Did Iran Halt Their Nuclear Weapons Program?
Based on the links found at Memeorandum to this NYT’s article, this is the story of the moment. The New York Times looks to be inputing their own hopes into the article and trying to get a dif in at The POTUS. According to the Times, Iran ended the program in 2003.
After reading the article and reading the declassified NIE report, I don’t see where one could come away feeling good about our intelligence gathering abilities. I also don’t see how a newspaper can claim the the program ended:
From the NIE:
• We assess with high confidence that until fall 2003, Iranian military entities were working under government direction to develop nuclear weapons.
• We judge with high confidence that the halt lasted at least several years. (Because of intelligence gaps discussed elsewhere in this Estimate, however, DOE and the NIC assess with only moderate confidence that the halt to those activities represents a halt to Iran’s entire nuclear weapons program.)
• We assess with moderate confidence Tehran had not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007, but we do not know whether it currently intends to develop nuclear weapons.
• We continue to assess with moderate-to-high confidence that Iran does not currently have a nuclear weapon.
• Tehran’s decision to halt its nuclear weapons program suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005. Our assessment that the program probably was halted primarily in response to international pressure suggests Iran may be more vulnerable to influence on the issue than we judged previously.
Please take the time to read Ed Morrissey and AJ Strata for their assessments of the situation. They are well written and well worth your time.
Others blogging:
NIE Report: Iran Halted Nuclear Weapons Project Years Ago:
NIE: Iran halted its nuke program in 2003 Updates
NIE Report: Iran Has Shelved Nuke Program
December 3, 2007 - 06:12 PM on December 3rd, 2007
Why should we believe that Iran EVER had a nuclear weapons program at all?
From IranAffairs.com:
December 3, 2007 - 07:07 PM on December 3rd, 2007
The “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” to the US, NYTimes is at it again. When are people going to kick any and all employees and owners of the NYT in the crotch on sight?
December 3, 2007 - 07:49 PM on December 3rd, 2007
Pathetic and sad. The NYT was once a great newspaper, now it has been run into the ground. There are only three reasons to buy the NYT:
1. You are an addled Liberal who needs validation for your psychotic BHDS notions.
2. You need lots of fish wrapper, bird cage liner, or fire starting material.
3. Toilet paper, if your old Sears catalog is used up.