Is It Time To Call Iran's Bluff?
Joe Gandelman
Art at Centerfield says yes:
Iran is truely sincere about its civilian energy needs, it should give up its uranium enrichment machines. All of them. And it should allow UN inspectors to verifty their absence at any reasonable time. In short, their surrender of uranium enrichers should be totally transparent.
In return, the West (probably Europe) will give Iran power plant-grade uranium to use in its reactors. This would cost the giving nations some money, but it would ensure both sides are satisfied with the honesty of the other. It would be an incredible good will gesture on both sides, and at little cost to either.
Now, this is all assuming Iran is as innocent as it says it is. If it were to turn down this offer, I would send the situation immediately to the security council.
Iran continues to be a dilemma for policymakers. Taking on Iran militarily would be a whole different ballgame than taking on Iraq. OR could some kind of military response come via Israel acting in a limited capacity and the U.S. looking the other way? All of this is speculation but it's hard to believe the situation won't come to more than a purely diplomatic head if it trends in the same alarming direction as it's going now.
