World War III plans stymied by National Intelligence Estimate

The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran was put together a while ago, but we got the first glance at the declassified version of it, today. The bombshell, excuse the pun, is that despite all the war rhetoric of late, Iran seems to have ended its nuclear weapons program in 2003.

The obvious question this raises is, if this report was known to the White House for months, why did administration officials talk time and time again about the threat of the non-existent weapons program, as reason to keep a military option under consideration?

The answer is domestic politics.

The guys I served with know the military has been worn to the bone, and could not possibly take on a third war front. It's just not possible militarily. The new intelligence estimate makes clear we don't even need to be thinking about military action right now. Let's also not forget that right now we have a very delicate calm among the Shia forces in Iraq, loyal to Iran. An attack on Iran would only fire them back up and put our troops at risk, not to mention gear up Hezbollah north of Israel.

This new report also shows that not only is Iran susceptible to diplomatic channels, but that they were shutting down their program before European sanctions even took effect, so we don't even need to isolate them. We do indeed have time to engage Iran to thwart any danger of them re-starting their nuclear weapons program.

So militarily we can't and shouldn't do it, and for security we don't need to do it. So why are White House cronies trying to figure out how to sell war with Iran?

Maybe because polls show that fear mongering can work, if we don't fight it.

A recent USA Today poll found "46% of those surveyed say military action should be taken either now or if diplomacy fails," while Zogby found, "A majority of likely voters - 52% - would support a U.S. military strike to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, and 53% believe it is likely that the U.S. will be involved in a military strike against Iran before the next presidential election."

Polls like these are all the proof you need to know that the President and his party see a political opening in a crucial election year, the more they can stoke up fears of an Iranian Nuclear threat. And, it's all the more reason why those of us who know the truth spread it far and wide.

Many of you have commented on my posts saying, "Hey, you're preaching to the choir." I know. But groups like VoteVets.org rely on people like you to spread the truth, and I can't remind you of that enough.

So, I urge you again, sign up at our site - www.StopIranWar.com - and tell everyone you know, friend and foe alike, to read this new intelligence estimate, and sign up at our site, as well.

This time, with your vigilance, when it comes to fear mongering from the White House, we will ensure that the truth will prevail.

Follow Jon Soltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonsoltz

Comments

[glesslib]

Well, I certainly know a good way to cut the budget. Let's get rid of the department that puts together the Intelligence Estimate. All we really need is Bush since he has pretty much ignored what the latest report states and gone on with his usual rhetoric. What's the point of doing the research and putting the info out there so that this third rate mind can poo-poo it? Blockhead.

[hellboundtrain]

Remember this! There have been other notoriously infamously deluded, deranged, megalomaniacs on the world stage in recent history that have sent their countries over the edge, without regard to fate of the people. Recall: Idi Amin, Adolph Hitler, Pol Pot, Mussolini, Stalin, etc. The people were apparently powerless to stop them until the whole wicked, sorry mess was played out.

[deminmo]

Bush has apparently been gearing up for war
with Iran since 2002. Since October the Air
Force has been flying training missions from
Guam to Hawaii. We now have a big missle called
Big Blu. We have conventional weapons with
depleted uranium in the tips. The Doctrine for
Joint Nuclear Operations gives Bush the option
of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against an enemy
using "or intending to use WMD." Bush again
referenced WW III in his speach today, and
not giving Iran the "knowlege of how to make
nuclear weapons".
Sounds to me as if the report just confirms
the reasons Bush needs for going to war.

[bobpomeroy]

Look. These are the bad guys. They are bent on using the U.S. to create a private power which will rule the world without being bound by any mere 'laws' or 'constitution'. In our name, with our money, and with the lives of our young people, an unaccountable despotism will rule above any 'government'. Qattar is touting itself with commercials which compare best to Utah touting it's ski resorts. Halliburton has already moved there. A private super military offers it's services to those who can pay the $300,000.00 per annum per soldier. It's the only perceptible rationalization of what the White House is doing.

