Robert Gates, Obama’s Secretary of Defense, has confirmed that the administration will continue to reach out to Iran despite the negative signs they see coming from the Islamic Republic. In the meantime, 25 senators have introduced a bill that will impose new sanctions on Iran if it does not halt its nuclear work. The bill will give the president the authority to impose sanctions on companies that supply Iran with fuel. In response, Iran has said that the sanctions would not stop them from continuing their nuclear work. Every round of international sanctions has failed to stop Iran’s nuclear development.

The threat of acquiring nuclear weapons was not enough apparently, because today, just as the Isreali president Shimon Peres, Iranian and Syrian presidents Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bashar Assad met and declared their support for “Palestinian resistance…until all occupied territories are liberated,” which is code for “until Israel ceases to exist.” Ahmadinejad plans to meet with representatives from Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the western world. At a time when most of the international community is calling for an end to violence in Israel and a two-state solution, the Iranian and Syrian governments are encouraging more war and backing terrorist organizations. Are these the type of people that Obama should be trying to make friends with?

Iran recently affirmed that it will take them no more than 11 days to wipe Israel out of existence if there is an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Here’s video

Which means that Iran is holding Israel hostage: either Iran, a nation that openly has called for the destruction of Israel, acquires nuclear weapons or if Israel tries to prevent it militarily, they will destroy Israel anyways.

What’s worse is that, just as Iranian elections near, Obama’s overtures toward Iran may make the Iranian people think that Ahmadinejad’s policies are working and that his threats are finally bringing America to the negotiating table. Talking to Ahmadinejad or reducing pressure on the regime will only give them more time to develop nuclear weapons and make other dictators think that they can take advantage of us.

What we need to do is make the case to the world that a nuclear armed Iran is unacceptable, impose sanctions, build up international pressure, and seriously consider the military option if necessary. If Obama wants a nuclear-free world, then he has get serious about it. Inviting the seemingly unstable Ahmadinejad to a political discussion over tea and biscuits while Iranian nuclear scientists perfect their bomb is not the answer. In this era, when rogue nations are developing nuclear weapons and aiding terrorist groups, we cannot afford a Weak President.

-AG