Danielle Pletka and Michael Rubin write in today's Wall Street Journal about the failure of the International Atomic Energy Agency's director Mohammed ElBaradei to alert the world to Iran's nuclear ambitions:
The IAEA director seems intent on undercutting Security Council diplomacy. Just weeks after President George Bush toured the Middle East to build Arab support for pressure on Tehran, Mr. ElBaradei appeared on Egyptian television on Feb. 5 to urge Arabs in the opposite direction, insisting Iran was cooperating and should not be pressured. And as he grows more and more isolated from Western powers intent on disarming Iran, Mr. ElBaradei has found champions in the developing and Arab world. They cheer his self-imposed mission -- to hamstring U.S. efforts to constrain Iran's program, whether or not the regime is violating its non-proliferation obligations or pursuing nuclear weapons.
In working to undermine sanctions, however, Mr. ElBaradei demeans the purpose of his agency and undercuts its non-proliferation mission. He also makes military action all the more likely.
Read the whole thing. Iran will not be deterred by the IAEA in any event, but candor from the alleged nuclear watchdogs would be welcome as the U.S.and its allies debate whether to stop the mullahs.