MAINZ, Germany (Reuters) - President Bush said Wednesday that European diplomatic efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear program were only just beginning and that comparisons with Iraq were wrong.
"Iran is not Iraq. We just started the diplomatic efforts and I want to thank our friends for taking the lead. We will work with them to convince the mullahs that they need to give up their nuclear ambitions," Bush told a news conference.
Bush has repeatedly said the U.S. launched its war on Iraq only after then leader Saddam Hussein had failed to comply with a series of U.N. resolutions over a number of years.
Mindful of past divisions in the lead-up to the Iraq war, Bush said after talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder it was vital for Iran to hear the world speak with one voice.
Bush repeated Wednesday his verbal support to efforts by Britain, France and Germany to negotiate a deal under which Iran would abandon uranium enrichment that could be used to make a bomb in return for trade benefits and security guarantees.
"You know yesterday I was asked about a U.S. decision and I said all options are on the table. That's part of our position. But I also reminded people that diplomacy is just beginning." Bush said Tuesday the idea that he was preparing to bomb Iran was "ridiculous" but also added that "all options are on the table," a clear reference to possible military action.
War with Iran is obviously unnneccesary. The Iranians are much smarter than the other prominent member of that 'axis of evil', North Korea. They dertainly don't want war. I feel any diplomacy will probably work. Iraq was ignoring UN sanctions. You know, if an organisation passed economic sactions that in turn starved your country, you'd probably not listen to them anymore either. The UN had Iraq on its knees, their economy unwinding and leaving millions starving. And then we bomb the Iraqis??Batman said:"all options are on the table"
Good. Let Iran know from the beginning that we're not going to dance around for 12 years and let the U.N. pass spineless resolutions.
anomaly said:Iraq was ignoring UN sanctions. You know, if an organisation passed economic sactions that in turn starved your country, you'd probably not listen to them anymore either. The UN had Iraq on its knees, their economy unwinding and leaving millions starving. And then we bomb the Iraqis??
anomaly said:I believe it was something about the air space over Iraq. Anyone know exactly what sanctions Iraq ignored? But yes, Iraq was kneeling to the might of the UN, with the USA sitting back and smiling...until we bombed them. That is American diplomacy.
in my previous post when I say "...ignore them..." 'them' refers to the UN, not the economic sanctions. Vauge, don't you have some info about the sanctions Iraq ignored that drove us to the illegal occupation?
anomaly said:in my previous post when I say "...ignore them..." 'them' refers to the UN, not the economic sanctions.
anomaly said:Iraq was ignoring UN sanctions.
Terribly sorry I've made this all too confusing. I figured it out though. It's a case of a mistaken word. They are UN resolutions not the UN sanctions. Apparently, Iraq ignored some 18 'resolutions' and though their country was crippled by economic sanctions (obviously not capable of waging any war or producing any weapons), we decided that it was the best time to send out our bombers in an effort to liberate the Iraqis. Hope that makes it clearer.Batman said:Here's what you said:
anomaly said:Terribly sorry I've made this all too confusing. I figured it out though.
If the "Oil for food" program money hadn't been highjacked by the UN, and if Saddam had put the money into food, no one would have gone without.Iraq ignored some 18 'resolutions' and though their country was crippled by economic sanctions (obviously not capable of waging any war or producing any weapons),
So that's hy it was right to go to war with Iraq? Should we go to war with the UN? Or are you saying that this is a humanitarian war? If that's the case, why did we not invade Sudan?Squawker said:If the "Oil for food" program money hadn't been highjacked by the UN, and if Saddam had put the money into food, no one would have gone without.
Squawker said:If the "Oil for food" program money hadn't been highjacked by the UN, and if Saddam had put the money into food, no one would have gone without.
anomaly said:So that's hy it was right to go to war with Iraq? Should we go to war with the UN? Or are you saying that this is a humanitarian war? If that's the case, why did we not invade Sudan?
They served their purpose for the first twenty or so years. Like all bloated bureaucracies they became too bogged down with red tape, and the people who work there became lazy and incompetent. The powers that be could not make an unbiased opinion about Iraq, if they were on the take. Now that the story is out, of course they wish to show their willingness to help.GarzaUK said:Some of you are so glad to put the UN down. I can remember when the war of Iraq was over the US asked the UN for help, as the bill to rebuild Iraq was higher than expected. The UN swept any bitterness aside and agreed - for the Iraqi people. Also the Iraqi elections wouldn't have been such a big sucess without the UN.
The UN (co-founded by the USA, UK and USSR) was set up to ensure WW2 didn't happen again, I would call it a sucess - would you not?
GarzaUK said:Some of you are so glad to put the UN down. I can remember when the war of Iraq was over the US asked the UN for help, as the bill to rebuild Iraq was higher than expected. The UN swept any bitterness aside and agreed - for the Iraqi people. Also the Iraqi elections wouldn't have been such a big sucess without the UN.
The UN (co-founded by the USA, UK and USSR) was set up to ensure WW2 didn't happen again, I would call it a sucess - would you not?
Certainly not. Humanitarian? The only time a humanitarian effort was needed in Iraq was during Clinton's era. Saddam, when we invaded, had slowed or, by some estimates, even stopped his mass killings. But, may I ask, why do you, Batman, support this war?Batman said:Are you saying that you would support a humanitarian war if that was the reason given?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?