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Iran And Extremism


The Iranian government continues to demonstrate its uncompromising hostility to freedom and stability in the Middle East. Since taking power in 1979, the radical clerical regime has used Iran's resources to fund terrorism and develop weapons of mass destruction.

President George W. Bush says the Iranian regime is responsible for "funding and arming terrorist groups like Hezbollah, which allow them to attack Israel and America by proxy":

"Hezbollah, the source of the current instability in Lebanon, has killed more Americans than any terrorist organization except al-Qaida. . . .It was Hezbollah that was behind the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut that killed two-hundred-forty-one Americans. And Saudi Hezbollah was behind the 1996 bombings of Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed nineteen Americans, an attack conducted by terrorists who we believe were working with Iranian officials."

Iran has rejected a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for it to end its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, which are believed to be related to Iran's covert nuclear weapons program. The U-N Security Council said it would adopt appropriate measures, possibly including sanctions. Mr. Bush says the Iranian regime was given "the opportunity to set their nation on a better course":

"Their choice is increasingly isolating the great Iranian nation from the international community, and denying the Iranian people an opportunity for greater economic prosperity. It's time for Iran's leader to make a different choice. And we've made our choice. We'll continue to work closely with our allies to find a diplomatic solution."

The world's free nations, says Mr. Bush, will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.

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