Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

"US intelligence officials, already focused on Iran's potential for building nuclear weapons, are struggling to solve a more immediate mystery: the murky relationship between the new Tehran leadership and the contingent of Al Qaeda leaders residing in the country. Some officials, citing evidence from highly classified satellite feeds and electronic eavesdropping, believe the Iranian regime is playing host to much of Al Qaeda's remaining brain trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to communicate and help plan the terrorist network's operations."

And that aid might likely have been given to demon-spawn al-Zarqawi himself.

In one of the many attempts to link Iraq to Al Qaeda, Colin Powell asserted that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the "missing link" between Iraq and Al Qaeda. However, extensive information obtained from individuals close to al-Zarqawi, showed no links to Iraq, but extensive links to Iran.

To illustrate, 40 al Qaeda members fled from Afghanistan into Iran, and then tried to get to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, U.A.E. and Australia (All of whom are our allies) -- but not Iraq. Also, Al-Zarqawi was in Iran in April 2002, where he plotted terrorist attacks against a Jewish target in Germany.

Heck, according to the Bush administration, Iran is so nasty it warranted consideration, and some say authorization, to use our own nuclear weapons to teach them a lesson (but not about the 'appropriate' use of nuclear weapons of course).

Even when the administration began considering diplomacy, negotiations could NOT have anything to do with Iran nukes.  

ABC World News Tonight reported that on "the same day that the US is essentially calling Iran public enemy number one, US officials are also saying they're willing to accept Iran's offer to talk." However, the White House "stresses these talks would be limited to improvised explosive devices and others involving Iraq. In other words, no direct talks about Iran's nuclear program."

Seems that now, however, the spines of iron have begun to rust. Perhaps it's the corrosive political atmosphere, perhaps it's the soggy poll ratings the Republicans have wrought upon themselves. Either way, their once steely demeanor has been replaced by the conciliatory embarrassment they once endlessly chided.

An Iranian official has since stepped forward,  threatening the US with "harm and pain" for seeking to prevent the development of its nuclear program at the United Nations. They warned that UN sanctions would escalate the ongoing crisis "beyond Europe's control". They also rebutted a U.N. Security Council deadline to suspend uranium enrichment or face possible sanctions by warning that they would begin hiding their nuclear program and transferring their nuclear know-how to other regional countries if the West takes any "harsh measures" against it.

"Military action against Iran will not end our program," [Tehran's top nuclear negotiator] Larijani said at a conference on the energy program. "If you take harsh measures, we will hide this program. If you use the language of force, you should not expect us to act transparently."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice immediately shot back, saying Iran's statements were further isolating it from the international community.
"Iranians can threaten, but they are deepening their own isolation," she said in Athens.

The United States has not threatened military action and has said it is pursuing diplomatic options. But President Bush has said all options, including military force, remain on the table.

[Iran's top nuclear negotiator] Larijani's comments came a day after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boldly predicted the Security Council would not impose sanctions and warned he was thinking about dropping out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

On Tuesday, Larijani said flatly that Iran would not abide by Friday's deadline to suspend enrichment, and would halt all cooperation with the IAEA and pull out of the treaty if sanctions were imposed.

"If you take the first step wrong, the wrong trend will continue. We welcome any logical proposal to resolve the issue. They just need to say why should we suspend," Larijani said.

And regarding the transfer of nuclear technology...

"Iran's nuclear capability is one example of various scientific capabilities in the country. ... The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to transfer the experience, knowledge and technology of its scientists," Khamenei told al-Bashir.

Such a transfer of technology would be legal as long as it is between signatory-states to the nonproliferation treaty, and as long as the IAEA was informed.

And now the administration caves.

Bush gives Iran nuclear technology.

A package of incentives presented Tuesday to Iran includes a provision for the United States to supply Tehran with some nuclear technology if it stops enriching uranium -- a major concession by Washington, diplomats said.

The offer was part of a series of rewards offered to Tehran by European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, according to the diplomats, who were familiar with the proposals and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were disclosing confidential details of the offer.

Some would call it diplomacy and a welcome return to sanity, BUT we simply know the administration far too well to be suckered into that. They don't know what 'diplomacy' is. They believe only in force, and if they are foregoing that force and opting for negotiations, you know something is wrong.

Whether it's Iran's capacity to distribute nuclear technology around the globe, (one of the few leveraging tools in its box), or the knowledge that Iran is perhaps already loaded with nukes, or the frightening prospect of a biblically-proportioned ass-whooping the Republicans are facing in the 2006 and 2008 elections, one thing  is for sure...

... this administration has flinched because they are afraid of something... ...very afraid.