[Andre]

Originally Posted by RubyTuesday

That could be it, too Andre. Between that and Russia trying to put military bases in Syria things are getting dicey.

In addition to that, check out these stories:

Russia Prepares To Launch Iran's Nuclear Plant

MOSCOW — The Russian state-run company building Iran's first nuclear plant said Monday that preparations for the reactor's launch had entered their final stage.

Atomstroiexport chief Leonid Reznikov said that by year's end the company will take steps that will make the launch of the Bushehr plant "irreversible."

Company spokeswoman Irina Yesipova said the launch date will be determined after talks between Russian and Iranian nuclear officials this month.

Iranian officials have said that Bushehr would be launched this fall.

The International Atomic Energy Agency declined comment.

Nonproliferation expert David Albright, whose Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security tracks countries under nuclear suspicion, suggested that the steps referred to by Russia probably involved the loading of fuel into the reactor.

He said there are no irreversible steps, but taking out after it was loaded would be troublesome because it would require dealing with irradiated fuel and a contaminated reactor core.

Iran is paying Russia more than $1 billion to build the 1,000-megawatt light-water reactor. Construction has been held up by disputes between Tehran and Moscow, publicly described as centering on questions of payment and the schedule for shipping nuclear fuel.

The United States and other Western nations that fear Iran is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons have criticized Russia for building Bushehr.

Washington softened its position after Iran agreed to return spent nuclear fuel to Russia to ensure it does not extract materials that could be used to make weapons. The United States and its Western allies also agreed to drop any reference to Bushehr in sanctions resolutions passed by the U.N. Security Council.

Russia says the plant's contract is in line with all international agreements aimed at preventing nuclear weapons proliferation.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack did not comment directly on the Russian statements but pointed out that the deal between Russia and Iran on Bushehr has long been in place.

"In a sense, it is a kind of model for Iran being able to have civilian nuclear energy without the fuel cycle," he said. "Quite frankly, the international system has at this point decided they can't be trusted."

These steps will make launch simply irreversible.

Take a look at this too:

Bush Cancels Russian Nuclear Deal As Consequence Of Russia-Georgia Conflict

WASHINGTON — In a pointed but mostly symbolic expression of displeasure with Moscow, President Bush on Monday canceled a once-celebrated civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Russia.

Bush had sent the agreement to Congress for approval in May, after a much-heralded signing by the two nations that capped two years of tough negotiations. On Monday, he officially pulled it back, a move announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"We make this decision with regret," said Rice, in a statement read by spokesman Sean McCormack. "Unfortunately, given the current environment, the time is not right for this agreement."

The action combines with a recently announced $1 billion foreign aid package for tiny, West-leaning Georgia and the time Vice President Dick Cheney spent last week railing against Russia in its backyard to form the U.S. administration's punishment of Moscow for its invasion of Georgia. The nuclear deal was highly unlikely to win approval on Capitol Hill this year anyway, but Bush decided to actively withdraw it to make a loud statement.

Moscow, though, might not be much inclined to hear it.

Newly flush with riches from sales of its vast energy resources, Russia appears to feel it no longer has as much need for the potentially billions in revenue the deal would have provided it by allowing Moscow to establish a lucrative business as the center for the import and storage of spent nuclear fuel from American-supplied reactors around the world. The Russian Embassy in Washington said there would be no comment on Bush's action.

The deal's disappearance hampers some important global goals for Bush. It would have given Washington access to state-of-the-art Russian nuclear technology, while helping it address climate change by increasing civilian nuclear energy use worldwide and keeping nuclear material out of terrorists' hands.

"The U.S. non-proliferation goals contained in the agreement remain valid: to provide a sound basis for U.S.-Russian civilian nuclear cooperation, create commercial opportunities and enhance cooperation with Russia on important global non-proliferation issues," said Rice.