Gary Fitleberg, February 20, 2005

"Axis of Evil" nation and state supporter of terrorism Iran is the very next target of America in the international war on terrorism.

Imagine a corrupt dictatorship, human rights violator, ruthless repressive regime, state supporter of terrorism and tyranny armed with missiles that can carry nuclear weapons of mass destruction in the hands of extremist, fanatical, fundamentalist Islamists.

Well the imagination will soon be the reality.

Iran is bent on the intent of acquiring all the components of producing nuclear weapons of mass destruction capable of striking anywhere in the Middle East especially Israel, Europe and even America.

Under the false guise of producing "nuclear energy" for "electricity, one of the largest oil producing nations in the world has surreptitiously been acquiring "black market" components and plans with one aim in mind. Building and constructing a war and weapons capability that will make it the strongest and most deadly power in the Middle East.

Iran's nuclear program is no longer a secret and international efforts to curtail this by diplomatic means seems a frustrating failure. Iran's nuclear program for WMD remains unresolved. The clock is ticking towards bomb and missile capability that will prove deadly if not stopped very soon.

U.S. and European both agree that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is an urgent priority but remain deeply divided and sharply opposed to the methods to achieve the desired goal.

Americans remain steadfast that the Iranian threat is imminent. The Bush administration is very skeptical about the European diplomatic initiative. Europeans, on the other hand, criticize the United States for doing nothing but issuing warnings to Iran, which insists that its program is for "peaceful" purposes.

A European diplomat complained "Strong statements are not a policy" and European officials stated that persuading or pressuring diplomatic initiative on Iran was their top goal. Bush is expected to be lobbied especially hard on this issue. A second European diplomat confirmed Iran would be a major topic during Bush's upcoming trip to Europe in a tour that will take him through Britain, France and Germany to meet leaders supporting the diplomatic means and pressure.

Iran is the most urgent of issues on the Agenda of America. This political pressure point continues to be one that clearly divides America and Europe. No common ground has been achieved thus far.

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has made numerous inspections and reports but the issue has failed to become of concern to the Security Council because the U.N. is clearly dominated by Arab/Islamist oil and political interests.

The International Criminal Court appears to have Europe's support but not America's.

On Iran, the Europeans hope to negotiate and agreement giving the "axis of evil" nation a peaceful nuclear energy program, national security guarantees, and an array of economic incentives in return for a pledge not to seek atomic weapons and to open its facilities to international inspection.

U.S. President George W. Bush stated Iranians needed to know that the entire free world was working together to send a clear message: Don't develop a nuclear weapon.

"And the reason we're sending that message is because Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a very destabilizing force in the world." Bush clearly declared as a serious warning.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice warned Iran that it risks repercussions by the U.N. if negotiations with the Europeans did not progress properly. Although she stated that the U.S. had no set deadline on the negotiations she made it very clear that talks can not go on forever.

Rice stated, "Iran should hear that discussions with the Europeans are not going to be a kind of way station where they are allowed to continue their activities, that there's going to be an end to this and that they are going to end up in the [U.N.] Security Council."

Iran downright denies its nuclear program is intended for anything but peaceful purposes such as energy rather than nuclear weapons but the evidence clearly shows otherwise. President Mohammed Khatami stated defiantly that no Iranian government would ever abandon the progress the country made in developing peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran must permanently halt its enrichment of uranium.

Iran is also the top international sponsor of terrorism internationally. It has an international intelligence network which is clearly responsible for Argentinean bombings as well as Hezbollah in ‘occupied" Lebanon along with its partner in crime and "axis of evil" wannabe Syria, yet another spoke in the wheel of terrorism soon to be a serious target.

Iran and Syria are two top obstacles in the Middle East proposed peace plan known as the "Road Map" and backed by the U.S., U.N., EU and Russia. Both sponsor terrorism by Hezbollah in "occupied" Lebanon as well as insurgency in Iraq.

We have all been down this Middle East proposed peace plan or "Road Map" to nuclear weapons before.

Based on Iran's past history with pledges and promises, one can clearly see a denial by the Europeans in the purported "peaceful program" versus one in the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The urgency of Iran's threat to international stability should be taken very seriously.

One can not afford to wait and make a mistake that will prove costly and deadly.

Like its neighbor and nemesis Iraq that remained defiant, Iran should heed that it may very well be the next target in the international war on terrorism.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2005 Gary Fitleberg