February 13, 2005
Radioactive Mullah
Iran surprisingly rejects European demand - giggle, a European demand...
It appears Tehran is rejecting a European demand to stop working on a heavy water reactor. Well, duh.
Here's the thing about a demand - it has to entail actual consequences to be valid. Without consequences, it's not a demand - it's a request, a solicitation, a mere begging. Proof? Now that Iran has flat out refused, what is the consequence? A tersely worded letter?
There was a time when a European power was willing to back up it's demands - or simply knew when to demand, and when not to. As the United States has no formal diplomatic ties with the United States, it's been Europe taking the lead in trying to negotiate a solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Of course, Iran claims it doesn't want a nuclear weapon. The IAEA says there is no evidence of a nuclear weapon or program. Of course, the "evidence" when found will be an actual nuclear weapon, which of course is the horse out of the barn...
Europe seems content to play good cop, and let the United States play bad cop. Europe should make no demands it doesn't feel like backing up. There is an implicit "or else" that accompanies every demand. So, what else? In Europe's case, nothing, and it makes future demands that much easier to dismiss.
A demand without a consequence is like the Cliff Clavin rule - if you aren't carrying a gun, it's not a uniform, it's a costume...
Posted by MEC2 at February 13, 2005 11:04 PM