U.S. charges Iran is quickly producing large amounts of uranium compound

WASHINGTON - Iran is racing to produce large amounts of a uranium compound that can be used to make nuclear weapons before a deadline next week to halt all uranium-purification work, U.S. officials said Friday.

The allegation came as the Bush administration said it was standing by Secretary of State Colin Powell's assertion Wednesday Iran also is working to modify missiles to carry nuclear warheads.

The new allegations could escalate tensions over Iran's nuclear intentions ahead of a meeting Thursday of the International Atomic Energy Agency on the Islamic republic's nuclear activities.
.............
State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the allegations Iran was converting large amounts of raw uranium ore into uranium hexafluoride gas "only heighten our concerns that Iran continues to pursue nuclear activities and does not honor its commitments."

Ereli also said the United States stood by Powell's contention Iran was working to modify missiles to carry nuclear warheads.

"We believe we are on very, very solid ground in pointing to a clandestine effort by Iran to develop weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems," Ereli said.
............
As was the case in Iraq, Iranian exiles eager to overthrow the regime in Tehran have provided U.S. officials with extensive intelligence on Iran's weapons programs and links to terrorism. Some of it has proved accurate, but some of it has proved to be false

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/10227521.htm

try to protect yourself while you can?

under false pretenses. Now, it's every country for its own self-preservation. They'd be foolish not to. Iran has seen the Bush concept of democracy in action and they apparently are not ready for it. Defending your property is the AMerican way....isn't that what our 2nd amendment friends keep telling us? I'm sure the NRA understands and defends Iran's right to defend their borders.

Looks like Bush has jumpstarted the nuclear arms race as countries start acquiring WMD to protect themselves from this lunatic mob.

Sadly, if this administration had conducted foreign policy based on real national security interests, instead of the interests of Big Oil, we might have had credibility with the world in disarming Iran.....not now.

BTW, who made the US the arbiter on who gets nukes and who don't? I recall we used to use multi-lateral treaties to work these issues out....is the little jesus-boyking now making it his sole divine authority to make this decision?

Sounds awfully similar to the news about Iraq even down to the government relying on info from exiles (Chalabi) that turns out as often as not to be false. I'm not suggesting that Iran isn't trying to build nuclear weapons, it's just something about this feels formulaic. Right out of the pre-invasion propaganda handbook.

This is like deja vu.

But they decided to play the "uranium hexafluoride" card instead. They know yellowcake has to many Daily Show joke possibilities. Uranium hexafluoride sounds hipper.

Like Shrub'll even be able to pronounce "uranium hexaflouride" when he announces the invasion.

And the earpiece thing will be cuing him like crazy.

it's a whitening toothpaste.

Now that you mention it...

and an army.

not like iraq at all.

invades them, the nukes are gonna fly! Doncha just feel so much safer with unca Chimpy in charge?

are invaded. We're getting our asses kicked by two countries WITHOUT MILITARIES of any sort. They would cream us.

Raw uranium to UHF takes some time, especially for large quantities and it is also used for electricity producing reactors.

Bush appears to be actively pursuing the countries which made up the 'Axis of Evil'. Both North Korea and Iran are being addressed at APEC. Yahoo News - At APEC, Bush to Work on North Korea, Iran:

President Bush plans to seek support from China and other key allies at the Asia-Pacific summit to help resurrect talks with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program...Iran's nulcear program also will be discussed by Bush and...Putin and other allies at the APEC forum this weekend.

I suppose we can hope for the best, that this is a sign of a diplomatic drive for a solution. Hope falls short when faced with recent history, though. Sigh.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Iran announced on Friday that the United States has become infuriated by the nuclear agreement between Iran and the European Union and United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei’s recent report on Iran’s nuclear program.

“The claims by Mr. Powell, made after the initial agreement between Iran and the three European states and the statement of Mr. ElBaradei, were inspired by that country’s fury over the Islamic Republic’s transparency and efforts at confidence building,” a statement released by the Press Department of the Foreign Ministry said.

“This claim is baseless. Weapons of mass destruction have no place in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defense doctrine,” the statement quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi as saying.Asefi stated that U.S. officials have been repeatedly discredited in the eyes of the world for spreading false reports, adding that they must review their sources of information.

