DAR AL HARB - U.S.A.: "IRAN & NORTH KOREA WILL NOT GIVE UP THEIR NUKE AMBITIONS" SO SAYETH JOHN BOLTON

Former U.S. ambassador says North Korea and Iran will never give up nuclear ambitions

President Bush's former ambassador to the U-N says Iran will never give up its nuclear ambitions. Former U.S. ambassador says North Korea and Iran will never give up nuclear ambitions

President Bush's former ambassador to the U-N says Iran will never give up its nuclear ambitions.

John Bolton spoke to reporters after a speech in New York last night. He says a change in regime is the only way to get Tehran to give up nuclear weapons.

Bolton says military action against Iran would be "unpleasant," but would be better than allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons.

He's also criticizing the US for freeing up 25 million dollars in frozen North Korean assets in efforts to get Pyongyang (pyuhng-yahng) to roll back its nuclear program.

Bolton says the move is a "signal of weakness" that sends a terrible message to Iran and other "would-be proliferators."

Bolton also commented on the crisis in Darfur, saying it's time to contemplate a regime change in Sudan to end the conflict there.


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Bolton: Iran won't give up nuke ambition
By EDITH M. LEDERER

John Bolton gained a reputation for speaking out during his 17 months as U.S. ambassador to the world body. But his remarks Tuesday night were some of his boldest yet, especially concerning Tehran.

"I believe that ultimately the only real prospect of getting Iran to give up nuclear weapons is to change the regime," Bolton told reporters after an off-the-record speech to the Hudson Institute, a nonpartisan policy research organization. How should this be done?

"By the force of the Iranian people themselves," Bolton replied. "But if the alternative is a nuclear Iran, as unpleasant as the use of military force would be, I think the prospect of a nuclear Iran is worse."

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"I think Iran's record is clear that they're never going to give up the pursuit of uranium enrichment," Bolton said, "and I think that there's no disagreement within their leadership that that's the road to nuclear weapons."

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Bolton also criticized the U.S. government for releasing $25 million in frozen North Korean assets held by a Macau bank suspected of helping North Korea launder money from counterfeiting and other illegal activities.

The United States had promised to release the funds as part of international efforts to roll back the communist regime's nuclear weapons program.

"I think it's a signal of weakness," he said. "It's a terrible signal to Iran and other would-be proliferators."

The former ambassador also said it was time to contemplate regime change in Sudan, whose government is accused of inciting a conflict in the country's Darfur region that has killed 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million since 2003.

He said so many elements of Sudan are dissatisfied with the government that there would be a "lot of candidates" for undertaking regime change.

Pertinent Links:

1) Former U.S. ambassador says North Korea and Iran will never give up nuclear ambitions

2) Bolton: Iran won't give up nuke ambition