Dear Senator Nelson,
Along with forty-four other senators you sent a letter to President Obama dated June 15, 2012 that demanded among other things that Iran suspend nuclear enrichment and shut down the Fordow enrichment facility.
You state that if talks with Iran produce no substantive agreement, that the utility of talks be reevaluated and instead focus on significantly increasing the pressure on the Iranian government through sanctions and making clear that a credible military option exists.
The Iranians are a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT allows Iran to operate enrichment facilities that are subject to inspection that can verify if nuclear weapons are being developed.
As you should know, uranium has to be enriched to at least eighty per cent before it can be used for a nuclear weapon. No one asserts that Iran has enriched uranium to anywhere near this level. In addition, both American and Israeli intelligence services agree that Iran neither has made the decision to build a nuclear weapon nor does it have the current capacity to do so.
You are demanding concessions by Iran that are most assuredly a deal breaker from Iran’s point of view. Bullying Iran with stronger sanctions and the threat of war may well result inIran withdrawing from the NPT and aligning with our potential enemies like China. Worse, threats of war may pressure Iran to develop nuclear weapons in self defense.
Of course we shouldn’t trust the Iranian government, but it is subject to an inspection regime. Let’s continue to negotiate, keep inspections in place and quit bullying Iran with threats of war. Apparently, you have forgotten the lessons of Iraq.
Sincerely,
Gene Jones
President, Florida Veterans for Common Sense Inc.
