Sunday, February 21, 2010

New National Intelligence Estimate on Iran Expected

Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in Near East and Central Asia, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that a new national intelligence estimate on Iran’s nuclear program was being developed.

"There is... a new national intelligence estimate being developed by our intelligence community in the United States," he said [AFP, 21 February].

In 2007, the US intelligence community released a surprising national intelligence estimate (NIE) saying Iran had halted its research on developing nuclear weapon capabilities in 2003. The report ended widespread speculations in the media that the US was ready to take military action against Iranian nuclear facilities. Gen. Petraeus did not say if the new NIE would contain references to any ongoing nuclear weapon programs in Iran.

Gen. Petraeus said however that the US is raising the stakes in its bid to halt Iran’s nuclear program by choosing a “pressure track” as opposed to a diplomatic one.

"I think that no one at the end of this time can say that the United States and the rest of the world have not given Iran every opportunity to resolve the issues diplomatically.

"That puts us in a solid foundation now to go on what is termed the pressure track. That's the course on which we are embarked now," Petraeus said.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are we talking about the same intelligence bodies that had the US foreign sec. take a bottle of salt into the UNSC to start a war ??

Then I know exactly what they are going to say,, dont you ??

Nader Uskowi said...

On Iran, they said the opposite in 2007. At that time, many Iran analysts close to Islamic Republic hailed the report as the proof that Iran was not building nuclear weapons. I guess we have to wait to see what the new NIE says.

Anonymous said...

I assure you its a coordinated bedeviling of Iran, the purpose of which is to create tensions, just in case it gets out of hand...

I will collapse,....


Iran has learned , the same tam tam was initiated after Iran nationalized the Oil industry.

We might not agree with their (Irans) liberal and personal freedom records, but in geopilitical politics and long term political settelments,Iran is doing what Iran should have done in the 50.s.. meaning resist until the enemies give up.. even if it takes 3 generations..or even more.

Anonymous said...

Mr Uskowi,

the 2007 report was issued to justify non action, because the US had no resources anymore to take on Iran or better said too little info on how to deal with Iran.

the second purpose was to have issued a pro Iran report to assume its objectivity, so that the 2010 could not be doubted as biased and staged.

Your expectations on the report is evidence enough for the kind of a stage that has been prepared.

I assure you that this report will be very anti Iranian to justify illegal and one sided actions agianst your Motherland Iran.

never, ever trust intelligence communities when they come out to make a report...get ready for a
storm.



God Bless Iran & Iranians

Kemjika said...

this report practically means nothing. Ask yourself, what would change now if it either said iran was still on the nuke path or not? IMO, not much would change really..Admiral Mullen is now saying a military strike won't be decisive. you know what that sounds like? it sounds like the US govt has NO LEVERAGE really against iran. china will work around the sanctions with iran(so will india ) because energy for energy hungry nations is more important than another nuclear weapon in the ME.