Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for the nation of Israel to be “wiped off the map.” Given his violent aims, it was cause for skepticism when he recently declared on Iranian state TV, “The time has come to turn the policy of confrontation to one of cooperation.” He also said international talks on Iran’s nuclear program were “positive.”
Well, the world would be pleased to see “cooperation” on Iran’s part, but so far that has not been forthcoming where Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons is concerned. Though rich in oil, Iran claims it is pursuing only peaceful nuclear energy, not nuclear weapons – a claim it refuses to allow other nations to verify.
Iran is simply running out the clock with meaningless “talks” while it works feverishly to develop nukes with which to menace Israel and other Middle Eastern countries. (It was revealed recently that nations including Saudi Arabia are as troubled by Iranian nukes as Israel is.)
We are playing a silly and dangerous game if we accept as sincere Iran’s claim that it wants peace and good will.