The US says that Iran hasn't been running a military nuke program since 2003 thanks to international pressure.
The assessment, a National Intelligence Estimate that represents the consensus view of all 16 American spy agencies, states that Tehran is most likely keeping its options open with respect to building a weapon, but that intelligence agencies "do not know whether it currently intends to develop nuclear weapons."What a load of cobblers!
Bush and vice-president Dick Cheney have been claiming without equivocation that Tehran is bent on achieving a nuclear weapon, with the president warning in October of the risk of a third world war. They were briefed on the national intelligence estimate (NIE) on Wednesday.Apart from the contradiction with previous Estimates and the appearance of a President at odds with his own Intel, this is likely a flock of arse-covering bureaucrats sticking their fingers in the wind and spinning an Estimate to cover their ignorance and save their careers in case of a Democrat President on top of a Democrat Congress. Note that Iran can just buy weapons grade plutonium off the shelf.
We continue to assess with low confidence that Iran probably has imported at least some weapons-usable fissile material, but still judge with moderate-to-high confidence it has not obtained enough for a nuclear weapon. We cannot rule out that Iran has acquired from abroad—or will acquire in the future—a nuclear weapon or enough fissile material for a weapon.The WMD is the regime. Ayatollahs delendi sunt.
P.S.16 spy agencies?!*!?
P.P.S. Powerline: "I assess with moderate to high confidence that the CIA is a joke."
Posted by Mark Adams on December 3, 2007 8:54 PM
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Comments (4)
Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
Posted by Dave Calder | December 3, 2007 10:24 PM
Posted on December 3, 2007 22:24
There is more too this than there appears, that's for certain.
The building of a bomb is trivial as compared to the process of separating U235 from U238 and concentrating the former to weapons grade purity. It boggles the mind to hear the media proclaiming peace in our time because Iran "doesn't have a weapons program".
At very best, Iran has postponed its ambitions. It is however interesting to note how many mid-east dictatorships crapped their pants in 2003...
Posted by Mick Stockinger | December 3, 2007 11:11 PM
Posted on December 3, 2007 23:11
Well, I should concede that the NIE backs Mick's view that Bush will not hit Iran. This mighr be a turning point to a more aggressive policy than at present..I'll post later.
Posted by mark adams | December 4, 2007 11:42 AM
Posted on December 4, 2007 11:42
I love the photo of the memorable Peter Sellers in this role. Make sure to perserve those precious bodily fluids...
Posted by Mick Stockinger | December 4, 2007 11:56 PM
Posted on December 4, 2007 23:56