Iran’s government will build 10 new sites to enrich uranium, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a dramatic expansion of the country’s nuclear program and one that is bound to fuel fears that it is attempting to produce a nuclear weapon.

Thomas Erdbrink, “Iran vows to expand its nuclear program”, The Washington Post, Retrieved December 2, 2009 from [Source]

The Iranian government approved a plan Sunday to build 10 industrial-scale uranium enrichment facilities, a dramatic expansion of the program in defiance of U.N. demands it halt enrichment.

The decision comes only days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency censured Iran over its program and demanded it halt the construction of a newly-revealed enrichment facility.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA says the government ordered the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to begin construction of five uranium enrichment sites that have already been studied and propose five other sites for future construction.

The decision came the same day that Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned world powers not to force Tehran into scaling down its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“If you keep up this ludicrous carrot and stick policy, Iran will make ‘new arrangements’ in its interaction with the Agency.”

-Ali Larijani

The developments come as some Western powers, spearheaded by the U.S., have been pressuring Iran to accept a draft nuclear deal in which Iran’s Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) would be shipped out of the country for further enrichment and returned to Iran to be used in Tehran’s research reactor.

This can cause a major concern in the international sector and threaten the Middle East. Policy must continue to remain firm and strict with Iran as Israel has said they will not allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon.

CS

“US President Barack Obama is to scrap Bush-era plans to deploy a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.”

CNN Associated Press. “Obama scraps Bush-era missile defense for new plan.” Retrieved September 19, 2009 from [Source]

The United States is shelving the Bush-era plans to set up a radar site in the Czech Republic and 10 missile interceptors in Poland to counter the threat of Iran launching long-range ballistic missiles at America’s allies in Europe. President Obama is developing a newer plan that will be suitable for the current threat of Iranian missile capabilities.

As President Obama stated, “The change of gears was based on an updated intelligence assessment about Iran’s ability to hit Europe with missiles.” “The Islamic republic’s “short- and medium-range” missiles pose the most current threat, and this new ballistic missile defense will best address that threat.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates denied that the United States was completely scraping the plan, but changing the plans of the types of missiles that will be based in Poland which should not raise concerns from the Russians. “This new approach provides a better missile defense capability for our forces in Europe, for our European allies and eventually for our homeland than the program I recommended almost three years ago”, said Gates. The United States’ change of plans does not reflect any lesser commitment to European Defense.

The former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said: “This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence. It puts us in a position wherein we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that’s a certain threat.” The Polish deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Kremer, said that Warsaw had heard from different sources there were “serious chances” the anti-missile system would not be deployed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry received confirmations from the United States and said, “In principle, such a development would help the development of our bilateral relations with the United States.” After confirmations, the Foreign Ministry says it will scrap its plans to deploy missiles in Poland.

This move sets the United States and Russia at a less hostile relationship in hopes they can work together to co-operate on Afghanistan and reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.

CS

“North Korean President Kim Jong Il has pardoned two U.S. journalists who were captured in March on charges of illegally entering the border.”

CNN Associated Press. N. Korean Leaders pardons U.S. journalists. Retrieved August 4, 2009 from [Source]

Former President Bill Clinton arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday on a mission to negotiate the release of the two American journalists, who have been held in the reclusive communist nation since March. The two reporters, Lee and Ling were arrested while reporting on the border between North Korea and China and sentenced in June to 12 years in prison on charges of entering the country illegally to conduct a smear campaign.

Clinton’s mission comes as the United States and its allies in the region are trying to push North Korea back into stalled nuclear disarmament talks. North Korea conducted its second nuclear bomb test in May and has conducted several missile tests since then. The United Nations responded by tightening and expanding sanctions against North Korea.

This visit from Clinton could either spark cooperation with the N. Korean state on their urge to build a massive arsenal of nuclear weapons, or could mean a warning that N. Korea needs to stand down and disarm.

Clinton may have held these talks during his journey there, but what may have been said between Clinton and Kim Jon Il will be reported to President Obama.

CS

“Thousands of Chinese troops flooded into this city Wednesday to separate feuding ethnic groups after three days of communal violence left 156 people dead.”                       

