Iranian Diplomacy–er, Duplicity
Iranian Diplomacy–er, Duplicity
The US essentially declines to succumb to Iran’s protection racket:
President George Bush was said to have rejected an Iranian offer to limit funding to Palestinian insurgency groups.
Teheran was said to have relayed the offer to Bush in 2003 in an attempt to win U.S. recognition for Iran’s regional dominance and the removal of sanctions by Washington. A two-page proposal leaked by Teheran outlined its pledge to end hostilities toward Israel and halt funding to Palestinian insurgency groups.
“The negotiating proposal indicated clearly that Iran was prepared to give up its role as a supporter of armed groups in the region in return for a larger bargain with the United States,” Gareth Porter, an analyst who obtained a copy of the document, said. “What the Iranians wanted in return, as suggested by the document itself as well as expert observers of Iranian policy, was an end to U.S. hostility and recognition of Iran as a legitimate power in the region.”
So:
Israel has reported the transfer of an advanced Iranian-origin rocket to Hizbullah.
Israeli officials said the unnamed rocket was the most advanced in Hizbullah’s arsenal and could strike major population centers. They deemed the rocket the first strategic weapon of Hizbullah.
“Iran is providing Hizbullah with the best and latest of its weapons,” an official said. “It’s clear that Iran sees Hizbullah as its strategic arm in the Middle East.”
The unguided rocket was believed to be an advanced version of the Fajr-5, with a range of more than 100 kilometers. Officials said the latest weapon for Hizbullah has a range of 200 kilometers and is propelled by solid fuel.
And they are to be trusted with nuclear weapons? I’m thinking not.