Any bets on when the bombs will fall?
 

Why are they inviting war?


Iran approves building 10 enrichment sites

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press Writer – 48 mins ago
TEHRAN, Iran – The Iranian government approved a plan Sunday to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion in defiance of U.N. demands it halt the program.

The decision comes only two days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency censured Iran, demanding it immediately stop building a newly revealed enrichment facility near the holy city of Qom and freeze all uranium enrichment activities.

A Cabinet meeting headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to begin building five uranium enrichment sites that have already been studied and propose five other locations for future construction within two months.

In Vienna, spokeswoman Gillian Tudor said the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency would have no comment. But the announcement is likely to stoke already high tensions between Iran and the West over its controversial nuclear activities.

Iran has one industrial-scale uranium enrichment plant near Natanz, in central Iran. The IAEA said earlier this month that about 8,600 centrifuges had been set up in Natanz, but only about 4,000 were enriching uranium. The facility will eventually house 54,000 centrifuges.

The newly revealed enrichment site, known as Fordo, is a small scale site that will house nearly 3,000 centrifuges.

IRNA said the Cabinet ordered that the 10 new sites have a scale equal to Natanz's.

In the enrichment process, uranium gas is spun in centrifuges to purify it. Enriched to a low degree, the result is fuel for a nuclear reactor — but highly enriched uranium can be used to build a warhead. The United States and its allies accuse Iran of secretly seeking to develop a bomb, a claim denied by Iran, which says it seeks only to generate electricity.

Under Iranian law, Iran's nuclear agency has been tasked with providing 20,000 megawatts of electricity through nuclear power plants during in the next 20 years. IRNA said the country needs to build enrichment facilities to produce nuclear fuel for its future power plants.

Ahmadinejad told the Cabinet that Iran will need to install 500,000 centrifuges throughout the planned enrichment facilities to produce between 250 to 300 tons of fuel annually.

Who says they're inviting war? Who has the balls to attack them?

- Peter.

Business as usual in the middle east.

I believe most folks assume Israel has the means and the Cajones.

Personally, I imagine they will check with Washington DC before letting fly but you never know....

These a difference between "approving" a facility and actually getting it built, so far this is just noise.

Its like the other dozen they already have that they dident have when asked i get it - pull the covers up a little more it must be cold - jz

From the article:

Iran has one industrial-scale uranium enrichment plant near Natanz, in central Iran. The IAEA said earlier this month that about 8,600 centrifuges had been set up in Natanz, but only about 4,000 were enriching uranium. The facility will eventually house 54,000 centrifuges.

The newly revealed enrichment site, known as Fordo, is a small scale site that will house nearly 3,000 centrifuges.

IRNA said the Cabinet ordered that the 10 new sites have a scale equal to Natanz's.

Their assumptions may not be correct. And I'd be willing to say that Washington, at least in it's current iteration, does not have the cajones itself. So the Iranians can safely thumb their noses as the "international community" as much as they like.

- Peter.

I think to underestimate the cojones of our president and act upon it would not be a very good idea.

It might be a misunderestimation.....;)

This is not, and should not be, a unilateral U.S. issue, we all saw how well that worked out the last time.

This will go through the usual UN process and Iran will eventually get some concessions for giving up this project, which is what they really want anyway. This is the same game that north korea has been playing for decades.

and than they had their nuke anyway while carter watched and was willing to talk. but than again the day ronald took over they knew the game was up, unlike Mr carter talking big, and gave back the americans they held like Christmas tree ornaments for years - jz

Yes.

well, while the iranians are religious nutters, they have seen two of their neighbors invaded and occupied. so they are, understandably, a wee bit nervous.

however, all of the players - u.s.a., with history of aggression and use of nuclear weapons, israel, dishonest fascists with history of aggression, and iran, angry, fanatical religious nuts who believe in some glorious world beyond this one - make for a real happy family. of course, then we have china and russia involved with supplying iran.

just be thankful kim-jong il isn't in the mix.

remember. saddam wanted everyone to think he had wmd's. (especially, of course, his own people

There is a lot of truth in what you say.

I'm not sure how swiftly any other dictator will play the "let's pretend we have nukes" card in the future....

My bet? Before 2011
 

As for Israel - they'll do it, and very little Arab opposition will go beyond lip service. Remember, Arabs do NOT like Persians (last time I was in the Mid East they still use those terms.) Will Israel ask the US for permission? They only gave us an "Oh, by the way..." about Syria before the planes got back so I doubt things will be any different.