(Britain's) Miliband gives Iran nuclear warning

[Eugene]

Source: Financial Times

Miliband gives Iran nuclear warning

By James Blitz, Daniel Dombey and Philip Stephens in London

Published: July 8 2007 22:14 | Last updated: July 8 2007 22:14

David Miliband, foreign secretary, has warned Iran that the
UK government will maintain a tough stance on Tehran’s nuclear
ambitions, insisting that the Iranian regime “doesn’t have the
right to set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East”.

In his first interview since becoming foreign secretary 10 days
ago, Mr Miliband told the Financial Times that Iran “has every
right to be a secure rich country” – and the west was making
a “very clear offer” that would allow Iran to develop the civil
nuclear power it needed.

But in the first sign that Gordon Brown’s new government will
not soften Britain’s policy on Iran, Mr Miliband said the Iranian
regime “doesn’t have the right to undermine the stability of
its neighbours” – and the UK would press ahead with a third
United Nations resolution that tightened sanctions, if necessary.

“We are ready to work with our partners on a third resolution.
We think it’s very, very important that the international
community remains clear and united on this issue.”

-snip-

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3429b3fa-2d89-11dc-939b-0000779fd2ac.html

[Briar]

1. More of the same old spin

It wasn't Iran which started off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[LeftishBrit]

5. Just like Blair, Hoon, Reid, Beckett, Straw, etc., etc.

Miliband is a prat, but so are most/all New Labourites. Miliband is actually slightly to the left of the real Blairites. Like all politicians, especially in New Labour, he takes himself very seriously, but isn't taken all that seriously by others, partly because he is a lightweight, partly because he looks even younger than he is.

And an important point: I *wish* you would not single out Jews for special opprobrium at all - but if you must do so, at least leave MY country out of it!

[TheBaldyMan]

3. Milliband is a pipsqueak, the Foreign Secretary should wait until his

voice breaks and his balls drop before weighing in with his opinion on Iran.

It seems that Iran 'doesn't have the right to undermine it's neighbours' - he seems to think that is the exclusive preserve of the US and UK.

I think he should start reading the background stuff the civil servant's give him in all those red boxes at night, he might stop looking so bloody ridiculous.

[rcdean]

4. Ahem... See here, Iran! We shan't tolerate this! Tsk.. Tsk...

Lookout, Iran. They might pass another resolution on your ass.

I do not fear Iran having a nuke. MAD is the logic of all nuke nations.

Besides, Israel could stand to have a nuclear counterbalance. It might sober up her right wing government slightly.

If I thought Crazy Ahmadinejad actually would have his finger on the button, I might be worried. But he does not control the Iranian defense establishment. The Mullahs do. And they understand the logic of MAD.

Iran will have a nuke within 10 years. Life will go on.

[msmcghee]

7. I rest much easier now . .

. . that you have pointed out that the sensible Mullahs - who publicly hang homosexuals and stone adulterers to death while buried up to their armpits - will have their cool and reasonable fingers on the Iranian nuclear button.

[rcdean]

8. Even fascist extremist morons understand retaliatory annihilation

Even the dumbest maniac in the world, standing there with a gun in his hand, when six guys are standing opposite pointing their guns at him, gets it.

That's the power of MAD.

As Judge Roy Bean said, "The prospect of hanging in the morning sobers a man's mind wonderfully."

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Judge Roy Bean? Please. it was Dr. Johnson, about a century earlier

"Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."
Boswell: Life

http://www.samueljohnson.com/mortalit.html#383

[rcdean]

10. So I gather you concede my point, Mr. Bartlett.

As well you should.

[LeftishBrit]

6. Sounds like he's playing to all sides...

I don't think that the UK will do more that say a few tough words; and may support any UN sanctions, but won't get into any unilateral action. Certainly, the country will not tolerate being dragged into yet another Bushite illegal war. And Brown (who is much less messianic than Bush) knows it.

Iran hasn't got any nukes, though perhaps it would like to; this is more spin like all the horror stories about Saddam's WMD. And - if it did have nukes, this would be worrying from the point of view of terrorists getting hold of them, but I doubt that there would be much danger of the Iranian government using them in the Middle East. It wouldn't be Mutually Assured Destruction; it would be Self-Assured Destruction, as the nuclear fallout from a bomb dropped on Israel or any other nearby country would be sufficiently close by to have disastrous effects on Iran as well. And even a nutcase like Ahamdejinad would realize that.

Of course, I wish NO country had any nukes.