By Hal Kingsley
Buffalo, NY – I don't wish to be a war monger, but as has been widely reported, Iran has restarted sensitive work towards enriching uranium, admitted to possessing blueprints for nuclear weapons and announced that it is building two new nuclear facilities. Iran has also acquired cruise missiles that have a range of up to 3,000 kilometers that can carry nuclear weapons to countries within Europe, Africa, Asia, and other parts of the Middle East, including Israel.
The Security Council is one of the appropriate forums to address the Iranian nuclear program, even though its power is weak and non-effective. Given the gravity of the Iranian nuclear threat to regional and international peace and security, I strongly believe that this matter should come before the United Nations body specifically established to safeguard against this kind of threat. Absent a complete suspension of all Iranian nuclear activities and new leadership and new policies in Tehran it is time to recognize the futility of further negotiation. Decisive action is now required. The world must adopt tangible measures that will stymie Iran's destructive intentions and terminate its rapid advance toward nuclear autonomy.
U.S. and other experts believe that, unless Iran is stopped, it is likely to master the full nuclear fuel cycle within the next year or two and possibly sooner. At that point, Iran could, in my opinion, will, develop nuclear weapons without any need for outside materials and technologies.
What makes this threat all the more tangible is that President Ahmadinejad has unequivocally expressed his goal of exterminating Israel. On October 26, 2005, he told thousands of students at a "World Without Zionism" conference that Israel is a "disgraceful blot" that should be "wiped off the map." In a speech before the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Mecca the most holy city in Islam he denied both the Holocaust and Israel's right to exist as a sovereign state; on 14 December 2005, he declared the Holocaust a "myth." His words are not empty rhetoric; they have spawned deadly terrorist attacks. President Ahmadinejad also has declared that "a world without the United States" is an achievable goal. The Iranian regime's diatribes against Israel and the west violate the basic principles of the United Nations Charter, notably Article 2 that states "all members states should refrain from threats or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." Not to act against the Iranian threat would undermine the concept of collective security enshrined in the UN Charter. Iran's support of international terrorism blatantly violates UN Security Council resolutions.
Today, Iran stands as the world's premier state sponsors of terrorism harboring, financing, training, and arming Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad. and Al Queda. Hezbollah in particular is responsible for deadly attacks against American, French, Argentine, Saudi, Lebanese, Israeli, and other nationals. UN resolution 1373, calls upon all states to refrain from harboring, sponsoring, and financing terrorist organizations. The Iranian regime's support of Hezbollah also violates Security Council resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of all armed militias in Lebanon. Iran has equipped Hezbollah with more than 10,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking deep within Northern Israel. Its actions remain unchecked.
Nuclear status will embolden Iran yet further leading to confrontations that could escalate out of control.. The international community must work in concert to avoid such a scenario, for people of all religions, ethnicity, and faiths. A regime like this is a danger to all. I'm Hal Kingsley,