NIE Iran Nuclear Report: Bush Press Conference - Part 1/2

President George Bush speaks at a press conference about the findings of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) Report on Iranian Nuclear Capabilities.

NIE Report: Inventing Facts

Many have been quick to characterize yesterday's National Intelligence Estimate report [1] on Iran's nuclear program as a long overdue "Honest Intel" [2] that will suck the air out of warmongers' sails because it clearly states "with high confidence that in fall of 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program".

Forgive this writer for being a spoiler, but haven't report after report issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the many years since repeatedly confirmed non-existence of such nuclear weapons program in Iran?

For those who have not read this latest 9-page NIE report, it begins with five pages of processes, notes, and disclaimers including the following statement printed in bold on page 4:

"This NIE does not assume that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons. Rather, it examines the intelligence to assess Iran's capability and intent (or lack thereof) to acquire nuclear weapons, taking full account of Iran's dual-use uranium fuel cycle and those nuclear activities that are at least partly civil in nature."

Followed by an explanation of the "Estimative Language" used in the report on page 5:

"We use phrases such as judge, assess, and estimate -- and probabilistic terms such as probably and likely—to convey analytical assessments and judgments. Such statements are not facts, proof, or knowledge."

So there you have it -- An analytical assessment not based on any facts, proof, or knowledge which for the time being allays fears of an imminent threat from Iran, but cleverly transforms what was once pure hearsay into an established fact that Iran did at one point have a clandestine nuclear weapons program.

Serious implications and underlying dangers from such a supposition can not be understated since the report confirms Iran has already mastered what Mr. Bush warned the world to stop her from acquiring --" the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon"[3]. Add to that the assertions on page 7 paragraph D that "Iranian entities are continuing to develop a range of technical capabilities that could be applied to produce nuclear weapons if a decision is made to do so" and that leaves the door wide open for administration hawks like Mr. Cheney to abruptly accuse Iran of resurrecting its "nuclear weapons program" much as he did back in 2002, claiming that Saddam Hussein had "resumed his effort to acquire nuclear weapons."[4]

This report will no doubt create an avalanche of commentaries and analysis with different spins from both sides but the following concluding "key judgment" provides a hint to the timing of its release:

"Our assessment that Iran halted the program in 2003 primarily in response to international pressure indicates Tehran's decisions are guided by a cost-benefit approach rather than a rush to a weapon irrespective of the political, economic, and military costs. This, in turn, suggests that some combination of threats of intensified international scrutiny and pressures, along with opportunities for Iran to achieve its security, prestige, and goals for regional influence in other ways, might prompt Tehran to extend the current halt to its nuclear weapons program."

"International scrutiny and pressure" are of course synonyms for more UN sanctions just as the five permanent members of the UNSC plus Germany meet to convince Russia and China to go along with imposing tougher sanctions in order to enforce the status quo of nuclear apartheid by denying Iran its right under the NPT to enrich uranium for peaceful use.

Source - http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/



Russia: Iran never sought nukes

Russia's FM Sergei Lavrov has said there is no proof suggesting that Iran has ever run a program for developing nuclear weapons.

When asked to comment on the recent US National Intelligence Estimate, claiming that Iran suspended its efforts to develop nuclear weapons in 2003, Lavrov said the available data does not allow saying Iran has ever had a nuclear weapons program.

Source - Press TV
http://www.presstv.com/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• nie
• iran
• nuclear
• national
• intelligence
• bush
• press
• conference
• weapon
• holocaust
• israel
• ahmadinejad
• enrichment
• iaea
• npt

[sharifhhh]

why dont US stop enrichment to show iran how the job is done: USA style!

[mingoi313]

LOL! Loved the comment. :D

[111RobinHood]

Just for the record, I am a Christian and I live in Europe. Iran not allowed to have nuclear weapons? Iran is dangerous? Who is to say which State is dangerous? Israel has nuclear capability! And Israel is the most aggresive State in the Middle East. Israel has robbed Palestinians lands and continues to do so, and Palestinians live in abject poverty! Tell me about justice! Palestinians have a right to defend themselves from aggression. Don't judge Iran but judge Israel.

[efoust78]

He said nuclear

[elephunt78]

@Tarateesh Perhaps I read too much, that's a fault I suppose, I concede to your vast historical understanding. Iran has an unmarred record for being a nation founded on human rights (for gays, women, disabled, etc), has no intention of slaughtering the Zionist /Jewish enemy, provides all sorts of avenues for women who seek equality to do so, the Iranian government is a forward thinking, progressive body that prides itself on its secularism and has therefore earned the right to nukes.

[Tarateesh]

@elephunt78 WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. Dude im Iranian, and thats all bullshit, lol. Where the hell are you getting this info from, oh thats right your an Amrican. Most gullible people on Earth. Its either your childhood was messed up or Fox news really screwed your brain?

[elephunt78]

@Tarateesh you're right, he doesn't allow for the throwing of acid in women's faces in the streets, he doesn't execute innocent people on a daily basis, he doesn't spew vile, anti-semitic propaganda from his podium, he basically stands for equality and women's rights and only wants peace in the world. And no, neither George W Bush or his father were dictators, please please please read up on fascism and what it actually means. Please, more for yourself than for me.

[Tarateesh]

@elephunt78 Name me one evil thing that the president of Iran has done to be known as a psycho?

And are you saying that Bush wasn't a dictator? Because if you are, then you're the one who needs to focus.

[elephunt78]

@Tarateesh I'm not dismissing history, and we can talk about the context of the atrocities you mentioned all day, but what I was responding to was a comment about Iran having a right to build nukes. You would really be able to sleep at night knowing that nukes had made it into the hands of a psychopathic, theocratic Iranian dictator? And don't even try responding with something like "Bush was a dictator" or any of that nonsensical garbage, that would just be plain silly. Try and focus.

[Tarateesh]

@elephunt78 Your comment was just plain ignorant. Are you forgetting that the U.S dropped 2 nuclear missiles at Hiroshima and killied millions of innocen people? Are you forgetting that they gave thousand of chemical weapons to Israel which they used against women and children in Palestine and lebanon? Are you forgetting the amount of nuclear weapons the U.S, France, Britain, China, Pakistan and india are making every year? Man i can keep going, but theres no point because you still wont listen.

[elephunt78]

@omgodsword your understanding of the world is quite simplistic. A nuclear bomb in the hands of delusional theocratic tyrrants (ie. Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il) is a threat to the entire world. The USA is not a theocracy and does not use nuclear weapons to "invade" countries like Iran or North Korea. In your view, tyrrants like Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong Il have a right to arm themselves with nuclear weapons? Again, what world are you living in?

[omgodsword]

@elephunt78

because they know if they use a nuclear bomb...iran will get annhilated by america. However - having a nuclear bomb is a DETERRANT to enemy invasions

[elephunt78]

@omgodsword huh? what fluffy white cloud are you living on?