Israel PM Draws Red Line (Literally) on Mythical Iranian Bomb
As The Guardian recounts from its speech coverage:
The only peaceful way to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb is to place a "clear red line" on uranium enrichment, Netanyahu says. Then he goes on to literally draw a red line on a chart representing enrichment.
"A red line must be drawn ... on Iran's efforts to enrich uranium," he says. "Basically any bomb consists of explosive material and a mechanism to ignite it. ... In the case of Iran's plans, the gunpowder is enriched uranium. The fuse is a nuclear detonator." Netanyahu says it's far more difficult for Iran to enrich uranium than to build the fuse.
"Those uranium plants are visible and they're still vulnerable." In contrast, he says, a detonator could be built in a year, maybe less. He says it could be constructed in a difficult-to-locate workshop.
Netanyahu holds up a chart representing a nuclear bomb.
"This is a bomb," he says. "This is a fuse."
He is explaining where the red line on enriching uranium should be drawn. He says Iran is well into "the second stage" of enrichment. By next summer, they will move on to the final stage, he says. From there it's only a few months, maybe a few weeks, before they get enough enriched uranium for a bomb, he says.
"If these are the facts, where should a red line be drawn?" he asks.
Netanyahu takes out a red marker. "Where should a red line be drawn? he says. "A red line should be drawn right here."
He draws a red line, at the end of the "second stage," at 90% of the necessary enriched uranium for the first bomb.
The only problem, however, is that Netanyahu's claims are betrayed by the facts and, as is always the case, were offered amidst the lingering reality that Israel refuses to acknowledge the existence of its own nuclear arsenal.
As Christian Stork recounts today, in a piece titled "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Iran and the Bomb, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Facts," Netanyahu's claims at the UN, like that of most western media, "are awash in misleading narratives, incomplete histories, and outright fiction about Iran and its nuclear program."
Regarding the most recent US intelligence estimate on Iran's nuclear program, Stork writes:
The 2011 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), a synthesized compilation of data evaluated by America's 17 intelligence agencies, declared that there were no serious revisions to the controversial (for war hawks) 2007 NIE--which stated Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. While the 2011 estimate did include updated progress on Iran's civilian nuclear program, such as an increased number of operative centrifuges, it still could not muster any evidence to indicate the program was being weaponized.
# # #
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
As The Guardian recounts from its speech coverage:
The only peaceful way to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb is to place a "clear red line" on uranium enrichment, Netanyahu says. Then he goes on to literally draw a red line on a chart representing enrichment.
"A red line must be drawn ... on Iran's efforts to enrich uranium," he says. "Basically any bomb consists of explosive material and a mechanism to ignite it. ... In the case of Iran's plans, the gunpowder is enriched uranium. The fuse is a nuclear detonator." Netanyahu says it's far more difficult for Iran to enrich uranium than to build the fuse.
"Those uranium plants are visible and they're still vulnerable." In contrast, he says, a detonator could be built in a year, maybe less. He says it could be constructed in a difficult-to-locate workshop.
Netanyahu holds up a chart representing a nuclear bomb.
"This is a bomb," he says. "This is a fuse."
He is explaining where the red line on enriching uranium should be drawn. He says Iran is well into "the second stage" of enrichment. By next summer, they will move on to the final stage, he says. From there it's only a few months, maybe a few weeks, before they get enough enriched uranium for a bomb, he says.
"If these are the facts, where should a red line be drawn?" he asks.
Netanyahu takes out a red marker. "Where should a red line be drawn? he says. "A red line should be drawn right here."
He draws a red line, at the end of the "second stage," at 90% of the necessary enriched uranium for the first bomb.
The only problem, however, is that Netanyahu's claims are betrayed by the facts and, as is always the case, were offered amidst the lingering reality that Israel refuses to acknowledge the existence of its own nuclear arsenal.
As Christian Stork recounts today, in a piece titled "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Iran and the Bomb, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Facts," Netanyahu's claims at the UN, like that of most western media, "are awash in misleading narratives, incomplete histories, and outright fiction about Iran and its nuclear program."
Regarding the most recent US intelligence estimate on Iran's nuclear program, Stork writes:
The 2011 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), a synthesized compilation of data evaluated by America's 17 intelligence agencies, declared that there were no serious revisions to the controversial (for war hawks) 2007 NIE--which stated Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. While the 2011 estimate did include updated progress on Iran's civilian nuclear program, such as an increased number of operative centrifuges, it still could not muster any evidence to indicate the program was being weaponized.
# # #
As The Guardian recounts from its speech coverage:
The only peaceful way to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb is to place a "clear red line" on uranium enrichment, Netanyahu says. Then he goes on to literally draw a red line on a chart representing enrichment.
"A red line must be drawn ... on Iran's efforts to enrich uranium," he says. "Basically any bomb consists of explosive material and a mechanism to ignite it. ... In the case of Iran's plans, the gunpowder is enriched uranium. The fuse is a nuclear detonator." Netanyahu says it's far more difficult for Iran to enrich uranium than to build the fuse.
"Those uranium plants are visible and they're still vulnerable." In contrast, he says, a detonator could be built in a year, maybe less. He says it could be constructed in a difficult-to-locate workshop.
Netanyahu holds up a chart representing a nuclear bomb.
"This is a bomb," he says. "This is a fuse."
He is explaining where the red line on enriching uranium should be drawn. He says Iran is well into "the second stage" of enrichment. By next summer, they will move on to the final stage, he says. From there it's only a few months, maybe a few weeks, before they get enough enriched uranium for a bomb, he says.
"If these are the facts, where should a red line be drawn?" he asks.
Netanyahu takes out a red marker. "Where should a red line be drawn? he says. "A red line should be drawn right here."
He draws a red line, at the end of the "second stage," at 90% of the necessary enriched uranium for the first bomb.
The only problem, however, is that Netanyahu's claims are betrayed by the facts and, as is always the case, were offered amidst the lingering reality that Israel refuses to acknowledge the existence of its own nuclear arsenal.
As Christian Stork recounts today, in a piece titled "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Iran and the Bomb, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Facts," Netanyahu's claims at the UN, like that of most western media, "are awash in misleading narratives, incomplete histories, and outright fiction about Iran and its nuclear program."
Regarding the most recent US intelligence estimate on Iran's nuclear program, Stork writes:
The 2011 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), a synthesized compilation of data evaluated by America's 17 intelligence agencies, declared that there were no serious revisions to the controversial (for war hawks) 2007 NIE--which stated Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. While the 2011 estimate did include updated progress on Iran's civilian nuclear program, such as an increased number of operative centrifuges, it still could not muster any evidence to indicate the program was being weaponized.
# # #