I don't think so many libs who defend Iran (!!!) even wonder if Iranians are being seen as customers for “peaceful nuclear electrity.” Iran is building one or more reactors, but is it building transmission lines, too? Oops.

Mumfaz, mumfaz! (+ Osama bin charmuta) You should try to reach Francona at francona.com.

He may outrage the idiots, but he has smartly defused the drilling issue by claiming a measure of sanity. Now he can Move On [tm].

There is arrogance and conceit as well as perpetual naivete' among the young.

That's the essence of what has been happening in Iran since the inception of its “peaceful” nuclear program.

It probably is possible to unearth somewhere a comment by an Iranian similar to what was made by Hussein in the 1970s about how a nuclear weapons program won't be initiated simply as such, but will be disguised as a peaceful civilian nuclear power program. There was no need to find such a quote by Hussein before Israel bombed Osiraq and there is no need to be deliberately stupid or anti-US-and-West here in the US and the rest of the West and claim with a straight face that the iranians, caught several times at diversion, concealment, and other game-playing with the rest of the world, are not seeking a nuclear weapon, much less are “victims” of the “aggressive, evil” US and West as the Chomsky scum-crowd would claim predictably.

Seems to be you have been completely and totally be-clowned, but reacted like most Liberals after a good be-clowning, not seeming to have the faculties to perceive what an ass they just made of themselves.

Jazz merely characterized my arguments without attempting to refute them, and the rest of the pilot fish are simply miffed that they got found out.

The combination of ignorance & arrogance on the “liberal” energy front about fossil fuels is so overwhelming, I do admit to succumbing to Swiftian saeva indignatio in response. However, look to yourselves for arrogance & ignorance before accusing me of being some sort of beast of burden. Your orificial spew simply doesn't address any of my substantive points, which are that Iran is developing the bomb for regional dominance—problem being that said dominance would be over oil exports from the Gulf. Iran's “obsession” with Israel might not be as important to Iran as lording it over their Sunni rivals in the Gulf. Try to address that, Jazz, and realize that Iran has more hydrocarbons than any country in the region except Saudi Arabia, when both oil & gas are factored in. Enough for the rest of the twenty-first century between those two countries and their small neighbors—when both gas & oil reserves are toted up.

Have y'all noticed that Obama has just called for offshore drilling, demonstrating that at least he understands a little about REAL energy needs, unlike the liberals on this thread.

Language and communication are two different things Dave.

It's hard to listen to someone who comes across as a condescending ass, what ever language they speak.

How about a little moderation in your voice?

With due deference to daveinboca's expertise and experience, sometimes a surplus of knowledge in one area (a tree) can lead to losing sight of a broader perspective (the forest). To the degree that it inspires an arrogant faith in one's own conlusions, it blinds to other sources of knowledge and other conclusions.

My own strong position is: I don't know.
They manage to keep their secrets very well, something more difficult to do in Western democracies, and that's their trump card in this game of 'chicken'.

I won't get into “daveinboca's” comments which are fairly offensive without being productive and are in denial of the fact that fossil fuels are non-renewable, but I will ask why he felt the need to put “Jazz” in quotes. It's a nickname, but I'm not anonymous. I get mail under that name, it's on my office door and the front of my house. You don't care for my name? Suit yourself. You may now call me Bob or Joe or whatever.

First of all, the Iranians are fully aware that they are sitting on a sea of oil. They would also have to be unimaginably stupid to not know that the sea of oil is eventually going to run out, and it will almost certainly happen during the first half of this century

As pointed out in the link I posted they could forestall this by making capital improvements in their oil and gas production facilities significantly more quickly and at a significantly lower cost.

Are you suggesting that Iran intends to become an exporter of nuclear-produced electricity? Who would their customers be?

Are you suggesting they'd become an exporter of nuclear technology? If that's what you're suggesting you're not assuaging my concerns.

Although your silly post doesn't deserve a response, I will condescend to off My Qualifications:

I am a retired FSO who speaks Arabic at a 3+ level & reads it at a 4 level. [I assume from the content of your hysterical comment that you don't understand the State Dept's language testing system, as well as any rules of civil discourse].
I studied Arabic at FSI in Beirut & I worked three years in the Gulf as Political Military Officer in the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia. While performing my reporting tasks, I was in frequent communication with USMAAG, the military advisory group stationed in Tehran. I worked on several “White Papers” on the Middle East in the Dept of State. Subsequently, I was International Editor of The Oil Daily and then Political Risk Analyst for Amoco Corporation & BP. Subsequently, I was on the Board of Directors of The Middle East Journal for three years & there got to know Richard Helms, the former Ambassador to Iran. I was a scholar-in-residence at The Middle East Institute in Washington for a year. [of course, I don't expect you know or understand the status of either the publication or the institution. As a hint, the MEI was affiliated with Johns Hopkins SAIS, if you even know what SAIS is.]
After moving to Florida, I taught at Florida International University for a year & recently gave a talk on Iran in Coral Gables to about two hundred people which was hosted by the U. of Miami.

Of course, I neglected to point out that “Jazz's” description of Rafsanjani as a “farmer” overlooked the fact that his family is the largest grower & exporter of pistachios in Iran & is worth close to a billion dollars through that “farm product” & other business connections. I consult often with John Limbert, who has a PhD in Iranian studies from Harvard and was my colleague in the Foreign Service & a hostage for 444 days under the disastrous presidency of James Earl Carter.

The fact that Iran has the fifth largest petroleum reserves of proven recoverable crude oii in the world & the second largest natural gas reserves can be looked up in Oil & Gas Journal or any other reputable publication [Oh yeah, I once worked for Petroleum Intelligence Weekly after my Oil Daily stint, if you even are familiar with any oil publications.]

Methinks the “insufferable” shoe is on your foot. Furthermore, I find that the “liberal” & “progressive” part of the blogosphere rarely has a clue on either energy or Middle East policy issues.

“being an insufferable ass only denigrates your position” is obviously a projection of your own inadequacies on the subject. Pls offer your own qualifications or apologize & admit you are ignorant.

“W'Allah yikhrib beitak, ya himaar!

The long and the short is that Iran's explanations for their development program are either mistaken, irrational, or deliberately misleading which isn't a a very cheery selection.

Note BTW that I oppose military action against Iran. I am emphatically not a warmonger having opposed both the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. That doesn't mean that I think that Iran's intentions are benign.

“Iran is building the Bomb for reasons of regional hegemony & control over Gulf oil exports by fear & extortion once they obtain a nuke. It's just that simple. Go & join Newshoggers, Jazz, and drink that Iranian Kool-Aid at full strength.”

and you know this…how? Are you UNESCO or NRC or somesuch? Or did you suck at the vitriolic teat of college dropouts like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbo?
Please, offer qualifications before you launch another attack from the Rat's Mouth. You have every right to disagree with a post/ blog, but being an insufferable ass only denigrates your position.

The question isn't whether they are/aren't developing nuclear technology, or “nukular” if you prefer, it's to what end. Nuclear power and nuclear weapons are two divergent paths.

Jazz doesn't know much about energy if he doesn't mention that, unless, of course, it is just another silly agitprop piece.

You might have mentioned that Rafsanjani controls the “Council of Guardians” & is positioning himself to succeed Ahmedinejad as President in the elections next spring. That would be political analysis, another Jazz shortcoming.

Iran is building the Bomb for reasons of regional hegemony & control over Gulf oil exports by fear & extortion once they obtain a nuke. It's just that simple. Go & join Newshoggers, Jazz, and drink that Iranian Kool-Aid at full strength.