The Washington Post said on Friday that Powell's announcement was based on an "unvetted, single source".The intelligence, which two U.S. officials said had not been verified is reminiscent of Powell's February 2003 UN speech about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, which was based on dubious intelligence and which so far has proved untrue.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=11/20/2004&Cat=2&Num=012

No. Credibility. Whatsoever.

I have 3 sons 19,17, and 13. I am scared as hell of 4 more years, 2 wars and a draft.

I assume you are here because you did not vote for the regime. May they take the supporters' kids of * first.

sorry excuse of a president.

it should be illegal to send someone else's kids into war and not their own. since when are they worth more?

It's going to take a lot more than 'their word' to believe this (or anything else).

They have a better track record for the opposite being true of whatever they say.

I read in asia times, that China backs Iran.
(and possibly France, Germany, India, ....)
welcome to WWWIII.

we haven't got a shot in the U.N.

Can't we all see where this is going?

float the idea so that the public had heard about the "threat". Put it in the public psyche so it's not surprising to anyone, or, if the public unanimously responds in the negative to the idea it can just float away.

It's old school fascism in suits and ties instead of brown shirts and goose steps.

How else can we establish the United States of Arabia, all to be ruled by the royal families of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait? Once this is completed..the next stage will be to occupy North Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Then time to begin Bush's new Cold War buildup against China and Pakistan.

My biggest fear..this will become a bipartisan movement, just like the first Cold War. :pals:

Anyone care to guess how long until we invade(or try to) Iran. The pre-war propaganda is out to scare the 59 million that voted for Das Chimp.


1. Bring out "evidence" of WMD in Iraq
2. Invade Iraq
3. Find no WMD, claim the main goal was to free Iraq and spread democracy.
4. Steal 2004 election
5. Bring out "evidence" against Iran
6. Invade Iran
7. China,Russia,India,Pakistan,Germany and France decide to back Iran. Chimp says bring it on and refuses to back down.
8. Because our military will be spread too thin(Still in Afghanistan and Iraq and the high casualties) a mandatory draft is declared.
9. US is pushed out of Iraq and Iran.
10. Nukes launched at the main cities in the US, millions die.
11. US invaded
12. bushitler surrenders
13. US is no more

I use to think this scenario would be impossible and a bit crazy. After Duhbya decided to play cowboy and invade Iraq, an extreme scenario such as this doesnt seem as crazy as it did. I am honestly really concerned about this countrys well being for the next 4 years.

why risk a nuclear war if the U.S. crumbles like the U.S.S.R?

hundreds of billions on a system which might stop nuclear missiles.

welcome to DU..:toast:

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Glad to be here! :beer:

the I(ranian)NC???

Wouldn't that be too fucking hilarious.

in post-invasion Iran...like hell will he be caught not finding WMD's THIS time around! :grr::angry:

that we should be organising the protests now (not that that'd be me doing the organising)? waiting to see if he's really going to go for it may be too late - or am I just paranoid?

Bush Says Iran Speeds Output of A-Bomb Fuel
By DAVID E. SANGER
Published: November 21, 2004

SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 20 - President Bush increased the administration's pressure on Iran on Saturday, accusing the country of speeding forward in the production of a key ingredient for nuclear weapons fuel, a move he said was "a very serious matter'' that undercut Iran's denials that it is seeking to build weapons.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/21/politics/21prexy.html?hp&ex=1101013200&en=c204ae173ce461c8&ei=5094&partner=homepage

They are starting to beat their war drums like they did for Iraq in 2002. It will culminate with an invasion "necessary for the liquidation of Iran's nuclear programs," and the reinstatement of the draft in order to provide the Pentagon with much needed boots on the ground.

I am so glad I am 49 and not draft bait anymore. Have fun kids! It's gonna be Canada or Iran--take your pick.

to send anyone back to avoids the draft by going to Canada.

in the us would accomplish everything for them, they would blame Iran.
911 worked out nicely for these criminals.

on some type of chemical, or bio weapon. sorry repugs, but you're stuck with iraq, there will be no new lands for you.

...in 45 minutes.

I would think that if the Iranians were able to detonate a nuclear device they would go ahead and test one. Then all this saber rattling would become moot.

45 minutes! Wait one gol dang minute here! Are you being facetious? Making fun of the Poodle and his 45 minute claims? I think you are. If so you got me.

Don

:evilgrin: