WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST - AT 7:08 P.M. ET:  Apparently, Iran goes to elaborate lengths to conceal its acquisition of parts for its "peaceful" nuclear program.  Well, of course.  The powering of hair dryers and charging of Blackberries requires secrecy, stealth, and a dose of security.

Canada's National Post, which we should really quote more here, tells the story:

Iran has been running a sophisticated procurement operation in Canada to acquire materials for its nuclear and weapons programs, according to a senior Canadian official.

Canadian customs officers have seized everything from centrifuge parts to programmable logic controllers that were being illicitly shipped to Iran through third countries, George Webb said.

"We have anything to do with a nuclear program going to Iran," Mr. Webb, head of the Canada Border Services Agency's Counter Proliferation Section, told the National Post in an exclusive interview.

The latest seizure in Canada occurred just last week, as Iran was in the spotlight for building a secret uranium enrichment facility that some experts say could be used for the production of nuclear weapons.

Customs officers found a shipment of microchips that Department of National Defence analysts have identified as possible navigational chips.

COMMENT:  Navigational chips, as in missile navigational chips.  Of course, we all know that missiles are needed for peaceful nuclear programs.  I mean, you want to deliver the parts quickly, don't you?

This shows the extent of Iran's international acquisition efforts.  Clearly, jokes aside, this is a weapons program.  Peaceful programs don't require any of this stealthiness.

The National Post story is superbly reported.  Try to read it all.

October 1, 2009