            Foreman, William. “Chinese troops flood streets after riots.” Retrieved July 8, 2009 from [Source]

Long convoys of armored cars and green troop trucks with riot police rumbled through Urumqi, a city of 2.3 million people. Other security forces carrying automatic rifles with bayonets formed cordons to defend Muslim neighborhoods from marauding groups of vigilantes with sticks. 

The unrest underscores the volatile ethnic tensions that have accompanied China’s growing economic and political stake in its western frontiers. In terms of China’s domestic economy, it is in a remote place and it does not have a big impact on things generally unless there is some evidence, of which there is none, that the government is in some meaningful way losing control. 

The riot in Urumqi, a city of 2.3 million residents 3,270 km (2,050 miles) west of Beijing, followed a protest against government handling of a June clash between Han Chinese and Uighur factory workers in southern China, where two Uighurs died in Shaoguan. 

Exiled Uighur groups adamantly rejected the Chinese government claim of a plot. They said the riot was an outpouring of pent-up anger over government policies and Han Chinese dominance of economic opportunities. At least 156 people were killed as the Turkic-speaking Uighurs ran amok in the city, beating and stabbing the Han Chinese. The Uighurs allege that trigger-happy security forces gunned down many of the protesters.

These riots could continue on for some time as more Uighur’s get killed and as riots spread in suburban parts of China. The Chinese economy has not yet been affected due to the riots, but could start a massive downturn in the industrial economy as Xinjiang is the doorway to China’s trade and energy ties with central Asia, and is itself rich in gas, minerals and farm produce.

The Uighur people are fairly upset with the large gap economically between the Uighur’s and Han Chinese people.

CS

In a keynote speech during his first trip to Russia as US president, Obama called on Moscow to stop viewing America as an adversary. The assumption that Russia and the US were eternal antagonists was “a 20th-century view” rooted in the past, he said.

Obama delivered a tough, though implicit, critique of Kremlin foreign policy, rejecting the claim it has “privileged interests” in post-Soviet countries. He said the 19th-century doctrine of spheres of influence and “great powers forging competing blocs” was finished.

“In 2009, a great power does not show strength by dominating or demonizing other countries. The days when empires could treat sovereign states as pieces on a chessboard are over,” he said.

He added: “As I said in Cairo, given our interdependence any world order that tries to elevate one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. That is why I have called for a ‘reset’ in relations between the United States and Russia.”

“America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia.”

Obama acknowledged that the US needed to play its part in bringing about a fresh start with Russia “a great power”. And he paid tribute to the achievements of Russian writers and scientists, even managing to quote a line from Pushkin when he told the students: “Inspiration is needed in geometry just as much as in poetry.”

Crucially, though, Obama indicated that Washington would not tolerate another Russian invasion of Georgia. Russia is winding up full-scale military exercises next to the Georgian border amid ominous predictions that a second conflict in the Caucasus could erupt this summer.

On Monday Obama reaffirmed Georgia’s sovereignty; severely undermined by last year’s war and Moscow’s subsequent unilateral recognition of rebel-held Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Today Obama defended “state sovereignty”, describing it as “a cornerstone of international order”.

He also said that Georgia and Ukraine had a right to choose their own foreign policy and leaders, and could join NATO if they wanted. Russia is deeply opposed to Ukraine’s and Georgia’s accession, and wants the White House to rule out their future membership. Today Obama responded by saying that NATO sought collaboration with Russia, not confrontation.

Earlier, Obama had breakfast with Vladimir Putin, the man whom most people regard as Russia’s real ruler. Last week Obama described Putin, Russia’s prime minister, as having “one foot in the past”. Today, however, he talked to him for two and a half hours; longer than planned and an admission of Putin’s continuing importance. The meeting, their first, was “excellent”, Obama said.

During his speech, however, Obama delivered a withering assessment of Putinism. Without mentioning Russia by name, Obama spelled out the US’s commitment to “universal values”. These included the rule of law, the equal administration of justice, and competitive elections – all things missing from Putin’s vertically managed authoritarian state.

