Quote :

"The United States gave its blessing Monday to a civilian nuclear energy deal between France and Libya, saying it expected its former foe to respect its decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction. "In light of Libya's historic decision in 2003 to rid itself of its WMD programs, we expect any cooperation with Libya on a peaceful secure and responsible use of nuclear power to be consistent with the highest standard of non-proliferation," said Kurtis Cooper, a State Department spokesman. France announced plans to sell nuclear reactors to Libya as well as 10 billion euros of trade deals, as President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi on Monday for a five-day visit. US-Libyan relations were restored in early 2004, following a break since 1981, a few weeks after Kadhafi announced that Tripoli was abandoning efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction. The United States announced last year a full normalization of ties, lifting Libya from a State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism and raising diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors. "

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071211142156.1dd1q31d&show_article=1

We're not an evil nation looking to keep the muslim/african man down. I think all-in-all we're a good nation trying our best to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of people who wouldn't think twice about using them on a civilian population.

Once bitter foe, Kadhafi is now friend.

I think this is a great success of the Bush Administration and it can be attributed to the war in Iraq. It was shortly after the invasion and the subsequent overthrowing of Saddam that Kadhafi changed his mind on that whole WMD thing.

12/11/2007 3:08:11 PM

The problem isn't that Iran has failed to abandon its nuclear program - the NIE pretty much states that they stopped working on that in 2004. The problem is that they want to continue to enrich Uranium, which has the unfortunate issue of being a very sensitive dual-use technology.

But from the Iranian perspective, it's an issue of national pride, i.e., "Why should we be denied our right to claim a reputation as a regional scientific/technical leader?" Especially when Russia and the U.S. can enrich with no problems.

So there's the issue. Iran is extremely unlikely to accept a deal to buy nuclear plants, because they want to prove that they can build them. And it's unlikely you're going to convince them to stop enriching anytime soon, which makes the option of restarting a weapons program a real possibility in the future. You're not going to get the same kind of deal with Iran to get them to stop enriching, because they don't want what we offered Libya, and they do want to enrich, if only because of a matter of national pride.

12/11/2007 3:13:58 PM

That makes no sense. If the Iranian people were that deprived and poor where they needed the energy from a nuclear plant (in a nation full of cheap oil) then why wouldn't they accept a deal like this?


OH I KNOW!




BECAUSE IT'S NOT FOR ENERGY.



If it really were about providing energy to the people (the supposed claim), then they would love a deal like this.

[Edited on December 11, 2007 at 3:19 PM. Reason : .]

12/11/2007 3:18:36 PM

I don't think you get it. They don't need the energy, but there's a great deal of national pride at stake. The whole "Persian Empire" deal. They've got something to prove, and being able to build and enrich a homegrown nuclear industry (weapons program notwithstanding) is one way to do it. They're basically out to prove that they're better, smarter, and more sophisticated than their backwater neighbors, and building a nuclear power industry - regardless if they need it - is they way they have chosen to do it. The ultimate end of this "sophistication" is in the ability to produce a weapon and join "the nuclear club."

However, given that the evidence clearly shows they already abandoned their weapons program 3 years ago, this doesn't deny the national pride issue one bit. These people have a chip on their shoulders and something to prove. Hence, the status symbol.

12/11/2007 3:22:23 PM

Quote :

"That makes no sense. If the Iranian people were that deprived and poor where they needed the energy from a nuclear plant (in a nation full of cheap oil) then why wouldn't they accept a deal like this?"

I would like Iran to remain Nuke free but how can you not blame Iran for hating us? We intermingled in their national politics from the 50's-70's supporting until the Islamic Revolution a autocratic leader. We financed, armed, and trained Iraq to fight a war against them that cost the lives of over a million. Currently we have a million troops pretty much chillin on their front door step. Lastly we are telling them what they can and can not do in regards to developing nuclear energy.

I do not think we should be buddy buddy with Iran but if we as America are to be world leaders and promoters of peace we should understand the positions of those we got to deal with. Most Americans are just ignorant and rehash a bunch of crap like "AJ is new Stalin and Iran hates our freedom and democracy, lets nuke them giittt-er-duunnn"

12/11/2007 3:42:21 PM

Quote :

""The United States gave its blessing Monday"

why does that statement trouble me? When did the USA become world police?

12/11/2007 4:28:06 PM

Since George W picked up the reigns

12/11/2007 4:42:41 PM

Not to defend Bush, as he has perfected the US = World Police policy...

But this started way before 2001.

12/11/2007 4:52:58 PM

Quote :

"Since George W picked up the reigns "

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

12/11/2007 5:33:12 PM

Quote :

"keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of people who wouldn't think twice about using them on a civilian population."

Yeah, but if anybody brings up the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings here, you would call them an idiot and say they were justified.

MIGHT IS RIGHT!!!!1111

12/11/2007 5:45:32 PM

dude

context

it helps us apply things appropriately

12/11/2007 7:09:54 PM

Quote :

"Since George W picked up the reigns"

Because it was George Bush who put Libya on a state sponsor of terror list... nevermind those airline hijackings and subsequent crashes in the 80s.


But you're right. It was George Bush.

12/11/2007 9:14:41 PM

All I am saying is who the fuck cares if the US gives its blessing. They aren't 'mother earths' father. France is capable of making trade agreements without the US approval. If we had an organization that we could call United Nations then maybe they could give out free blessings.

12/11/2007 9:34:38 PM