Iran halted Nuclear weapons programme 4 years ago.

[Gromit]

"US intelligence report that says Iran halted its nuclear weapons programme four years ago.

The National Intelligence Estimate assessment, which represents the considered judgment of all 16 US spy agencies, plays down Teheran's nuclear ambitions and says that Iran may be eight years away from mastering the technology needed to build a bomb.

It says that Iran froze its nuclear weapons programme after deals signed following a diplomatic drive led by Britain, France and Germany before President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml =/news/2007/12/04/wiran104.xml

Does this leave the US and Israel's propaganda in tatters?

Are air strikes to Iranian Nuclear facilities less likely?

Isn't all this reminiscent of the Iraqi WMDs that never existed either?

[jno]

I posted a link about this last night. I'm not actually sure of its significance (assuming it to be true). It shows the US intelligence services standing up to the White House for a change instead of telling them what they want to hear. But at the same time it may be useful to Bush. He's been talking about going to war again, as if war hadn't already made him desperately unpopular. Now he has an excuse to call it off, which may or may not suit his nature but may make his legacy look a bit less like global bullying. My guess is, no third world war while he remains in office, and I think this is a good thing.

[Gromit]

Where did you post your link?

[jno]

it was in this thread. I've thought about it a bit more now, though, and wondered if it's a way of letting Bush off the hook

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question48 8813.html

[kwicky]

Does it seem obvious to many that the science for making a nuclear bomb is now in the public domain and cannot be withdrawn. Therefore any country in the world would be capable of using this blueprint to manufacture nuclear weapons. What we are talking about is the manufacture of nuclear weapons from Uranium. What if tighter controls were put on this element either for sale or distribution.
Iran may be the spotlight now but who would follow them if only to **** a snoot at the USA. Chavez for instance!

[Goodsoulette]

How exactly do you do that though, kwicky? If you have enough money you can buy it or mine it yourself, or extract it from seawater.

I saws the story, Gromit and immediately thought it sounded like a good let off story.

[geo0939]

I think we should all be very careful (after the Iraq war, especially) when we encounter the oxymoron "US Intelligence".

[stensonlad]

I wonder what would happen if someone said America couldn't have nuclear weapons.

[Gromit]

Not sure the convenient let off theory holds up...

"Mr Bush's demeanour indicated that he had been stunned by the conclusion of US intelligence agencies that Iran's nuclear weapons programme, which he said in October could spark "World War Three", had been in mothballs for four years."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml =/news/2007/12/04/wiran204.xml

[jno]

well, it may take a week or two to dawn on him...

[youngmafbog]

US and Israel propoganda ?? I seem to recall it was the President of Iran's ranting to flatten Israel that sparked alot of it. This coupled with much sabre rattling.

All these posts sound like a load of luvvies congratulating each other.

[ruby27]

Course he is stunned.
The dammed Iraqi's have cheated on the script.
Poor GWB can not be expected to take into account a different version from the one that he and his cronies had scripted. Why now they might have to consider home news a little more closely. I mean if someone is busy sabre rattling and even blade sharpening, they can hardly be expected to consider the domestic situation. He may now be forced to do so.