Obama also stressed the importance of “independent media in exposing corruption at all levels of business and government”. Russia’s state-controlled TV has largely snubbed Obama’s first trip to Moscow, apparently on Kremlin orders, either failing to mention him at all or relegating him to the lower regions of the news schedule.

On Monday Obama and Russia’s president,Dmitry Medvedev, agreed a framework document that would see both sides cut their nuclear arsenals by up to a third. Today Obama warned again of the dangers of nuclear proliferation, and urged Moscow to join with the US to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and to end North Korea’s nuclear efforts.

He also reaffirmed that the US would only go ahead with its planned missile defense shield in central Europe, opposed by the Kremlin, if there was an Iranian nuclear “threat”. He said neither the US or Russia would benefit from a nuclear arms race in East Asia or the Middle East.

With such nuclear agreements in place, this can eliminate the threat of nuclear deterrence between the two largest nuclear powers in the world. Although, Russia is highly opposed to the missile defense shield the U.S. is developing in the Czech Republic and surrounding Europeans states, tensions will remain.

CS

“North Korea may fire a long-range ballistic missile toward Hawaii in early July as Russia and China urged the regime to return to international disarmament talks on its rogue nuclear program.”

MSNCB Associated Press. “N. Korea May Fire Missile Towards Hawaii.” Retrieved June 22, 2009 from [Source]

Last Thursday, a Japanese newspaper reported that North Korea may faire a long-range ballistic missile towards the state of Hawaii.

The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles, would be launched possibly on July 4^th from the Dongchang-ni site on the north-western coast of the secretive country. Intelligence analysts do not believe the device would be capable of hitting Hawaii’s main islands which are 4,500 miles from North Korea. 

Last week, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ordered additional defenses around Hawaii that consist of ground-based mobile missile systems and a radar system on the island. Together they could shoot an incoming missile in mid air. 

Such a launch by the North Korean government would be a brazen slap in the face of the international community, which punished North Korea with new U.N. sanctions for conducting a second nuclear test back in late May in defiance of the U.N. ban. 

The day before the news broke about North Korea’s plans the U.S. has been tracking a ship since it left a North Korean port last Wednesday and is believed to be headed for Singapore. The USS John McCain, a navy destroyer, will intercept the ship, Kang Nam, as soon as it leaves North Korean waters off the coast of China. The ship is believed to be carrying weapons, missile components or nuclear materials, which is in direct violation of UN Resolution 1874 which put sanctions in place against Pyongyang.

The Kang Nam ship has been caught in the past harboring weapons and shipping them to regional ports. The U.S. is playing a proactive role in strategically monitoring the region to prevent weapons being distributed to other nations. The U.S. has been slightly concerned about the low response of China and Russia, who are the major powers of the region.

This will be the first direct military contact with North Korea since tensions started to heat up recently when the north detonated a nuclear device underground in the region in May. North Korea has also been test firing short range missiles and has threatened to declare war against any country who interferes with their weapons and nuclear development efforts.

In a matter of two weeks, the world may witness a nuclear strike attempt by the North Korean government on the United States, South Korea or Japan. All three nations have been placed on high alert in the region and are monitoring the North around the clock. If the U.S. is threatened by such attacks, the world may also witness a massive attack by the U.S. military; however, the U.S. faces a major decision due to North Korea’s message to wage war if threatened. As the U.S. holds 28,500 troops in South Korea and with the help of the South Korean and Japanese troops, a major war can break out between them and the response by the Chinese and Russians still remain silent.

***

CS

“Heavily armed police prevented several thousand Iranian protesters Saturday from entering Revolution Square — one of the main protest sites in Tehran.” 

CNN Associated Press. “Police block protest site in Tehran, witnesses say.”  Retrieved June 20, 2009 from [Source]

Approximately one mile from the Revolution Square, Iranian police with armor and weapons kept the crowd back by throwing canisters of tear gas at the ground on Saturday.

On Friday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made a statement to the public and stated that the election results were not rigged and the protests must end or there will be a crackdown and that the protest organizers would be held responsible if the demonstrations led to bloodshed. There were two rallies that were scheduled to begin the day after the Ayatollah spoke at the Revolution Square where they were to demonstrate opposition to the presidential election results and expose a cry for freedom. 

