Mr. Sharon Comes to Washington—and Iran Is on His Mind

Whether there is any way to deter Iran from producing nuclear weapons is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. The U.S. administration has hinted broadly that it might take military action to prevent Iran from joining the nuclear club. The EU is attempting to negotiate Iran away from nuclear ambitions through a generous package of economic benefits, which the struggling nation desperately needs. For the time being, the United States and the EU appear to be working together to try to resolve the situation.

by Cecil E. Maranville

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with U.S. President George W. Bush in mid-April to discuss the ever-pressing issue of Israeli-Palestinian relations, but he had an even more pressing issue on his mind: The progress of Iran's nuclear program. Israel's military secretary, Major General Yaov Galant, showed the American president satellite photos of Iranian nuclear sites and briefed him on the latest Israeli intelligence about Iran's ability to enrich uranium.

Prime Minister Sharon told the press after his private meeting with President Bush that Israel believed Iran was very close to working out the remaining technical difficulties keeping it from its goal. He hinted that Iran could be within months of solving the problems and reaching what Sharon called "the point of no return," that is, the point after which there would be no practical way to stop it from joining the nuclear club.

He declared in an exclusive interview with The New York Post that he would push Washington to place Iran at the top of its "to do list" once the United States is no longer preoccupied with Iraq. Israel, he said, considers Iran its top threat now that Saddam Hussein is gone, but he warned that a nuclear Iran is also a real threat to the greater Middle East and even to Europe.

President Bush believes the same, but the United States is willing, for the time being, to take a back seat to diplomatic efforts by what's being called the EU3—Britain, France and Germany. Perhaps the Bush administration sees this as a good way to mend diplomatic fences that were flattened in its taking the lead in the Iraq action.

On his recent European trip, the president discussed a common strategy toward the Iranian problem with EU leaders. America is happy to have Europe take the lead this time, using its better standing with the Islamic government to convince it to stop its nuclear program. The EU3 initially agreed with the United States that the international community must steer Iran away from producing enriched uranium.

Read the full article at www.wnponline.org/wnp/wnp0505/mrsharon.htm

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