Jolly good. Via Holly comes this video at Memri of IAEA director-general Mohamed ElBaradei saying that Iran is able to produce nuclear weapons within six months to one year time. Most of you will remember that progressives often argue that Iran won’t be able to develop nuclear weapons any time soon. Well, ElBaradei -not exactly a hawk to put it mildly – disagrees. And quite strongly so.

Mohamed ElBaradei: “If Iran wants to turn to the production of nuclear weapons, it must leave the NPT, expel the IAEA inspectors, and then it would need at least… Considering the number of centrifuges and the quantity of uranium Iran has…”

Interviewer: “How much time would it need?”

ElBaradei: “It would need at least six months to one year. Therefore, Iran will not be able to reach the point where we would wake up one morning to an Iran with a nuclear weapon.”

Interviewer: “Excuse me, I would like to clarify this for our viewers. If Iran decides today to expel the IAEA from the country, it will need six months…”

ElBaradei: “Or one year, at least…”

Interviewer: “… to produce [nuclear] weapons?”

ElBaradei: “It would need this period to produce a weapon, and to obtain highly-enriched uranium in sufficient quantities for a single nuclear weapon.” [...]

And what does the good man have to say about preventing Iran from developing them? Well, “In my view, a military strike would be the worst thing possible. It would turn the Middle East into a ball of fire.”

Now, what’s so fascinating about ElBaradei is that he seems to be more obsessed with politics than with doing his job. His job is to monitor the nuclear developments of countries, such as Iran, and to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons. That’s what he should be concerned about. Instead, he’s concerned with what countries may do when other countries ignore the UN and develop nuclear weapons regardless of world opinion.

He then said that if the West would attack Iran now, to destroy its nuclear facilities, he would resign because there’s “no need” to attack. No, such an attack would only be defensible at the very last moment meaning… when exactly? Military strikes have to be planned quite carefully. What’s more; it’s not exactly wise to take a lot of risks when it comes to nuclear weapons and extremists. Following ElBaradei’s plans will result in one simple thing: Iran, with nuclear weapons.

No, the time has seemingly come for the West to talk about how to resolve this issue. If we don’t act, Israel undoubtedly will. That will create an even bigger mess. If Iran wants, it can develop WMDs within six months time. Lets say we give them six months more; at that moment they may be able to develop weapons within three months time if they use the time to expand their nuclear facilities / produce more nuclear material in the meantime (instead of immediately producing such a weapon now). Then we have to plan an attack, find good targets, negotiate with the world, and especially with countries in the Middle East…

Shorter story: time is running out.