Iranian state-run media reported the two rallies were canceled, but that has not been confirmed by the backers of Moussavi, whom is supposed to be leading a major rally at the Revolution Square. More than 200 heavily-armored police officers massed Saturday afternoon to prevent protestors in reaching Freedom Square. Thousands of Iranian people are coming from several sectors of the capitol and still is resisting government orders. 

Several protesters state that this opposition is very ambiguous and several people used the social networking site Twitter as a means of communicating to other family members and friends. As the government prohibits media attention, cameras and pictures, Iranian people are finding alternative ways in sending pictures, communicating and informing the international community about the violence occurring in Iran. The government, in response, has cut off internet connections, phone services and confiscated video cameras to prevent the world from seeing the opposition in Iran. Such attempts are ineffective as millions of Iranian people are finding methods to oppose the government in every aspect.

In the United States, the Republican Party is at odds with President Barack Obama for not initiating or making any statements pertaining to the Iranian crisis. Many argue that the United States should play a role in ensuring Iranian freedom by interfering in their needs and demands. President Obama strongly opposes meddling into Iranian affairs as it has historically backfired on the United States in 1979 as the Shah was overthrown after 26 years or rule, and the taking of the U.S. embassy.

The Iranian people seem to want to continue to demonstrate protests of the Iranian leadership of Ahmadinejad. Officials state that the Ayatollah’s power is not at risk, but if constant bloodshed continues and more lives are killed, it can be probable. So far, the Iranian people want a revote of the general election and demand change for their country.

As these demonstrations have a clueless conclusion, the world remains to watch the end result of the future of Iran that is in the midst of changing. Regardless of what will happen, these demonstrations will enforce Iran to change policies and for people to demand new leadership. Ahmadinejad’s life can be threatened for the remaining four years he has if he chooses to continue with his term, or if the government does not prove otherwise that he lost the election. The United States must only step in if violence heightens and if too many lives are lost. Until then, the U.S. must continue to watch and listen to the Iranian people as they will determine their countries future.

***

CS

“As street protests and voter skepticism rose over Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s election victory, the incumbent leader hailed the vote, saying it was a “great ordeal” but one that pointed “the way to the future.” 

CNN Associated Press. “Ahmadinejad hails election as protests grow. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from [Source]

On Saturday, Iran reported the results of Friday’s election stating that Ahmadinejad won the election against his rival Mir Hossein Moussavi, who was a former reformist of Iran during the 1980s. Poll results showed Ahamdinejad received 62.63 percent of the vote and Moussavi received 33.75 percent of the vote.

During the aftermath of the poll results, protesters who opposed Ahamdinejad cried “foul” as street clashes have erupted. Such reaction and political effectiveness emerged across the world, as countries such as the United States and Canada expressed major concern over claims of voter irregularities. The ongoing street protests have been viewed as remarkable in a country where anti-government sentiment is not looked upon kindly by those in power. In the aftermath of the vote, street protesters and riot police engaged in running battles, with stones thrown, garbage cans set on fire and people shouting “death to the dictatorship.”

“The results announced for the 10th presidential elections are astonishing. People who stood in long lines and knew well who they voted for were utterly surprised by the magicians working at the television and radio broadcasting.”

-Moussavi

What officials have called an unprecedented voter turnout at the polls Friday had been expected to boost Moussavi’s chances of winning the presidency. Despite of Ahamdinejad being blamed for Iran’s economic turmoil over the past four years, still maintains staunch support in rural areas.

The supreme leader ordered a probe of the election results as protesters clash in city streets, destroyed homes and buildings and burned businesses and transportation vehicles in opposition of the flawed results.  Amnesty International criticized Iran Sunday for blocking media and Internet sites. It said on Saturday, access to social networking sites was blocked, as was access to a range of online news services and mass text message alerts in the Moussavi campaign. Many of these outlets carried reports which raised concerns that the conduct of the election was flawed and results had been rigged. During the protests, shots had been fired by Iranian police and one protester had died during the shots.

