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Iran Censured

By Joe Klein | @JoeKleinTIME | November 27, 2009 | +

There are those who’ll say that this is purely symbolic, since the resolution doesn’t have teeth–but the Iranians have been censured by the IAEA for non-compliance with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty on a 25-3 votes. The three countries voting against were: Cuba, Venezuela and, for some reason, Malaysia. But the real news here is that among the countries voting for censure were Russia and China. This doesn’t mean that they’ll vote for sanctions…but it’s a message to the Iranians nonetheless.

Perhaps, the Iranians can cobble together an alliance with the Cubans, Venezuelans and Malaysians–call it the Axis of Archaic Autocrats.

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  • michaelfury

    When will Iran be “censured” for its role in this?

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/movers-and-shakers/

  • cfukara

    Fill in the Missing Words:
    Israelis have been censured many times for their nuclear ambitions and cavalier disregard of nuclear non-proliferation.
    Perhaps, the Israelis can cobble together an alliance with
    the USA, EU, …. — call it the Axis of …….

  • stmichaeltraveler

    MyAmerica:
    What is wrong with Iran? They should do what we do, not what we say!

    Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT or NNPT), 1968, is a treaty to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. Among the 189 countries party to the treaty, five nations have nuclear weapons: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and France (also permanent members of the
    UN Security Council).

    Nuclear Warheads 2009
    US: 9552
    Russia: 12987
    UK: 192
    China: 176
    France: 300
    India: 75
    Pakistan: 90
    Israel: 200
    North Korea: 2

    SOURCE:
    http://thebulletin.metapress.com/home/main.mpx” />BULLETIN OF ATOMIC SCIENTISTS, GUARDIAN/DEFENCE ESTIMATES

    Iran singed the NPT. Under this treaty Iran has the rights to enrich uranium, use nuclear byproducts for research, medicine, agriculture and produce nuclear electric power. There is no dispute that Iran is already a nuclear state. The states with this capacity are many; among them are Japan and Germany. Iran does not have any nuclear weapons and according to IAEA is in compliance with the terms of the treaty.

    The treaty requires that the members give up their rights to have nuclear weapons for defense; those who had nuclear weapons and had signed the NPT had agreed to eliminate their nuclear weapons. China, England, France, Russia, and USA had singed the NPT treaty. All these nations are in violation of the NPT.

    Iran’s new hole in the ground near Qam does not have any urnaium or enrichment equipment. What is this all excitement about?

  • kevin

    To quote James Fallows:
    .
    “Will wait to see if this weekend’s talk shows or opinion sections offer any ‘hey, wait a minute’ reconsideration of their unanimous judgment last week about the way the Obama team was manhandled and stonewalled by the Chinese. I’ll wait, but I won’t hold my breath…. Seriously, when does an official part of the chattering class — one of the weekend talkers, someone from the leading newspapers — look back on these past two weeks in journalism’s effort to represent reality and ask how the dominant narrative could have been so wrong, and wrong in a way that was easily noticeable at the time? Just curious.”

  • cfukara

    AP, TEHRAN, Iran, 28 Nov 2009 – “A conservative Iranian legislator warned Saturday that his country may pull out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty … “

    Finally! What took them so long? They had good neighbours to learn from – like Israel which is getting along splendidly without that pesky “Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty”.

    200! And not as phantom as Saddam’s.

    [It surprises us those people at IAEA (that seem to know no more than patriotic hillbillies do about nuclear/WMD matters) still have credibility in some quarters that should know better. That strengthens our suspicions that THAT body is indeed an imperial, crusadist prop.]

    Does sovereign Iran have reason to worry about enemies at its border?
    CSM, Nov 22, 2009 – Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes against targets across the Gaza Strip Sunday morning.
    .
    Sovereign Iran has a responsibilty to do all it can to protect its citizens from enemies without.
    Should sovereign Iran worry about nuclear armed Israel-US prowling off its shores with missiles pointed at the Iran homeland? [Note: During the cold war, USA matched its enemy USSR weapon for weapon. And vice versa.
    Perhaps Iran must have the capability to effectively defend itself against, and repulse, its belligerent enemy, Israel. That is a sovereign prerogative and a sovereign imperative ..]

    AP, Nov 25, 2009 – ” .. With cutting-edge anti-missile systems and two new submarines that can carry nuclear weapons, Israel is readying a new generation of armaments ..”

    May the new arms race begin … [And aligned USA is in no position to stop it ..]

  • kathy

    Also wanting to note Fallows’ view that this is the fruit of the Obama’s Asia trip. It’s ironic that with so many hours to fill with “news,” the networks have such vapid coverage.

  • Ffred

    I don’t consider the correct response to hypocrisy to be emulation of said hypocrites. In other words, were I in Iran’s position, sure I would be seriously tempted to do a bit of saber rattling, but I would also recognize that as an immature response. The sweetest path to take is the high, diffident, and peaceful, showing these SOB’s exactly for what they are.

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