Israel Matzav

State Department opposes funding cut to IAEA branch that financed Iran's nukes

The Washington Times reports that an arm of the International Atomic Energy Agency financed the development of Iran's nuclear program. But the US State Department opposes cutting funding to that arm fearing that it will 'offend developing states.' Hopenchange run rampant?

American taxpayers helped fund Iran's nuclear program over the past decade, and now the State Department "strongly opposes" diminishing the flow of U.S. money to the international agency that funneled the aid to Iran. The department fears - among other things - that doing so would "anger states in the developing world."

The offending organization is the International Atomic Energy Agency's Department of Technical Cooperation (TC), the mission of which is to help nations develop "peaceful" applications of nuclear technology. The State Department provides about 25 percent of the IAEA program's $80 million annual budget.

From 1997 through 2007, the Government Accountability Office said in a March 31 report, TC provided $55 million in aid to four nations - Iran, Syria, Sudan and Cuba - that the State Department lists as sponsors of terror.

TC assisted Iran's light-water nuclear reactor project at Bushehr. Its secretariat also initially approved assistance for Iran's heavy-water nuclear-reactor project at Arak, but the proposal was aborted later in the face of U.S. objections.

...

After investigating TC, the GAO said it was considering recommending that Congress require the State Department to cut funding to the organization in an amount proportional to the funding TC provides state sponsors of terror, including Iran.

In a written response to GAO, the department adamantly opposed the suggestion. All aid to TC "is fungible," the response said, "therefore, this proposed recommendation would not necessarily stop IAEA TC projects in the targeted countries but instead diminish overall [Technical Cooperation Fund] funding. By targeting the entire TCF, the U.S. will anger states in the developing world."

But don't worry, America. The country is in good hands. What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:01 PM