An interview with Iranian physicist Reza Mansouri indicates that a major reason for the nuclear program in Iran is not militarism as such, but a desire to become scientifically competent, and nuclear science is seen as the peak of science.
Not an idiotic thing to say - as recently as four decades ago, this was the ruling presumption in America, Britain, France and Soviet Russia as well. But it indicates that the motives may not be quite so malign as first thought.
I liked the little comment at the end:
Mansouri predicted that Iran's commitment to education and science could bring it closer to the West in decades to come. But, he said, other Muslim nations, lacking such commitment, may pose a greater challenge for diplomacy.
Stumble It!
Comments
I've never really doubted that science was part of their rational. Nuclear tech is really one of the most obvious things that seperate the big boys from the third world. Still, it is hard to believe that pure science is their only reasoning.
And thinking about it didn't we get past the "nuclear age" several decades ago? Aren't all the cool scientists working on neuroscience and microbiology and nanotechnology and alternative energy and whatever? If I had to label something as the peak of science these days, it won't be nuclear power.
Posted by: Colin | October 17, 2006 1:58 AM
I agree with Colin.
We must also realize that this is one physicist's representation of the issue. Even if from his point of view the motive truly is scientific, it by no means representative of the collective point of view of all the people--politicians and scientists--involved with the program.
Posted by: Jeffrey Seely | October 17, 2006 3:11 AM
True, but it is the opinion of a leading physicist in their program. I think Iran has become something of an Evil Demon in modern discourse, and to be sure there are many aspects of its polity and policy that are atrocious, but in a broader historical context it's not so different from McCarthy's America.
Posted by: John Wilkins | October 17, 2006 3:46 AM
And increasing science efforts this way may conveniently produce a nuclear weapon. This sounds more like an excuse to me.
Nuclear physics is quite a bit distanced from the general public (I have never seen a reactor myself). To improve scientific competency, you'd think that they'd first go for cellphones and computers like China & India did.
Posted by: Koray | October 17, 2006 4:26 AM
Um, newsflash: China and India both got nukes, and before cellphones etc. (Which is not to take a position either way on what Iran's real intentions are -- but at the moment I'm more worried about NK).
Posted by: Steve Watson | October 17, 2006 9:44 AM
"but at the moment I'm more worried about NK"
I'm also concerned about our ally in the coalition of the drill... I mean... willing: Pakistan. Pakistan is unstable, is full of angry drooling fundamentalists, and has bombs.
Posted by: Adam Ierymenko | October 17, 2006 11:56 AM
The Iranians, not without reason, think of themselves as belonging to one of the world's great civilizations; and they have a long national history of being abused by alien peoples--Greek, Arab, Russian, British, and America. They are simply not going to accept second-class status even if they have to pay a price to play in the same league with far larger nations like India, Russia, China, and the U.S. Iran is not comparable to a personal dictatorship like Saddam's Iraq or Kim's North Korea and the sooner the fact is recognized, the sooner America and other Western powers can move towards better relations with Iran.
Posted by: Jim Harrison | October 17, 2006 7:45 PM
A few tips on how to encourage a country to develop nuclear weapons:
1. Invade one or more its neighboring countries.
2. Maintain a large naval presence just beyond its territorial waters.
3. Speak of the country as part of an Axis of Evil.
4. Make thinly veiled military threats.
5. Refuse to open diplomatic ties.
6. Constantly lobby for economic santions.
For more tips and strategies, see U.S. Foreign Policy.
Posted by: Murffy | October 17, 2006 8:52 PM
I was more interested - and alarmed - by this quote:
In other words, you have the prospect of A-bombs in the hands of ayatollahs.
Am I the only one who sees this as something less than Iran moving towards Enlightenment ideals?
Posted by: Ian H Spedding | October 18, 2006 12:13 AM