Re: letters to the editor (The News, Oct. 19) written by Mark Stilwell and Derrick Grimmer.
Irrespective of whether or not Israel possesses nuclear weapons, it’s simply absurd to equate democratic Israel with the terror-supporting, Holocaust-denying theocratic Iranian regime.
Israel has never tested, used or threatened the use of nuclear weapons, has called for the creation of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East and has stated many times that it will not be the first state to introduce nuclear weapons into the region.
Iran’s destructive pursuit of nuclear weapons and its deplorable human-rights record have rightfully made this country an outcast in the international community.
Furthermore, Iran’s leadership continues to incite genocide in its calls for Israel’s annihilation, with President Ahmadinejad declaring this past week that “the very existence of the Zionist regime is an insult to humanity.”
As well, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei proclaimed that Israel would “disappear from the geographical landscape.”
Not to be outdone, Iran’s Foreign Minister recently described Israel as “a malignant tumor.”
Letter writers Stilwell and Grimmer were quick to come to the defence of the “Mad Mullahs,” implying there is no evidence that Iran is producing nuclear weapons.
However, the UN atomic agency has received new and significant intelligence that Iran has moved further toward the ability to build a nuclear weapon.
Furthermore, confidential intelligence documents that the Times of London obtained showed that Iran is testing a final key component of a nuclear bomb, a neutron initiator which is the trigger of its planned doomsday weapon.
Independent experts have confirmed that the initiator has no possible civilian or military use other than in a nuclear weapon.
The state of Iran represents a genuine threat not only to Israel, but to the entire world.
It’s time these gentlemen faced this stark reality.
Mike Fegelman
Toronto