Indonesia sides with Iran on nuclear program

Iran got a big lift today when Indonesia's president stated that Iran had the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear energy program.

"Indonesia believes that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and all problems related to the Iranian nuclear program can be solved in a good manner and diplomatically by involving many parties in the international community," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said during a press conference.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with Indonesian Presidient Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a Jakarta press conference on May 10. AP photo from Yahoo News.

Iran is a signator of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has stated repeatedly that its nuclear research program is for peaceful purposes and not intended to build weapons.

The U.S. claims that Iran will eventually use any nuclear technology to make nukes. Western defense strategists have long warned about the "Islamic bomb." Supposedly, Muslim countries would be more prepared to use these weapons and to distribute them to other Islamic countries and organizatons.

However, the one lone example that exists in the world today, Pakistan, has not followed through on any of these dire predictions. Pakistan first tested a nuclear device back in 1974. It was deemed able to produce its own weapons grade uranium back in 1985.

Since then, Pakistan has neither nuked anybody, or apparently passed on weapons technology to any other party.