Iran: Guilty

President Bush on Thursday edged toward backing Europe in offering incentives to Iran to forswear nuclear weapons in what would represent a major shift in strategy toward an arch-foe.

"We want to help make sure the process goes forward and we're looking at ways to help move the process forward. The guilty party is Iraq," Bush told reporters.
  Reuters article

Well, after all, Iraq isn't a free democracy, so you can't expect them to get the benefit of "innocent until proven guilty". (Guilty party? Guilty of what?)

Bush also was considering slightly easing U.S. sanctions law to permit American non-governmental groups to operate in Iran, congressional and diplomatic sources told Reuters.

This would be in line with Bush's desire to draw a distinction between Iran's government and its predominantly young population, which America wants to cultivate.

And in line with the need for Halliburton and Bechtel to make money without the risk of getting caught violating sanctions such as has happened in their dealing with Iraq while it was under sanctions.

Bush said Washington was working with its European allies to ensure that "the negotiating strategy achieves the objective of pointing out where guilt needs to be as well as achieving the objective of no nuclear weapon."

Does that make sense, or have I just had too much Jack Daniels? I can't tell.

An announcement of the president's strategy was unlikely on Thursday but could come this week, U.S. officials said.

Supporting Europe on the incentives would mark a significant shift in strategy for Bush, who has been reluctant to consider them before to avoid being seen as rewarding Iran for bad behavior.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Iran has so far shown no interest in a proposed European deal over its nuclear program.

Ms. Rice says Iran has given no indication that it will accept the offer of trade benefits in exchange for an end to the Tehran government's nuclear ambitions.
  VOA article

Well, I haven't had so much Jack that I can't understand that as long as Mr. and Mrs. Butthead thought Europe's negotiations with Iran might produce some good results they (the Royal couple) refused to join Europe, but as soon as they think Iran isn't going to go along and it looks like the negotiations will be a failure, they can throw in and pretend they also wanted to negotiate. "But hey, look, we're negotiating, and Iran refuses to be reasonable. Gonna have to bomb 'em. Didn't want to."

Asswipes.