December 7, 2007
Did Iran's Nuclear-Weapons Program Ever Exist?
The headlines this week have been full of the release of the new National Intelligence Estimate, which concludes that Iran halted its nuclear-weapons program in 2003 and that the program remains frozen. Most of the chatter has focused on the apparent gap between the Bush administration's alarming rhetoric -- "If you are interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you should be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon" -- and the more benign assessment of Iranian actions in the new NIE.
But according to William O. Beeman, a professor of anthropology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and author of The Great Satan vs. the Mad Mullahs: How the United States and Iran Demonize Each Other, the NIE does not present even "a scintilla of evidence" that the Iranian nuclear-weapons program was ever an established fact. And Beeman sees no reason to believe that it was, stating unequivocally that "Iran has never had a proven nuclear-weapons program. Ever."
Instead, he tracks the hype surrounding Iran's nuclear intentions to the machinations of an Iranian exile group that has convinced a number of American lawmakers and think tankers to champion their cause of regime change in Tehran.
"It is now clear that the Bush administration’s campaign to convince the world of the danger of Iran’s purported imminent nuclear weapons was a sham," Beeman writes on the blog Tabsir. "The campaign was one in a series of public pretexts to effect regime change in the Islamic Republic. No amount of equivocation or bluster about Iran’s 'continuing' danger can mask the fact that American credibility on this issue has been irrevocably damaged."
Evan Goldstein | Posted on Friday December 7, 2007 | PermalinkComments
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Having the peaceful nuclear energy hence having the knowledge of building the bomb takes away the importance of possession and helps the destruction of such weapons.
http://irangardi.spaces.live.com/
— Alan Mirs Dec 7, 10:28 AM #
Now that Iran is off the hook, Bush is free to go after Israel´s nukes. Ha, ha, ha.
— Gera Rosy Dec 7, 03:05 PM #
If Iran has no intentions of developing weapons, why are they insistent (and defiant) about enriching uranium?
— Vincent Gaitley Dec 7, 03:18 PM #
Who knows the truth anymore about the Middle East? Saudi Arabia and Pakistan attack us on 9/11 and we declare them allies. Meanwhile we invade a secular country that had nothing to do with it and turn it into a Shiite theocracy like its next door neighbor who we now say is building an atom bomb, but not really. This is what happens when you elect a really dumb president who appoints a bunch of rich, lazy, country club Republicans.
— marci Dec 7, 03:39 PM #
“American credibility on this issue has been irrevocably damaged.”
Unfortunately, there’s been a lot of that going around lately.
— Tracy G. Dec 7, 04:13 PM #
Don’t forget the Iranian Inconvenient Truth: The Iranian nuclear program got started thanks to the United States. Check out this very informative timeline (not fact checked but most of the dates ring true based on my memory of some of them):
http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/work/middle_east/iranchronology.php
Highlights:
1957 The United States and Iran sign a civil nuclear co-operation agreement as part of the US Atoms for Peace program
June 1974 The Shah says that Iran will have nuclear weapons, “without a doubt and sooner than one would think.” (“The Shah Meets the Press,” Kayhan International)
— John Dec 10, 06:19 AM #
“It is now clear…”? That’s his conclusion? With such little evidence? There are no other explanations for this? Sounds familiar.
— Ken Dec 11, 11:54 PM #