Iran Coming Clean?

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By Jon Scott, Fox News Live

June 1, 2007

John Scott: Iran, lying about its nuclear activities for decades, now it says it is ready to come clean. Some U.N. diplomats say it would be a major concession by Tehran. Others worry it is really just a ploy to keep the U.N. from imposing new sanctions. Let’s talk about it with the former Indiana Congressman and member of the 9/11 commission, Tim Roemer. Congressman Roemer, should we take them at their word? Should we give them the benefit of the doubt here if they say they are ready to open up?

Tim Roemer: Well, as you said in your lead John, this is an opportunity for the United States, and it’s probably more stonewalling and hollow promises by the Iranians who have a decade of this practice behind them. It’s an opportunity for the United States.

Look, we have a strong military presence in the Persian Gulf, U.S. and NATO led troops in Afghanistan, and our own forces in Iraq. We have economic sanctions that are tightening down on the Iranians and they are feeling it. Reportedly in the press, we have the President approving some types of non-lethal operations inside Iran.

All this pressure is coming to bear on the Iranians. And at the same time we need to be able to talk to them in the open to get world opinion on our side and expose the Iranians--who I have no confidence in as a regime. Are they going to do anything different from what they’ve done over the past ten years? Probably not, but we have to make sure they put up or shut up.

Scott: Well, they’ve said before that they would be willing to negotiate and they always drag their feet. Is this just another ploy for time?

Roemer: It probably is, they’ve done it before. They probably will do it in the future, but I think it’s an opportunity for the United States to sit down and say to them here’s your past activitiy and actions. Here’s what we are continuing to do using the toolbox of military, economic and intelligence options. We are also going to use our diplomatic options. And we want to expose you guys to the world for what you have done, and what you probably will do in the future.

Either allow the International Atomic Energy Agency in or continue to stonewall as you’ve done in the past. Let’s expose them for who they are and what they are.

Scott: Don’t you think though that’s why they have been lashing out and effectively kidnapping--seizing--so many Iranian-American citizens?

Roemer: I think the president said it well today. They should be unconditionally released. I think every Democrat and Republican feels the same way about this issue. These folks that are held by the Iranians are bridge-builders to the Iranian people. We should continue those efforts--American people to Iranian people-- to build bridges and understanding.

But we should put this regime in the spotlight of world opinion for the kind of stonewalling and hollow promises that they’ve practiced in the past on one of the most important issues before us in the world community, and that is this nuclear proliferation issue. We are going to see a host of countries continue to develop and proliferate nuclear capabilities and the United States needs to put this front and center.

Scott: Former Congressman Tim Roemer, thank you.

Roemer: Thanks John.

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