Iran hits out at 'dangerous' US

One of the most obvious problems with George Bush's Presidency and his style of governance is that it is so blatantly open to the charge of hypocrisy. He often asks that others adhere to international laws that he, himself, has explicitly rejected.

Well, now he's been called on it. By, of all country's, Iran.

Iran have written to United Nations complaining about US intentions to attack Iranian nuclear sites which, the Iranians remind the UN, are out with of international law.

In the letter to Mr Annan, Iran's ambassador to the UN criticised US President George W Bush, who has refused to rule out even a nuclear strike on Iranian targets.

"These are in obvious contravention of international rules and the principles of the United Nations."

The letter referred specifically to a report in the New Yorker by journalist Seymour Hersh, which suggested US military planners were considering a "bunker-busting" nuclear strike.

Mr Bush has refused to rule out military action, but has repeatedly insisted that the dispute should be resolved diplomatically.

The Iranian letter was delivered at the start of a busy week of diplomacy for the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Mr Bush discussed the Iranian issue during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, officials said.

Along with China, Russia has been reluctant to pressure Tehran into concessions, and is opposed to the suggestion of sanctions or military action.

Foreign policy officials from the US, UK, Russia, China and France are to meet in Paris on Tuesday to discuss how to approach the Iranian issue.

I've always said that Bush has made an error by trying to force this issue through the United Nations, as Iran is well within her rights to enrich uranium under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and Russia and China are not going to agree to any sanctions that the Americans propose.

The problem for Bush, a president who thinks he can make the rules up as he goes along, is that he has now taken this issue to a forum where people play by the rules and care about the rules.

And, by making the kind of threats he has been making, the person who is actually outside of international law at the moment is George W Bush.

He has also threatened to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states and it is said he is planning to develop a new range of bunker busting nuclear weapons. All of which is in direct contravention of the same nuclear non-proliferation treaty that he is currently demanding that Iran comply with.

As things currently stand, Iran are in compliance, George Bush is not.

Enjoy your trip to the UN, Georgie.

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