[Rothgar]

You all did hear the latest on Newsmuck(max) that this NIE about Iran is the product of folks who don't know the truth. LOL
I guess they don't know the truth as defined by Bush and Company. Now Bush is talking about how they've got to keep threatening Iran.
Enjoy the ride, this ain't over yet

[Rosey]

I don't know how much more of the @)@#*_@(# I can take! If only the Democrats would step up and save us from this crap.

[rockymountainhigh]

Seeing these comments has to make me ask which side you people are on. Why has nobody noticed that Iran has always denied that they even had a weapons program? Why is that? does the fact that Iran told the world that they were wanting nuclear technology for power generation only fly with you people? Do you believe them and trust them? How about that warhead blueprints that were "accidentally" mixed in with what they bought from Pakistan? The moment their nuclear program was discovered in 2003, the weapons part of it went underground. To think otherwise is naive at best.

Will someone please tell me what you Neville Chamberlian disciples would have us do with Iran? How do you propose we handle a country who has lied to the world about their program and its intentions?

[stdomsgirl]

Bush is the biggest threat to America. I just realized today that he mis-pronounces nuclear on purpose. With all the Stepford women around him - a teacher or two - he stills says nucular. It came to me today, as I shuddered, when I heard him say nucular yet again, he is poking a stick in MY eye & all others who love words. What a GIT! A dangerous arrogant man.

[FOXYLADY]

WOW, THAT SURE MUST PUT A CRIMP IN B^%$D BUSH'S PLANS!! NO EXCUSE AND CANNOT LIE ABOUT ATTACKING IRAN......­..AAAAHHHH POOR BABY! THANK GOD FOR THAT.........WONDER WHAT "W" WILL COME UP AS AN EXCUSE NEXT???

[willymack]

When has the bush crime cartel NOT lied to us? They've forgotten how to tell the truth since 911, and so, the crime spree continues with the inmates in charge of the booby hatch.

[captbill]

want to know where the cockroach-in-chief is trying to take us?
read: "The end of America" by Naomi Wolf. She draws good parallels between Fascist Germany and what is happening here, now, in the U.S.
I probably just earned this old Viet Nam vet a home in the future gulag for this one--I watched my friends die in Viet Nam based on government lies, and it distresses me that we are once again killing many people because of government lies, and no one seems to be willing to impeach the c-r-in chief! We truly deserve the government we are about to get!

[KeysDan]

Under most all circumstances, the NIE would be not only good news toward quenching the neocon fires of war, but also, an opportunity for real diplomacy. However, experience with the Bush administration requires that we analyze the release of the document with incredulity. Earlier signs of change in the demonization of Iran seeped out through military disclaimers on Iran's involvement in the Iraq war. So what is really going on? Yesterday, Hadley, and today, Bush himself, tried their turns at spinning reasons for the false alarms as well as the four-year lag period. The mix of excuses were so lame, that even they could do better if they so wanted. Maybe beating the war drums has resulted in the price of oil being too high in an election year--certainly the increased revenues have helped Iran get around sanctions. Also, Russia is a real big benefactor of increased oil prices. Moreover,the World War III talk apparently had to be put on hold for a while--everyone was afraid to go to the malls.

[calibpatriot]

"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."

Bush is giving us the same old lies that he gave us to take our country into the Iraq war. No body has yet found those WPMs that he said were a threat to all of us. Now he's trying to use the same spin regarding Iran's supposed "atomic threat".

Except there's one big problem this time. That stupid neocon has lost credibility both here and around the world. This time, after the moslem world unites as it hasn't since the crusades of the middle ages, our country will suffer devasting losses. This would be a war that the U.S. would fight without any "coalition of the willing" allies.

[fdp3]

"why did administration officials talk time and time again about the threat of the non-existent weapons program... "

War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.

fp

[SpaceCadet]

I don't think Bush really intends to attack Iran. I think he's just using the nearly nonexistent threat of Iranian nukes to scare people into voting Republican in the 2008 election. It's the "fear" part of the usual Repub "fear and smear" campaign. The "smear" part will depend on who the Dems nominate, but you can be sure whoever it is, the nominee will surely be smeared as soft on terror no matter what.