Friday, June 06, 2008

Iran’s Eastern Flank

We’re used to thinking about Iran and its nuclear program in terms of its threat to destroy Israel, its infiltration and subversion of Iraq, its relations across the Arabian Persian Gulf with its Sunni neighbors, and its collusion with Russia.

But let’s not neglect the eastern flank of Iran. Just a brief jump over Pakistan brings us to country with a strong interest in containing the nuclear ambitions of aggressive jihadist states.

Here’s the story from AKI :

Seizure of nuclear material sends clear message, says report

India sent a clear message to the world when it seized 1,150 kilogrammes of nuclear grade graphite in Mumbai that was destined for Iran, according to an Indian media report.

The report, published in an Indian newspaper, said the material originated from a third country and India was being used as a transit point.

“India has demonstrated beyond all doubt where it stands in respect of Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapon capabilities,” the report said.

Iranian flag with the H-bomb

However, it said India was unable to support the US, UK, France and Germany in coercing Iran, without demonstrating that they had done everything possible to stop proliferation of materials and technologies from their own countries to Iran.

This is one of the puzzling and maddening aspects of the Iranian nuclear problem: Iran is being aided and abetted by Western European countries, most of whose major cities lie within range of Iran’s soon-to-be-nuclear-tipped missiles.

The article continues:
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The Indian report said the Iranian enrichment programme was developed with the initial support of Pakistani nuclear scientist AQ Khan and assistance from Western European contractors, who provided the base for Khan’s network and previously for Iraq and South Africa during apartheid.

“Surely Iran cannot sustain its uranium enrichment programme without continuing support from the European industry,” the report said.

It said so far there had been no transparency in the past and present proliferation of Western European firms or action undertaken by states concerned to stop that proliferation.

“Such transparency will be a major step in slowing down and halting Iranian and other proliferation,” the report said.

Considering the extravagant and opaque corruption of the European Union, expecting transparency in its member states’ dealings with Iran is a fool’s game.

The press report said India already had two nuclear neighbours, one of which constantly asserts that its weapons are India-specific.

The most effective way of halting Iranian nuclear weapon proliferation is tightening controls over European nuclear industries, while enlisting the support and cooperation of Russia and China.

Relying on the help of Russia is just as foolish, and China has no vested interest in helping India. Containing Iran will require some strategic retooling, both for India and the United States.


Hat tip: C. Cantoni.

5 comments:

Snake Oil Baron said...

"India sent a clear message to the world when it seized 1,150 kilogrammes of nuclear grade graphite in Mumbai that was destined for Iran, according to an Indian media report."

Is there anyone who could tell me the significance of "nuclear grade graphite"? Is it one of those "duel use" substances that can be used for peaceful nuclear energy research as well as weapon's technology? I don't believe that Iran has entirely or even mostly peaceful intentions for its nuclear program but even if it had no intention at all of creating civilian nuclear energy it would still be likely to make attempts to look like it was trying to make a reactor.

Is this part of the show or part of the blow?

blogagog said...

I don't buy this post. How can you say that Pakistan is against nuclear proliferation when they're the main player in the field?

babs said...

I don't doubt for one moment that members of the EU are selling nuclear technology and components to Iran. Germany is the largest trading partner with Iran... Member states of the EU would sell their own grandmothers to Iran if they thought they could make a profit. Hence, the big push in the media to vilify the US and make Iran into a benign victim. Follow the money...
What I find really amazing is the US determination to place a missle defense shield in Europe, at US expense! This literally makes me mad... Protecting a region that continues to trade with the enemy at our expense! Hey, you EU weenies, how about you pay for your own defense shield? You, after all, reap the profits from your trade with Iran, not the US. If you don't want to pay for an anti ballistic defense shield then hey, more power to you... I simply do not understand why the US taxpayer is paying for your defense...

Afonso Henriques said...

"the most effective way of halting Iranian nuclear weapon proliferation is tightening controls over European nuclear industries"

Actually, the most efective way is to prevent the Americans from making regime changes and put fanatical islamic leaders in places like, say, Persia...

That and stop threatening Iran. Let the Russians take care of it! Why on Earth would the Russians tolerate a Nuclear Islam is it weren't for American Imperialism?

Besides, there is a on going dispute to see who will lead the caliphate so the next countries will soon develop, or try to develop Nuclear Weapons:

Pakistan. Already;
Saudi Arabia. Already;
Iran. Very soon;
Turkey. Soon;
Egypt. Soon;
The North Africans. When they feel strong eneough;
Indonesia. Maybe;
Central Asia. Maybe as well.

As I say, the muslims lye immediatley under Russia's belly. Let the Russians take care of it.

Zenster said...

This is one of the puzzling and maddening aspects of the Iranian nuclear problem: Iran is being aided and abetted by Western European countries, most of whose major cities lie within range of Iran’s soon-to-be-nuclear-tipped missiles.

At first blush one certainly might think so. After considering the EU's Eurabian suicide pact such a dichotomy becomes far less contradictory.

Quite likely, India—more than any other nation save the Muslim ones themselves—has suffered the very worst at Islam's hands. It stands to reason that they would most agressively oppose any further Islamic proliferation.

Relying on the help of Russia is just as foolish, and China has no vested interest in helping India.

Much like the West's own treacherous Liberal Left, Russian and China could not possibly conceive of a better grit than Islam to be thrown into America's gears. Why interfere with a leech that is busily bleeding us white? Do Russia and China have any problems with mass immigration from Muslim countries? I rest my case.

SnakeOilBaron: Is there anyone who could tell me the significance of "nuclear grade graphite"?

Remember the Simpsons' "inanimate carbon rod"?

Graphite (a readily available and economic form of semi-crystalline carbon), is used as a moderator for controlling the effect of neutron liberation in most nuclear reactor designs. Interposed between a matrix of radioactive fuel rods, the graphite absorbs released neutron decay, thereby preventing a runaway chain reaction and subsequent meltdown. Reactor "temperature" is controlled by gradually withdrawing the carbon moderators and permitting the nuclear fuel rods to "see" each other, thus exchanging a greater density of decay neutrons and promoting higher reaction rates.

While ordinary pencil "lead" could provide a similar function, its impurities (i.e., wax, binders etc.), reduce how predictably and efficiently that carbon souce would perform. Also, extremely high purity graphite permits the most compact form factor which reduces overall reactor dimensions and permits the closest juxtaposition of its fuel rods. All of this makes for the most reliable and controllable reactor configuration. Something the team at Chernobyl overlooked.

Note: The Chernobyl RBMK-1000 reactor was an altogether different design from most Western-style piles.

Is it one of those "dual use" substances ...

Only if you lust after $1,000 pencils. High purity graphite applications are almost exclusively limited to nuclear reactor use and the thin film lubrication layers of rigid magnetic memory disks. So, no, Iran cannot get off of the nuclear hook in this matter.

babs: Member states of the EU would sell their own grandmothers to Iran if they thought they could make a profit. Hence, the big push in the media to vilify the US and make Iran into a benign victim. Follow the money...

Le Bingo!

Afonso Henriques: Actually, the most efective way is to prevent the Americans from making regime changes and put fanatical islamic leaders in places like, say, Persia...

That and stop threatening Iran. Let the Russians take care of it! Why on Earth would the Russians tolerate a Nuclear Islam if it weren't for American Imperialism?


The stunning depth of suicidal ignorance displayed in the above post entirely justifies why I no longer read your tiresome comments. I do not give a damn what your age or IQ is, you've repeatedly demonstrated such anti-American and Eurocentric inanity that it doesn't even merit further discussion.