@@ Bush wants Iranians to have greater 'freedom' by bombing their country, and preventing their country to progress technologically and economically @@

Reuters UK
January 30, 2006

Bush to say wants Iranians to have greater freedom

Washington -- President George W. Bush will offer words of support on Tuesday in his
State of the Union address to Iranians who want greater freedom as U.S. diplomats
push for sanctions over the Islamic republic's nuclear program.

[Iran is a signatory to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty (NPT). Under the treaty,
signatories have the INALIENABLE RIGHT to develop nuclear energy. All they are
required to do is to make reports to the IAEA and keep their facilities open to
inspection. Iran complies with these requirements.
http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/npttreaty.html ]

Bush is walking a tightrope with his Iran policy, denouncing Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for refusing to halt a nuclear program the West suspects is aimed
at developing an atomic weapon, while encouraging freedom in Iran and not alienating
the Iranian people.

"We want the people of Iran to be able to live in a free society", Bush said during a
Cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss his annual State of the Union speech. "So
tomorrow night I am going to talk about this issue and make clear the policy of the
United States".

U.S. officials believe many young Iranians desire an improved relationship with the
United States and are frustrated in their efforts toward reform by hard-line
defenders of clerical rule in Tehran.

"We believe they are great people and they want greater freedoms and the president
has said multiple times that we stand behind them in their quest for freedom. He's
not saying, 'rise up and overthrow', but that we stand behind them in their quest for
greater freedom", said an administration official.

In a CBS News interview, Bush said it was important to speak both to the Iranian
government and the people.

"And in speaking to the people, my message is this: You know, we're not going to tell
you how to live your life, but we would like you to be free. We would like you to be
able to express yourselves in the open, so without fear of reprisal. We want you to
be able to vote and elect", he said.

Foreign ministers were meeting on Monday in London, where U.S. and European diplomats
were pushing tough diplomatic action against Iran over its nuclear program.

Iran is part of a discussion of world hotspots in Bush's speech, which aides said he
will also use to recommit the United States to remain engaged around the world amid a
foreign policy debate on whether Washington should retreat globally.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30290443.htm


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