Two Years Away From Nuclear Weapon

could have enough material for a nuclear bomb by 2009. In the last three months, has more than tripled its ability to produce enriched uranium. The increased production is taking place at 's nuclear enrichment plant outside the city of Natanz, in a hardened facility 70 feet underground.

"If they continue at this pace, and they get the centrifuges to work and actually enrich uranium on a distinct basis," said David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security, "then you're looking at them having, potentially having enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon in 2009."

is expanding its enrichment program at a pace much faster than U.S. intelligence experts had predicted. U.S. intelligence had estimated 2015 as the earliest date could develop a weapon.

Few took ian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seriously when he predicted his country would have 3,000 centrifuges installed by this May. Now Mr. Albright is surprised:

"I think we have all been caught off guard. Ahmadinejad said they would have these 3,000 installed by the end of May, and it appears they may actually do it," Albright said.

He shouldn't be. It's well past the time when the world should take at its word. Ahmadinejad has said time and time again that there is nothing anyone can do to stop 's nuclear ambitions.

Thanks in large measure to Russian and Chinese support for , United Nations sanctions and Security Council condemnations have little chance of deterring the Mullahocracy from nuclear ambitions.

's defiance of the world's efforts to thwart the ian Mullahs' nuclear ambitions, coupled with 's stubborn pursuit of its nuclear program leaves us a stark choice. To continue to dither on and accept a nuclear armed or to do something that will actually prevent a nuclear armed .

Senator John McCain sums it up well, "There is only one thing worse than the United States exercising a military option and that is a nuclear-armed ."

After all of Ahmadinejad's Hitler-like comments calling for Israel's destruction, can be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons?

Comments

[Paul Hager]

Stumbled onto your site while doing a routine websearch for an article I had read a couple of days ago. We appear to be simpatico on the Iranian nuke issue.

You might find the series of articles I've written about Iran on my blog, The Hoosier Gadfly (www.paulhager.org/wordpress) of interest. In particular, I'd recommend "Intel chief oversees bureaucratic Type II error" dealing with the absurd 2006 NIE estimate that Iran was 5 to 10 years from a bomb; "Keystone Kops awarded Nobel Peace Prize" discussing the ineptitude of the IAEA and the political nature of the Peace Prize; and, "Preemptive war against Iran" laying out the rational and ethical arguments for preemption.

Since 2003, I've been of the view that Iran would probably have its first nuke sometime this year. The Iranians may not be able to manage it but, if not, 2008 is almost a certainty unless something is done. Time has just about run out to take action.