The Los Angeles Times reports: As U.S. and Israeli officials talk publicly about the prospect of a military strike against Iran’s nuclear program, one fact is often overlooked: U.S. intelligence agencies don’t believe Iran is actively trying to build an atomic bomb.
A highly classified U.S. intelligence assessment circulated to policymakers early last year largely affirms that view, originally made in 2007. Both reports, known as national intelligence estimates, conclude that Tehran halted efforts to develop and build a nuclear warhead in 2003.
The most recent report, which represents the consensus of 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, indicates that Iran is pursuing research that could put it in a position to build a weapon, but that it has not sought to do so.
Although Iran continues to enrich uranium at low levels, U.S. officials say they have not seen evidence that has caused them to significantly revise that judgment. Senior U.S. officials say Israel does not dispute the basic intelligence or analysis.
Perhaps Iran already has the bomb! Perhaps they have acquired multiple bombs! And just perhaps they have the means to deliver them, not towards Europe, though that could also be a possibility, but aimed directly at Israel. Consider also that if Israel launches an attack on Iran, Iran retaliates, as does Hezbollah in Lebanon, the so called Iron Shield wont be able to stop the rain of destruction that will ensue. This may be why the U.S. is taking the stance of not attacking like the Israelis and their choir in the U.S., both inside and outside of government, as well as the MSM have been beating the drums for. Food for thought.
It’s high time Obama stepped up to the plate and put some conditions on that “rock solid” promise to defend Israel’s security. Why the U.S. has to sacrifice its own security for that of Israel is beyond me. That, it seems to me, is evidence that Iran is not dealing with rational actors. As a consequence of Bibi’s holocaust-mongering, we cannot expect Israel to be a rational actor, but there is no reason for the U.S. to cave to Bibi. That way lies madness.
That the MSM is acting as irrationally as Israel makes me — for the very first time — sorry for Obama. He’s struggling to prevail while trapped between two totally insane forces.
By the way, Parsi’s *A Single Roll of the Dice* is indeed worth reading. Neither Iran nor Israel comes off very well in Parsi’s analysis, but it seems clear that Israel is by far the better manipulator. Bibi wasn’t kidding when he implied that he could wrap Washington around his little finger. Read it. It’s available in Kindle.