Negroponte Warns Congress on Iran

U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte warned Congress on the danger of Iran’snuclear weapons program this morning.

National Intelligence Director John Negroponte told Congress on Thursday that Iran probably does not yet have nuclear weapons, nor has it obtained the material central to producing them. Still, Negroponte called Iran’s nuclear program a matter of “highest concern.” In prepared testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, he said that Iran and North Korea are both major threats to U.S. security. Negroponte raised the possibility that Iran “will acquire a North Korea weapon and the ability to integrate it with the ballistic missile Iran already possesses.”

Still, he put things in perspective:

Notwithstanding worries about Iran, “Al-Qaida remains our top concern,” Negroponte said in his prepared testimony.

Unfortunately, we can’t focus on one enemy at a time.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. G A PHILLIPS says:

    Is it not a good thing then that we have the aircraft carrier Iraq and the aircraft carrier Afghanistan siting right off Irans borders?

  2. Herb says:

    Negroponte neglected to tell the Intelligence Connittee that our nations biggest threat to our securty is “The Democrats” and their “bring the troops home” mentality.