UN GIVES IRAN'S NUCLEAR PLANS
AUGUST 31 DEADLINE

UNITED NATIONS July 28, 2006 (AFP) - The UN Security Council would consider sanctions against Iran if it does not halt uranium enrichment by August 31, under a resolution drawn up by the six [Six? The six?] major powers, diplomats said Friday.

There are five major powers on the UNSC, the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China. Beyond these, there is not "the six", there is a profusion of major powers: Japan, India, Germany (the "sixth" power above), Brazil, et al.

The draft resolution calls on Iran to follow IAEA directives "without further delay" and highlights the three years the IAEA has spent trying to get information about Iran's nuclear programme.

While warning of further measures, the resolution "underlines that further decisions will be required should such additional measures be necessary," meaning that a new resolution would have to be passed to get sanctions.

So that makes, what? Ten, twelve "Stop Or Else" threats? We've lost count, and Mr. Ahmadinejad doesn't even bother to count. This is just more UN junk mail, straight into Iran's circular file. Mr. Ahmadinejad wonders, not unreasonably, "Or else what?" Why [Sputtering.] or else the UN will threaten Iran with yet another deadline!

Diplomats said the resolution would increase pressure [!] on Iran to respond to an offer of economic and political incentives to halt its nuclear production that was made by Britain, France and Germany in June.

June? What about April 28th?

M. Douste-Blazy, the dimmest bulb in the dark Chirac marquee™, makes a peace junket to Iran to speed things along and manages to say everything wrong.

IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH
FRENCH COUNTERPART IN BEIRUT

August 1, 2006 (Haaretz) - Iran is a significant, respected player in the Middle East which is playing a stabilizing role, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said earlier Monday in Beirut.

"It was clear that we could never accept a destabilization of Lebanon,* which could lead to a destabilization of the region," Douste-Blazy said in Beirut.

"In the region there is of course a country such as Iran - a great country, a great people and a great civilization which is respected and which plays a stabilizing role in the region," he told a news conference.

Huh? Did M. Douste-Blazy think himself in Switzerland?

Iran and Syria are the principal sponsors of Hezbollah, and the two countries have applauded Hezbollah's July 12 capture of two Israel Defense Forces soldiers, which triggered the Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

* Syrian suzerainty is OK.

What we could say here is best left said by the readers in the "Talkback" feature at the end of the article. Here's a sampling:

Never trust a frenchman ! Never trust France ! "La république de la laïcité est devenue le support de l`obscurantisme radical", triste fin
Ragnarok, Belgium

As a Frenchman I totally disagree with what Douste-Blazy said about Iran and I do think that "Hezbollah" is one of the worst enemies that the Western world is facing right now. To the Israeli people, please try also to win the "war of the medias" by creating websites, blogs, conferences, etc. to explain how the terrorists gain support using the civilians as shelds.
Jocelyn, France

[1] if US says white, french will say black
[2] french should not be allowed to speak in such situation, only Europe. This is a big political fault.
[3] Douste-Blazy is known to be stupid, so he is
Conclusion France gouvernement STINK !!!
Bernard, France

Earlier, Iran had announced its stabilization plan for Lebanon.

IRAN FORCES URGED TO PREPARE TO HIT ISRAEL

TEHRAN July 30, 2006 (Reuters) - Iran's hardline forces should get ready to take revenge on Israel and the United States for the offensive on Lebanon, the head of the Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying on Sunday.

"The Basij and Revolutionary Guards should prepare to get even with the Zionists and Americans," Yahya Rahim-Safavi was quoted as telling Islamic militiamen by the conservative Fars news agency.

The Basij are volunteer Islamic militiamen.

The Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij is an eleven million person force employing children-soldiers. The Basij was used as cannon fodder in the "human wave" attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, but now is believed capable of more than just expending the enemy's ammunition. Iran still maintains traditional just-dying-for-Allah troops.

Although Iran funded and armed Hizbollah in the 1980s, it has insisted recently its support is mainly moral and political.

An Israeli military source has said an Iranian-made C802 radar-guided land-to-sea missile with a range of 60 miles (95 km) hit and badly damaged a ship during Israel's offensive against Lebanon.

Hizbollah said it fired "Raad (Thunder) 2" and "Raad 3" rockets at a rail depot in Haifa. Raad missiles are Iranian.

Israel's army said it destroyed an Iranian-made Zelzal missile with range of between 74 and 99 miles before it was launched.

[Hat tip: WSJ BOTW(t)]

We now know why we see so few pictures of Mr. Ahmadinejad seated. He has obviously laughed his ass off.

PFFT (What is this?): Chucklehead diplomacy 5 | Adult supervision required 5 | Rayonnement français 0