quickly through the house. The resolution calls on the White House to ban the export to Iran, of refined petroleum or gasoline and for "stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran," and would give the President free reign in dealing with Iran including a naval blockade. n an article in the "New Yorker", Seymour Hersh says that the President got up to 400 million dollars in a “Presidential Finding” and ... more
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Congress has approved a 400 million dollar bill for Bush to start covert action in...
President George Bush has already started covert action in Iran to overthrow the government. Has the war started already. Some think so. President George Bush has already started covert action in Iran to overthrow the government. Has the war started already. Some think ... more
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An Inside Look at a Young Iranian Rock Band and Their Music from Within
These boys were arrested last year for playing their rock music. Really! Just for playing rock music!
Iran should be proud of the talent these boys have and let them grow.
Anyway, the boys went to a pretty lousy jail for several months and are now out doing what they want and do best. Communicate with their art. When I talk to them, they all say they want peace in the world. I don't blame them, but they insisted I get the world out for them.
They came to me for help last year and I lost contact not knowing they were part of that roundup of rock bands the Iranian authorities arrested. They have now resurfaced and recontacted me. You can hear it in their music...
They want freedom! They want Peace! They want to express their views.....
These boys were arrested last year for playing their rock music. Really! Just for playing rock music! ... more
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