U.S. Agencies See No Move By Iran To Build A Bomb

New York Times:

WASHINGTON -- Even as the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said in a new report Friday that Iran had accelerated its uranium enrichment program, American intelligence analysts continue to believe that there is no hard evidence that Iran has decided to build a nuclear bomb.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[RomeoMD25]

04:15 PM on 02/27/2012

Claims that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon seems to be the only argument warmongers have to suggest a preemptive strike. Yet, all U.S. intelligence agencies universally agree that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Even if they did, why is that a reason to attack them?

[karim banned]

02:32 AM on 02/27/2012

"In November 2011, the UN General Assembly endorsed an Iran-sponsored resolution on nuclear disarmament which reiterates the urgency for a nuclear-free Middle East and demands that the Israeli regime sign the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). "

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/228852.html

The source of Western hostility toward Iran is not her peaceful nuclear technology, the source of the hostility toward Iran is her demand for nuclear-free Middle East.

Western media has shown Iran as the crazy country who wants to eliminate Israel, while the only thing that Iran wants to eliminate is Israel's 300 nukes by peaceful means.

[zenju2]

08:24 AM on 02/27/2012

"... the only thing that Iran wants to eliminate is Israel's 300 nukes by peaceful means."
After I stopped laughing, I review the over 30 years of unrelentingly hostile comments by the Teheran regime directed against Israel. Somehow I fail to see any agenda of "peaceful means" on Iran's behalf.

[season555]

12:43 PM on 02/27/2012

Why is Israel allowed to have nukes?

Because our politicians are their pet dogs.

[RomeoMD25]

04:15 PM on 02/27/2012

Iran has never attacked the United States, or even any of her interests overseas. In fact, they have not attacked or invaded anyone in at least 270 years. And they haven’t even threatened to harm the U.S. unless of course they are attacked first.

[KIVPossum]

11:13 PM on 02/26/2012

Been a half dozen groups say the same thing. Doesn't seem to matter; appears Israel is going to strick Iran because they want to.

[ThinkCreeps]

10:28 PM on 02/26/2012

To say that there's no evidence of a design program is too bold.

That there is no obvious evidence of a manufacturing program is a plausible statement, but a design program could be much smaller, and have a tiny footprint in terms of purchases and testing, with almost all necessary items having potential dual uses. It need not involve a large number of particularly talented people, since it is known in outline that the problem can be solved and how.

[SiameseTrainer]

01:17 AM on 02/27/2012

The article addressed your concerns when discussing India and Pakistan. Building the bomb is, technologically, the easy part. Enriching the uranium to bomb grade material is the hard part, and the Intelligence Agencies of the US AND Israel both firmly state that there is NO evidence that Iran is pursuing enrichment to that degree. If you are beating the war drum, you are following a differant drummer than fact.

[ThinkCreeps]

01:48 PM on 02/27/2012

A deliverable bomb is not as easy as you suggest. India and Pakistan are very close together in space. A Delhi-Islamabad deterrent can be relatively large and ungainly. Something that is capable of making it securely from Iran to Israel must be substantially smaller and more reliable. The article makes sense in general, but I disagree with that statement. .

There is no chance of a military strike being sensible, all it would do would be to build support for the government in Iran, and excuse further repression.

[RomeoMD25]

04:16 PM on 02/27/2012

ran will not attack the West militarily with a nuclear weapon, or even conventionally, because they know they would be inviting their immediate destruction. Iran is a sophisticated secular society, much like Iraq was before America invaded. In fact, Iran has the third largest Jewish population in the world who live in harmony with Muslims and others.

[legaleyeleft]

10:27 PM on 02/26/2012

Why is this story buried in the World section? I should be front page news. H__P has abandoned its responsibility to the country..

[tallen]

07:31 PM on 02/26/2012

The North Korean debacle all over again.

Intelligence failure cited in Korean crisis
By
The Washington Times

Recent U.S. intelligence analyses of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs were flawed and the lack of clarity on the issue hampered U.S. diplomatic efforts ...

...The officials said there were as many as 10 failures related to intelligence reporting on North Korean missile tests and the suspected nuclear test that harmed administration efforts to deal with the issue.

According to officials familiar with the reports, the failures included judgments that cast doubt about whether North Korea’s nuclear program posed an immediate threat, whether North Korea could produce a militarily useful nuclear bomb, whether North Korea was capable of conducting an underground nuclear test and whether Pyongyang was bluffing by claiming it could carry one out. ...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/oct/12/20061012-124127-8808r/?page=all

[ThinkCreeps]

10:15 PM on 02/26/2012

It's still not clear that North Korea is capable of producing a militarily useful nuclear bomb.

Incidentally, that's the Washington times. You'd be better informed after reading your toilet paper.

[season555]

06:53 PM on 02/26/2012

Israel and WAR PROFITEERS rejoice, there will be a WAR

[zenju2]

08:26 AM on 02/27/2012

I'm Israeli. None of us want war. Perhaps you should speak with your colleagues in the Teheran regime, which has maintained a state of incessant hostility toward Israel since 1979.

[season555]

11:15 AM on 02/27/2012

Because Israel is such a peace loving nation?

