I think the key points to take from this article are: 1. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a rogue state. 2. A rogue state with nuclear weapons poses a grave threat to the international order (an millions up millions of people) 3. The Islamic Republic of Iran is accelerating production of enriched uranium (used in nuclear weapons) 4. The Islamic Republic of Iran is concealing the uranium it has enriched 5. The Islamic Republic of Iran is generally stonewalling IAEA investigations of its nuclear program. 6. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s behaviour places Iran in flagrant violation of its obligations under international law 7. Both decisions to strike and not strike Iran are fraught with peril 8. States have a right and an obligation to protect their citizens from aggression.. The Security Council affirms states’ “inherent” right of self-defense. 9. When threats are imminent, customary international law recognizes a right of anticipatory self-defense 10. Under international law, the right of self-defense encompasses a right to assist others to defend themselves. Israel’s vulnerability to surprise and devastating attack by a nuclear-armed Iran and its terrorist partners permits the United States, to also lawfully use force to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly and openly called for Israel’s destruction, including in international forums.
Although his appeals for the annihilation of another state do not constitute an imminent threat to that state, if he could back up these threats with nuclear weapons, I believe they would do so. The combination of threat and ability to deliver on that threat would hand ALL THREATENED STATES the legal right to anticipatory self-defense. In other words, Iran’s words and actions would hand OTHERS the legal right to attack Iran when and how they see fit.
Having the law on their side does not however make attacking Iran and temporarily destroying its offensive nuclear capability, does not mean this is the wise thing to do. The collateral consequences could be devastating for all of us, as long as we live.
Let’s hope that the Iranian’s will stop their nuclear program and take the noose from around all of our necks before it is too late.
