The new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) says that Iran halted their nuclear weapons program in 2003 and has not resumed it. The NIE represents the consensus of the 16 intelligence agencies of the United States government. Of course, these same agencies were bullied and duped into presenting the 2002 NIE that justified the invasion of Iraq. So…they’re not flawless, and they could be wrong here, too.
This NIE will kill any effort by the Bush administration to lead us into war with Iran based on a nuclear threat. They are left with a ‘Gulf of Tonkin’ type of event. Joe Biden has thrown the word ‘impeachment’ around for the administration in the event that they attack Iran without congressional approval, and Sen. Jim Webb said much the same thing yesterday on Meet the Press.
All of this, of course, is making Joe Lieberman cry. But he’ll recover. Remember that war in Iraq? Yeah. If we hadn’t invaded Iraq and scared the crap out of everyone, Libya never would have turned over their non-existent WMD’s and Iran never would have suspended their pathetic little nuclear weapons program. So it was all worth it!!! Get it?
America wins again.
In other news, Dick Cheney is cursing those meddling kids (at the CIA, etc.) that have foiled him again. Wasn’t it enough when they got his go-fer convicted to prison?
Of course, we’re going to see the attacks on the CIA come fast and furious from this. After all, we can’t trust the CIA because they were so wrong on Iraq.
Wasn’t it enough when they got his go-fer convicted to prison?
It won’t be enough for me until he actually serves some time.
A success of the ‘Wildman President’ policy, no?
My guess is that the CIA analysts knew this back in 2004, but the prior NIE was fixed around the policy.
Somehow this administration doesn’t strike me as the type to let a few inconvenient facts stop them from trying to get what they want.
Call me crazy.
Good news indeed. I hope Larry is going to weigh in here.
Does this mean the Admin has lost control over the intelligence services?
Overdue.
Does this mean we can declare victory and come home now?
Especially since we’ve ground our military so far into the ground we have no choice in 2008 anyway? Ooops! Not supposed to comment on the nekked emperor…