As the Iranian people have shown, they are in full opposition of the results of this election and can cause a major protest that can threaten to overthrow the Iranian government; much similar to what was seen during the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 and the Tianamen Square protests in 1989. If such election results were found to be rigged, there will be a major upset in the country and a new face to Iranian politics.

***

CS

“North Korea ended the 1953 armistice with South Korea and is facing international censure for this week’s nuclear test, threatened on Wednesday to attack the South after it joined a U.S.-led plan to check vessels suspected of carrying equipment for weapons of mass destruction.”  

Kerskovitz, Jon. N. Korea threatens south, restarts plutonium plant. Retrieved on May 27, 2009 from [Source]

Adding to tension in the region, South Korean media reported that Pyongyang ended their 56-year old truce  since the Korean War and had restarted a plant that makes plutonium that can be used in nuclear bombs.

Russia and surrounding nations are taking precautionary security measures due to their fears of mounting tensions over the test could escalate to war. The Russians have also called the North Korean ambassador and expressed grave concerns over the nuclear test conducted Monday. Both Moscow and Washington said they hoped Pyongyang would return to the six-party talks aimed at ending its nuclear program.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed U.S. commitments to allies Japan and South Korea, said North Korea was behaving in a “provocative and belligerent manner” toward its neighbors, and that there were consequences to such behavior.

Seoul shares closed lower with traders saying the latest rumblings underscored the risks for investors stemming from troubles along the Cold War’s last frontier. The nuclear test has raised concern about Pyongyang spreading weapons to other countries or groups. Washington has accused it of trying to sell nuclear know-how to Syria and others. The rival Koreas fought two deadly naval clashes in 1999 and 2002 near a disputed maritime border off their west coast and the North has threatened in the past year to strike South Korean vessels in those Yellow Sea waters.

At any rate, the North will seek any opposition from the U.S., Japan and South Korea and could pose a declaration of war. Currently, the United States and South Korea are working together to inspect ships that could be spreading nuclear material to other nations and to other parts of the region for preparation of any strikes. The U.S. has 27,000 active troops at in the Seoul Base in South Korea with an additional 32,000 in Japan, 125 in the Philippines and 95 in Thailand. The U.S. could play a vital role in the active troop movement if a war breaks out between the North and South and can be a major threat to the bases in the region.

A major conflict between North and South Korea could escalate at any moment. With sophisticated U.S., Japanese and S. Korean intelligence, they are able to pick up any signs of threats imposed by the North and this conflict can involve other major nations such as China and Russia to play major roles alongside the United States.

***

CS

“North Korea defied world powers and carried out an underground test Monday of a nuclear bomb that was comparable to those that obliterated Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”  

Lee, Jean. Defying world powers, N. Korea conducts nuke test. Retrieved on May 26, 2009 from [Source]

The incident drew condemnation from Washington to Beijing and set the communist regime up for a showdown with the United Nations. Monday’s atomic test was conducted shortly before 10 a.m. about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of the northern city of Kilju. Two hours later, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency declared that the regime had “successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of measures to bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defense.” The U.S. Geological Survey registered seismic activity in northeastern North Korea at 9:54 a.m. (0054 GMT), which it initially identified as a 4.7-magnitude earthquake.

Pyongyang is believed to have enough plutonium for at least a half-dozen atomic bombs. However, experts say scientists have not yet mastered the miniaturization needed to mount a nuclear device onto a long-range missile.

Today, North Korea test-fired two short-range missiles from a nearby launch pad and intelligence described them as ground-to-air missiles with a range of 80 miles (130 kilometers). Military officials in South Korea stated the launches appeared to be aimed at keeping U.S. and Japanese surveillance planes away from the nuclear test site. North Korea also warned ships to stay away from waters off its western coast this week, a sign it may be gearing up for more missile tests in the future.

The Central News Agency of North Korea criticized the current U.S. administration in following in the footsteps of the previous Bush administration’s reckless policy of militarily stifling North Korea. Russia called the test a “serious blow” to efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and suspended a Russia-North Korean intergovernmental trade and economic commission, apparently in response to the test. The slap on the wrist was a telling indication that Moscow, once a key backer of North Korea, was unhappy with Pyongyang.

***

CS