Recentemente nosso presidente Lula se acovardou mais uma vez em dizer para o mundo o que representa a ameaça nuclear do Irã contra Israel. Pragmaticamente, de olho no assento no Conselho de Segurança da ONU, nosso Grande Timoneiro disse que não era prudente "encostar o Irã na parede".
Há outras vozes que pensam o contrário.
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Be Afraid of a Nuclear Iran
Armed with atomic weapons, the regime could turn the world order upside down.
By Rick Santorum
Posted: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
ARTICLE
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Publication Date: February 24, 2010
I don't mean to sound like Bill Nye the Science Guy, but these days we all need to understand a little about uranium.
Natural uranium is made up of two different isotopes: About 99.3 percent of it is uranium-238, and 0.7 percent is uranium-235. Making uranium suitable for nuclear weapons requires enrichment. This dramatically increases the concentration of uranium-235 atoms, which can be split in the process known as fission.
Why is this important for nonscientists to understand? Because up until last week, Iran had claimed that its nuclear program was meant to enrich uranium to a concentration of 3.5 percent uranium-235, which is the level necessary for nuclear power generation. In early February, however, Iran announced it was moving to enrich uranium to the 19.75 percent level required for "medical use purposes."
A few days later, on this month's 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaimed that Iran had become a nuclear state by reaching 19.75 percent enrichment. Former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dore Gold put this in layman's terms when he said Iran's nuclear program is "rounding third and heading for home."
Even the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency announced that Iran appears to be developing "a nuclear payload for a missile."
No kidding?
It gets worse. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last week that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the keeper of the nuclear program, was taking control of the government away from Shiite clerics. One clue: The annual anniversary celebrating the Islamic revolution had been transformed into a display of military force that suffocated any attempt at dissent.
Like Ahmadinejad, the Revolutionary Guards' leaders were handpicked by the radical Shiite clerics, and most are theological hard-liners. Unlike the majority of Iranians and even the mullahs, though, these military leaders are driven to spread terror and provoke conflicts for geopolitical and theological purposes.
While developing their nuclear capabilities, the Revolutionary Guards are also pursuing defensive weapons, mostly S-300 antiaircraft missiles from Russia, to protect their facilities. In spite of recent delays, Moscow has insisted it will deliver five batteries of the weapons to Iran, which would enable it to shoot down aircraft and cruise missiles.
So what would be the consequences of a Revolutionary Guard-controlled, nuclear Iran?
Iran is the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism, supporting terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas with money and weapons. Think dirty bomb.
...
+++++
Be Afraid of a Nuclear Iran
Armed with atomic weapons, the regime could turn the world order upside down.
By Rick Santorum
Posted: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
ARTICLE
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Publication Date: February 24, 2010
I don't mean to sound like Bill Nye the Science Guy, but these days we all need to understand a little about uranium.
Natural uranium is made up of two different isotopes: About 99.3 percent of it is uranium-238, and 0.7 percent is uranium-235. Making uranium suitable for nuclear weapons requires enrichment. This dramatically increases the concentration of uranium-235 atoms, which can be split in the process known as fission.
Why is this important for nonscientists to understand? Because up until last week, Iran had claimed that its nuclear program was meant to enrich uranium to a concentration of 3.5 percent uranium-235, which is the level necessary for nuclear power generation. In early February, however, Iran announced it was moving to enrich uranium to the 19.75 percent level required for "medical use purposes."
A few days later, on this month's 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaimed that Iran had become a nuclear state by reaching 19.75 percent enrichment. Former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dore Gold put this in layman's terms when he said Iran's nuclear program is "rounding third and heading for home."
Even the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency announced that Iran appears to be developing "a nuclear payload for a missile."
No kidding?
It gets worse. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last week that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the keeper of the nuclear program, was taking control of the government away from Shiite clerics. One clue: The annual anniversary celebrating the Islamic revolution had been transformed into a display of military force that suffocated any attempt at dissent.
Like Ahmadinejad, the Revolutionary Guards' leaders were handpicked by the radical Shiite clerics, and most are theological hard-liners. Unlike the majority of Iranians and even the mullahs, though, these military leaders are driven to spread terror and provoke conflicts for geopolitical and theological purposes.
While developing their nuclear capabilities, the Revolutionary Guards are also pursuing defensive weapons, mostly S-300 antiaircraft missiles from Russia, to protect their facilities. In spite of recent delays, Moscow has insisted it will deliver five batteries of the weapons to Iran, which would enable it to shoot down aircraft and cruise missiles.
So what would be the consequences of a Revolutionary Guard-controlled, nuclear Iran?
Iran is the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism, supporting terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas with money and weapons. Think dirty bomb.
...
Read more here/Leia mais aqui: Ethics and Public Policy Center
Rick Santorum is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and former U.S. Senator (R-PA).
Rick Santorum is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and former U.S. Senator (R-PA).
