Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish everyone a healthy, Happy New Year, on this first day of January, 2007.

Iran may reduce ties with U.N. agency

As briefly reported here, Iran's Parliament voted Wednesday to urge the government to re-examine its ties with the U.N. nuclear agency after a Security Council decision to impose sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear program.

The move signaled that Iran was likely to reduce its cooperation with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. Iranian state radio predicted that once the bill came into effect, "the agency will become an ineffective and weak body."

Four days previously the Security Council voted to impose limited sanctions on Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium -- which can produce material for either nuclear reactors or bombs. Iran says its program is only for generating electricity.

So, because the Iranians aren't cooperating with the IAEA, and the UNSC has voted to impose limited sanctions because of that lack of cooperation, Iran's Parliament voted to urge the government to not cooperate with the IAEA?!?! Huh?

The absurdity of this circular reasoning has me both baffled and amused.