The Obama Administration apparently believes that Iran is developing nuclear weapons:
Reporting from Washington — Little more than a year after U.S. spy agencies concluded that Iran had halted work on a nuclear weapon, the Obama administration has made it clear that it believes there is no question that Tehran is seeking the bomb.
In his news conference this week, President Obama went so far as to describe Iran’s “development of a nuclear weapon” before correcting himself to refer to its “pursuit” of weapons capability.
Obama’s nominee to serve as CIA director, Leon E. Panetta, left little doubt about his view last week when he testified on Capitol Hill. “From all the information I’ve seen,” Panetta said, “I think there is no question that they are seeking that capability.”
The language reflects the extent to which senior U.S. officials now discount a National Intelligence Estimate issued in November 2007 that was instrumental in derailing U.S. and European efforts to pressure Iran to shut down its nuclear program.
Hat tip: Tigerhawk
Let the rain of scorn begin!
The position I’ve staked out on this subject over at my place is that the preponderance of the evidence supports the belief that the Iranians are developing nuclear weapons and, if the Iranians aren’t developing nuclear weapons, the Iranian government certainly wants us (and the Iranian people) to believe that they are.
However, I don’t believe that it would be in the U. S. interests to engage in military action against Iran and, indeed, it would be more likely to harm our interests than it would to advance them. We need to negotiate with the Iranians there’s plenty of basis for negotiation. We have both areas of agreement and disagreement with the Iranian government.
See also my earlier post this morning on North Korean missile development.