[wwoody]

04:58 PM on 02/26/2012

I'm sorry...but I seen this movie before 11 years ago under the Bush administration. We fail to realize one thing, if the Iranian are determine to have a nuclear weapon, there no country on earth that can stop them from having a nuclear weapon. Sanction are no more than a delay tactic, of the inevitable that all. We have also seen when sanction are put in place, the black market take off in all areas...from household goods, to military application. Yet Iran continues to defy the international community ...WHY..because they know they're holding a winning hand, with a trump card. I still recall a fox news reporter asking a Air force General couple years back,...who would win if Israel attack Iran nuclear program, the General said :.." One would be the world largest glass parking lot, and the other would become a footnote in history. The General didn't say which one.” Yes it time for diplomacy.”

[Donatella]

03:28 PM on 02/26/2012

The following is the nonsense that Democratic Senator Mark Udall sends to his constituents while our intelligence agencies confirm that Iran has not started a nuclear weapons program. Buchanan was right, "Congress is Israeli occupied territory".

"When considering the current situation in Iran, my top priority remains keeping the United States and its allies safe. We need to continue monitoring the situation in Iran closely. As you may know, a November 2011 report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) made clear that Iran is in violation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and contradicted Iran's claims that it is only seeking to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Intelligence, I share the IAEA's increasing concerns about Iran's possible nuclear weaponization program."

"Now that a stronger sanctions framework is in place, it is important that these sanctions are enforced - both at the national and international levels. As Iran continues to defy international calls to open its nuclear program to greater scrutiny, we must keep all options on the table, even as we continue working for a diplomatic solution."

Diplomatic solution? Congress is trying to stop the President from any diplomatic initiatives. This is just warmongering while ignoring the only country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons.

[love5pets]

03:25 PM on 02/26/2012

Deja vu all over again.

What was the terminology used defining the attack on Iraq? "Product Roll Out" and Tony Blair was complicit in that entire debacle; the term might have even originated in the UK.

This war drumbeat against Iran eerily reminds me of the months leading up to that shock and awe insanity.

Israel is putting the squeeze on this administraiton because it's an election year, but Obama is no fool like George Bush was.

Can you imagine a Santorum, Gingrich or Romney at the helm?

[wwoody]

05:05 PM on 02/26/2012

I agree with you.

[Richard Pearce banned]

02:47 AM on 02/27/2012

Um, even Bush was too smart to get the US involved in a war with Iran (despite the hype, and the way the number of weapons on hand globally makes things look, going to war with an industrialised, technically advanced country with a representative government is a dangerous proposition, especially if that country has, thanks to geography, a strategic advantage when it comes to controlling a vital resource that will be in wide demand, and short supply, in the event of a wae)

[1reasonedtruth]

03:17 PM on 02/26/2012

Amadinajerk said he is going to make a nuke.
He also said he plans to destroy Israel.
President Doofus goes golfing.

[MarcEdward]

03:55 PM on 02/26/2012

The Iranian President did not say he plans to destroy Israel. More to the point, he doesn't control the military.
Post Comment

[1reasonedtruth]

05:30 PM on 02/26/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hLDjGdJC0Q

[zenju2]

08:27 AM on 02/27/2012

The Teheran theocracy has made no secret of its hostility toward Israel since 1979. There is so much ignorance of this point in these comments.

[sense is not that common]

03:12 AM on 02/27/2012

When the Ayatollah or the supreme council says they are going to make a bomb, then you pay attention. Ahmadinejad is 13th in line as far as power goes in the country. His job basically is to be a loud mouth. He actually has very little power. Maybe a class in geopolitics would help you. Then again, maybe not.

[ussuri]

03:00 PM on 02/26/2012

Americans trust their scientists.

[Nwo2012]

01:00 PM on 02/26/2012

Iran has offered to make the Middle East a nuclear free region.

israel has refused the offer and prefers a israeli monopoly on nuclear technology to nothing

[ussuri]

02:44 PM on 02/26/2012

and US supports whom?

[MarcEdward]

12:04 PM on 02/26/2012

Tell ya'll what - Israel, Saudi Arabia and some morons in our congress are all wanting war with Iran because "Iran is about to have the bomb" - so how about this - starting an unprovoked war is a war crime punishable by death, so whichever countries attack Iran - if there is no a-bomb there, commit suicide. You want to make this bet, put your life on the table, if you're wrong, lose it. If you are willing to kill other people over your judgement, be willing to die if you're wrong.

[riverhouse]

11:12 AM on 02/26/2012

If Israel pushes the US Congress into war with Iran, Americans should take to the streets en masse. Any Member of Congress who votes to take the US to war against Iran should be charged with treason for acting against the best interests of our nation and performing as an agent of a foreign nation. We need to remove Israel from our welfare rolls. They demand more and more and give back nothing but millions of enemies who hate us because of Israel's actions. We've done enough for Israel. They need to stand on their own two feet and take their own risks. Americans are tired of paying their way through the chaos they constantly create.

[ussuri]

02:49 PM on 02/26/2012

Afghanistan signed defense agreements with Iran.
Karzai admitted to getting "bags of money" from Teheran for the palace upkeep...
Pakistan declared loyalty to Afghanistan as expected.
Asia wants Peace & Prosperity.
Yankee go home.

[JessCostello]

01:44 AM on 02/27/2012

Peace and Prosperity? MOST of Asia wants peace and prosperity. Pakistan certainly does not. Afghanistan
doesn't know how to go about peace & prosperity for that matter.

[love5pets]

03:26 PM on 02/26/2012

Hear, hear. Perfectloy stated and F&F.

Good for you.