(New York Times) Editorial - Iran is still churning out enriched uranium and has now told UN inspectors that it is raising the level of enrichment - moving slightly closer to bomb-grade quality. Enough is enough. Iran needs to understand that its nuclear ambition comes with a very high cost. Iran is in such economic and political turmoil that its government may be more vulnerable to outside pressure. Russia has signaled support for another resolution. If history is any guide, we fear Russia will sharply whittle down the impact. China, eager to buy ever more oil from Iran, is an even bigger obstacle. China needs to understand that ensuring reliable oil supplies would become a lot harder if the Middle East is roiled by a nuclear-armed Iran. The more the Security Council temporizes, compromises and weakens these resolutions, the more defiant and ambitious Iran becomes. If the Security Council can't act swiftly, or decisively, the U.S. and its allies will have to come up with their own tough sanctions. They should be making a backup plan right now.
2010-02-10 10:38:12Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive