I guess this means we get to see John McCain on the Sunday Gasbag shows singing a few more choruses of Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran.
Can't wait

Does anyone believe anything the United States government has to say about anything?

I don't. And I'm a 54 year old patriot.

Unfortunately, we've all seen how non-proliferation efforts are exploited as a tool to bludgeon regimes that stand in the way of the United States.

I'm opposed to the regime in Tehran, but I no longer trust the U.S. government to act constructively in the Middle East.

It's cried wolf once too often.

This our chance! Now we'll see what BHO is made of.

A couple of points:
1. Under IAEA rules there is no need to disclose nuclear facilities to the IAEA untl nuclear material is about to be introduced so since there appears to have been no attempt to introduce such material what is the big deal. Since the U.S. has used the IAEA for its own political interests and had it act in contradiction of its charter against Iran's interests why shouldn't Iran stick to the rules?
2. "The Iranian facility, ..., has been on American officials' radar for years" - Let's see some evidence. When the "Syrian reactor" was first "discovered", the US IC claimed they had not known about it until they were told by the Israelis. Sometime later, the story changed to the US IC knowing about it for years. BTW, knowing about it "for years" could mean they've known about for just over a year.

Hypocritical. What about the Israeli "secret site"? Technicalities aside, the different treatment of Israel and Iran is hypocritical.

This coordinated revelation of this apparently known-for-sometime 'secret' Iranian facility is just too Ashcrofty. Smells like 3-day old fish.

And by Ashcrofty, I simply mean that it is at least as much molehill as it is a buncha nuke bombs gonna pull the plug on your grandmomma hidden in a mountain.

..."Obama's strategy...is paying...dividends."
Well, of course. A Muslim terrorist with no proof of birth is now chumming around with Dmitrist communists and French fascists and it's working? What kind of dense are you, anyway? It is time for good xtian soldiers to take matters into their own hands and nuke Iran NOW! Then nuke Korea (north? south? nuke 'em all!). Nuke France. And Canada. And the Canary Islands. Especially the Canary Islands. Their canaries are gay!!!

Why are we so interested in Preserving an Israeli nuclear monopoly in the Middle East ?

The Israelis are a Rogue State
They Proliferated nuclear Weapons Technology to South Africa in the 70's
WHY should they determine who does and doesn't get Nuclear Technology ??

American Law forbids Arms aid to nations with nuclear weapons
The Israelis have nuclear weapons
Enforce the law !!

Jw your a 54 year old idiot. The govt is comprised of people and what your saying is exactly the same as saying that you don't believe anything Frenchmen say because a frenchman lied to you befor. Obviously you shouldn't take everything the gets spoonfed to you without a little due diligence.
Your distressed because the govt led to you befor. Well welcome to reality. People lie. That doesn't equate to all people lie all the time.

I'd be willing to bet that Iran has REMAINED within the IAEA guidelines in regards to this nuclear facility.

Once again, some folks foolishly believe that Iranians are stupid and that THIS nuclear facility inside a mountain is THE nuclear facility. How many mountains can you count in Iran ?

Why are we so interested in Preserving an Israeli nuclear monopoly in the Middle East ?

You ever hear of Pakistan?

How lucky we are to have the current government! Is there any doubt that the Bush regime would have started bombing Iran by now? This problem will be handled peacefully without further destruction of the Middle East.

What? You mean that spitting on Old Europe and the Russians was a mistake, and it actually HELPS to have a good international reputation? Who'd have guessed.

Seriously though, the idea that we could bully Russia or France into being our bitches was perhaps just as big a blunder as our invasion in Iraq. The neo-cons will be remembered as much for their tiny wang syndrome as they were for peeing in their pants at the sight of their own shadows.

"That's a significant shift from Russia's previous position, and suggests President Obama's strategy in improving relations with the country is paying valuable dividends."

Agreed. But let us not forget that this "shift" has come at a still unknown cost; the confidence and goodwill of the Polish and Czech governments. They took a gigantic political risk, going against public opinion to satisfy America and we have pulled the rug from underneath them in very clumsy and unnecessarily abrupt manner.

Good on Obama for the change in policy. But it has come at a cost that we may yet regret.

It is difficult to overstate the shameless, ridiculous hypocrisy of the United States and the international community to continue to push for inspections of Iranian nuclear plants without similar pressure on Israel to open their nuclear facilities to the IAEA. The tensions between Israel and Muslims in the middle east can't be understood, much less resolved, without acknowledging the basic fact of Israel's nuclear weapons and their unwillingness to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; the same non-proliferation treaty we accuse Iran of violating. When Obama completely fails to even mention this, it is difficult to believe that he is the least bit serious about resolving the situation. I suppose we could creditably claim that Israel's nuclear capacity is simply an unavowable fact in American domestic politics, but what does that say about Obama's commitment to transparency in government, or repect for the opinions of the people who elected him? In spite of his wonderful oratory and what I perceive as his genuine commitment to making a difference, I can't help but feel downright cynical when he fails to address the most basic relevant factors in this situation. And the fact is, regardless of what is believed by the American public, the Muslim world from Palestine to Pakistan to Iran clearly recognizes this contemptible slap in the face for what it is, and the violence will continue.

What was that about embargoing the importation of gasoline to Iran as a sanction ?

VENEZUELA TO EXPORT GASOLINE TO IRAN

(AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sealed an agreement to export 20,000 barrels per day of gasoline to Iran, state TV reported. The deal would give Tehran a cushion if the West carries out threats of fuel sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.

The two countries signed the agreement during a visit by Chavez, who pledged to deepen ties with Iran and stand together against what he called the imperialist powers of the world.

Western leaders have threatened to impose further sanctions against it should Iran refuse to bend to deadlines for talks aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear activities. One idea that has been touted, though not yet formally proposed, is to cut off exports of gas station-ready fuel to Iran.

IRAN, VENEZUELA TO LAUNCH $1.5B OIL REFINERY IN SYRIA

(RPN) - Iran and Venezuela signed a MoU for a joint venture to construct a $1.5 billion oil refinery in Syria, with the capacity of 140,000 barrels of oil per day, Iran’s Oil Ministry announced this week. “The joint venture in Syria has been on the books since the two countries have improved and strengthened bilateral economic trade activities,” said Mohammad-Ali Talebi, a senior official at Iran’s Petropars Oil and Gas Company.

Talebi said Iran would hold a 26 percent stake in the project, while Venezuela would take 33 percent. “The balance will be shared by Malaysia and Syria on a 15 and 26 percent basis,” he added. According to the agreement, Iran will provide 20 percent of crude oil, Venezuela will supply 30 percent and Syria will supply the balance.

lot about you