Edwards Says Kerry Plans To Confront Iran On Weapons

[Gimel]

A John F. Kerry administration would propose to Iran that the Islamic state be allowed to keep its nuclear power plants in exchange for giving up the right to retain the nuclear fuel that could be used for bomb-making, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards said in an interview yesterday.

Edwards said that if Iran failed to take what he called a "great bargain," it would essentially confirm that it is building nuclear weapons under the cover of a supposedly peaceful nuclear power initiative. He said that, if elected, Kerry would ensure that European allies were prepared to join the United States in levying heavy sanctions if Iran rejected the proposal. "If we are engaging with Iranians in an effort to reach this great bargain and if in fact this is a bluff that they are trying to develop nuclear weapons capability, then we know that our European friends will stand with us," Edwards said.

Edwards's notion of proposing such a bargain with Iran, combined with Kerry's statement in December that he was prepared to explore "areas of mutual interest" with Iran, suggest that Kerry would take a sharply different approach with Iran than President Bush. The United States has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since its 1979 revolution, and Iran was part of Bush's "axis of evil" that included North Korea and the former government of Iraq. Earlier this month, Bush demanded that Iran "must abandon her nuclear ambitions."

Edwards will deliver a speech today in Wilmington, N.C., that aides said will seek to sharpen the differences with the Bush administration on a range of foreign policy issues. Seizing on Bush's statement last week that he miscalculated the postwar conditions in Iraq, Edwards will lay out a broad indictment of how he believes the administration has miscalculated on Iraq, overseas alliances, Afghanistan and other issues.


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[noahmijo]

1. From what I've heard and seen Iran is on the brink of a revolution

Isn't it true that the majority of the people are college aged people that are fed up with the emums and have no love for the radical Islamic govt there?

No worries I don't think a president Kerry would attack, rather what I would love to see as I've said on here before, is an all out revolution by the people of Iran, and then we and the rest of the UN would answer their calls for assistance whether it be military or humanitarian.

Of course I'm dreaming, we're fighting two wars I dunno how we'd pull it off at this point.

[TheFarseer]

2. oh great

I understand the strategy but it could backfire, leading to a tougher stance by bush and before you know it, I'm getting shot at in the mountains of Iran.

[ladjf]

3. We need to leave Iran and Venezuela alone.

We've got more than enough problems at home. Further, those are large countries with a wide variety of topographical features perfectly suited for 50 years of guerrilla warfare. Please, Mr. Kerry, just shut the hell up and let us try to get you elected. So far, your comments have been counter productive.

[IA_Seth]

4. telling

Who would have ever thought we would need to hope our candidate is quiet so we can get him elected.

What a sad state of affairs.

[ladjf]

5. I don't mean that Kerry is a worthless candidate.

It just seems that his utterances and actions during the campaign have been unfathomable. I'm pulling for him all the way. At times he has come out the things that seemed counter to our interests, i.e. he blasted Chavez after Chavez had made some supportive statements about him, he said that knowing what we now know about WMD, he would still have voted for the war and now, if he weighs in on the Iran thing and says that he would support taking out their nuclear potential, how would be talk that away?

I'm troubled by the fact that he is a fraternity brother of Bush. ("Skull and Bones") and that fraternity is not exactly another Kappa Sigma.

[IA_Seth]

6. Understood

I feel the same.

I am putting in countless hours for his campaign, and yet sometimes he says things that have me speechless.

I can't say that Kerry represents my views 100%, but he surely does more than the Bushtard in office right now.

Sometimes it takes a bunch of small steps instead of one great big one, at least that is what I have to tell myself.

Cheers!