Iran stupid

Iran Stupid

A call was made today for the Australian Government to make the halting of Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons the number one security issue for 2010.

Julian McGauran, Victorian Liberal Party Senator and member of the Joint House Intelligence and Security Committee said the threat of Iran going nuclear is the gravest threat to international security and Australia can play an important role on this issue.

“We are close allies of the United States, we carry influence in Asia, we are good friends of Israel and a major trading partner of Iran,” Senator McGauran said.

“Australia must join its allies and become more aggressive towards Iran. We must not only be willing to join any further international sanctions imposed but to endorse military action if required.

“Military action is a clear and present option.

“The recently tabled Inquiry by the Treaties Committee on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament found Iran had spent over a decade misleading the international community of its true intentions as well as hiding its progress in obtaining the technology to develop nuclear weapons.
“The Committee found that sanctions had little to no effect upon the recalcitrant government’s desire to obtain nuclear weapons. Moreover the recent exposing of a previously unknown uranium enrichment facility in Iran makes it clear that diplomatic talk or tough sanctions are unlikely to stop Iran’s quest for the bomb.

“President Obama’s visit to Australia in March should be used to express unequivocal support to resolve the Iranian nuclear question before the year is out.

“Just as former Prime Minister, John Howard, was a key supporter of the United States after the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks, Australia must again become a key supporter and urger of the United States when the time comes to act against Iran.

“The real danger of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons is their handing over suitcase style weapons to terrorists groups they support, fund and control in different regions of the world. Israel would be under an unacceptable threat from the Iran sponsored terrorist group Hezbollah.

“Israel would be justified in taking military action to diffuse Iran’s capabilities if the international community fails to stop Iran’s nuclear weapon capacity in the next 12 months.

“Prime Minister Rudd and Foreign Minister Smith must take up this issue aggressively within the international community rather than swaggering around the UN addressing virtually empty assembly halls on far less critical issues.

“Tackling a nuclear Iran is a far greater moral imperative than climate change.
“Prime Minister Rudd must start taking a more public stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions to alert the Australian public of this real threat on the horizon, Senator McGauran said.
Further information: Senator McGauran (02) 6277 3664 or 0409 387 550