Iranian Development

Nuclear development in Iran has always been a source of international turmoil. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of mutually ensured destruction, the United States and NATO publicly declared their opposition to further production of WMD’s worldwide.

                Further advances in technology have led to the nuclear option as a source of efficient clean energy. With such a guise readily available, enforcing a global nuclear embargo is becoming an impossible task.  Countries across the globe have taken this opportunity to develop nuclear programs with “energy” as their final goal. Particularly troubling is the development of Iran’s nuclear energy program.

                Iranian nuclear development has been a source of international turmoil and has evoked stern warnings from western backed Israel. Israel was born into the world with the threat of invasion by her regional neighbors. For the better part of the last fifty years Israel has managed to survive with an American supplied military (and an estimated 200 nuclear warheads). Now threatened by Iranian nuclear weapons Israel has warned Tehran that further development of their nuclear program will be met with swift retribution.  What are most frightening are Israel’s options for war.

                Iran maintains one of the largest militaries in the developed world and Israel cannot hope to win through conventional means. With the United States tied up in current conflicts the Israelis would be forced to use their nuclear arsenal. Western options are further limited; if the Israeli’s move against Iran, immediate American support may be the only option against nuclear war. After the Iraq war though, popular support for such a war seems unlikely.

                Without popular support for yet another eastern war, the western powers strive to keep Israeli action in check. At the same time though, an argument against military action is doubtful at best. American satellites have confirmed that suspected nuclear development facilities have been transported to special mountainside areas impervious to both conventional weaponry and satellite surveillance. The heightened security in the region can only mean weapons development and calls for intervention.

                When questioned the Iranian government maintains that these facilities are used for the development of benign nuclear energy.  If this is indeed true though, why then would Iranian facilities be moved to sites impervious to the deepest bunker buster bombs in use today? Why would UN officials be denied access to the areas in order to confirm energy development?

                The answer is all too obvious. The Iranian government has prepared their facilities for military intervention and despite international warnings will continue weapons development.  How long will Israel stand by before either a global war is ignited or nuclear fallout blankets the region?