Bloomberg is reporting today (9/14/2009) that Iran is obtaining military technology from the U.S. through Malaysian middlemen despite U.S. export control laws that are meant to prevent this type of transfer of dangerous technology.
Where is President Obama on U.S. non-proliferation policy and programs?
President Obama may want everyone to think he is a leader on non-proliferation policy by chairing the upcoming UN Security Council meeting, but when you look further down into the weeds of the issue, it appears the President is actually watering down U.S. efforts to curb the proliferation of nuclear and military technology.
The President may not be able to force other countries to stop exporting dangerous technologies to terror-sponsoring states like Iran, but he does have complete authority to control the type of exports the U.S. ships to terrorist states and other countries that are proliferation risks. The U.S. Department of Commerce has the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) that is the lead agency to prevent U.S. exportation of nuclear and military technology, yet the top three positions at BIS are not filled. According to Congressional sources, the U.S. Senate has not even received nominations from the President for these positions.
From Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security website:
BIS Senior Management Team:
- Daniel O. Hill, Acting Under Secretary for Industry and Security
- Matthew S. Borman, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Administration
- Kevin Delli-Colli, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement
