by Michael Rubin
The good folks at Germany’s Stop the Bomb campaign alerted me to this latest tidbit, which clearly shows what a double game Berlin now plays vis-à-vis Iran:
Last month, Iran’s Science, Research, and Technology ministry signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch
Dienst (DAAD), the German Academic Exchange Service. When it comes to
its dealings with Iran, DAAD acts with the blessing of Germany’s Foreign
Ministry. The German agreement with Iran comes despite the fact that
Kamran Daneshjoo, the Iranian Minister of Science, Research, and
Technology, is on the European Union sanctions list
because of his alleged involvement in Iranian nuclear warhead design
and work. DAAD’s logic of academic engagement falls short when it fails
to pay attention to the agenda and, in this case, expertise of its
partners. Exchange in the humanities is one thing. Does DAAD really
believe it is wise to provide Iranians pursuing nuclear and sensitive
scientific studies with unprecedented access to German technology and
instruction?
Sanctions against those
involved in Iran’s nuclear program will not alone change the regime’s
mind against the path it is pursuing. The logic of sanctions, however,
is to isolate the regime and to demonstrate a united front. With DAAD’s
latest agreement, however, the German government appears to be signaling
Iran that nothing is beyond the pale, not even dabbling in nuclear
weapons technology. As the Iranian regime doubles down on its genocidal
rhetoric, it is unfortunate that Berlin pursues such an underhanded
policy. It is embarrassing, as well, that the German government has
concluded that the White House policy of leading from behind means that
they need not worry about chastisement for their double-dealing.
Michael Rubin
Source: http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/10/10/germanys-double-dealing-on-iran/#more-807621
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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