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Last update - 12:12 09/03/2009
Yossi Melman: Israel has failed in bid to halt Iran nuke program
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Iran, Israel News, Mossad 

The statements by Military Intelligence head, Major General Amos Yadlin, that Iran has crossed the "technological threshold" in its nuclear program, mean only one thing: Everything is now up to Tehran.

If it wants to, Iran can proceed and produce its first nuclear weapon, but if it doesn't want to, it will not do so. This conclusion means that Israel, through Mossad chief Meir Dagan, who declared it a national priority to foil Iran's nuclear program, has failed in its mission.

The "technological threshold" is a Military Intelligence term for an expression they thought was too deterministic: the point of no return.
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It means that Iran has the know-how, the resources and the equipment to make a nuclear weapon. But the MI chief's assessment is not necessarily based on sensitive, classified information. It was clearly written in the latest International Atomic Energy Agency report. Iran has 4000 active centrifuges. These produce the low-grade enrichment of more than a ton of uranium.

If Iran wants to, it has the resources and the equipment to enrich uranium to a weapons-grade level. Twenty-five kilograms of highly-enriched uranium is sufficient for a bomb.

The new U.S. administration has improved Tehran's position. The U.S. changed its approach after concluding that prior threats and sanctions had failed to have an effect. President Barack Obama intends to talk with the ayatollahs and to offer them a broad deal: a resolution in Iraq, a joint battle against the Taliban in Afghanistan, recognition of Iran's regional position and economic incentives.

In return, Washington hopes Iran will agree to cease uranium enrichment. The U.S. also hopes to rally Russian support for this policy, in return for not deploying an anti-ballistic missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

However the chances that these international efforts will convince Iran to step down from uranium enrichment are slim. Iran's aim, as the MI chief said Sunday, is to gain time to improve its technological capabilities.

The only chance of Iran not developing nuclear weapons is if Tehran decides on its own to stick to its current achievements.

One might call this a new version of the policy of ambiguity: You know we can do it, and if we want to, we will put together a bomb.


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      1.   And still not a skerrick of evidence.. 03:48  |  Damian Lataan 09/03/09
      2.   Now for realistic negotiations to protect Israel 03:55  |  pro-Israel pro-peace 09/03/09
      3.   Exactly so.... 04:03  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
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      5.   Mossad is the naked king, says MI chief Yadlin. 04:08  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/03/09
      6.   Stand Back 04:25  |  David K 09/03/09
      7.   This game was over when Iran learned how to enrich uranium 04:30  |  Aaron 09/03/09
      8.   You`re all wrong if you agree with this... 05:43  |  Spitzer 09/03/09
      9.   Totalitarian Russia, China in same boat? 05:44  |  Georges H Saab 09/03/09
      10.   Israel cannot save the rest of the world 06:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/09
      11.   Iran Nukes 06:11  |  Jasper 09/03/09
      12.   For David K # 3 06:12  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/03/09
      13.   Very lucid post by Aaron, # 4. Thanks. 06:15  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/03/09
      14.   For Johnboy # 1 06:18  |  Fortuna Benmayor 09/03/09
      15.   #6 06:22  |  Iamashamed 09/03/09
      16.   Only Russia has power to stop Iran nuke weapon development 06:31  |  Voice of Reason 09/03/09
      17.   Let`s welcome nuclear Iran. 07:07  |  LATIN LOVER. 09/03/09
      18.   Amateurish Bush Administration 07:16  |  John 09/03/09
      19.   world peace at risk 07:21  |  john 09/03/09
      20.   No more "red lines" to Clinton 07:23  |  Isadora 09/03/09
      21.   .. And the earth still exists 07:27  |  Iranian 09/03/09
      22.   Israel screwed up 07:32  |  Jon 09/03/09
      23.   You think its wrong because you don`t understand this, Spitzer 07:42  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      24.   #1 You astonish, pro-Israel pro-peace 08:00  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      25.   If it is Israel safety, forget it ! 08:26  |  Akram Zekaria 09/03/09
      26.   #13 You astonish, Fortuna 08:33  |  Johnboy 09/03/09
      27.   Peace is risky, war is riskier...... 08:40  |  Hanna 09/03/09
      28.   Fortuna Benmayor 08:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/09
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      32.   It`s pretty much over 09:09  |  An American 09/03/09
      33.   Paper Tiger Iran 09:20  |  Baruch Gold 09/03/09
      34.   Lieberman is Livni without the mask 09:34  |  Natallie Durson 09/03/09
      35.   #29, Durson 09:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/09
      36.   Israel has failed 09:57  |  Haris 09/03/09
      37.   #33, Baruch Gold 09:57  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/03/09
      38.   Peaceful Iran 10:07  |  Albrecht Klein 09/03/09
      39.   Spitzer is right Johnboy 10:09  |  Peter Williams 09/03/09
      40.   Even Obama understands Russia is the key player 10:23  |  Gil 09/03/09
      41.   Bad news for Baruch Gold # 33 10:23  |  Clickfool 09/03/09
      42.   What will you say then? 11:00  |  D 09/03/09
      43.   10-Cipora : Iran with the NUKE is more danger than the Talaban ! 11:02  |  Akram Zekaria 09/03/09
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      47.   Arief Contractor They could sort out the Shia/Sunni conflict 11:39  |  PETER SM 09/03/09
      48.   #33 Cipora You May Be Correct... 11:54  |  Baruch Gold 09/03/09
      49.   congratulations Mossad 12:02  |  Joey 09/03/09
      50.   #40 Click Fool Europe Fears Iran More than Israel Does 12:07  |  Baruch Gold 09/03/09
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      59.   Israel and Arab Countries must unite against threat! 15:00  |  Ahmad 09/03/09
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      64.   Israel has failed .. 17:08  |  Uetliberg 09/03/09
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      66.   johnnyboy,it does my heart good to see you two arab appeasers 17:29  |  i did name one 09/03/09
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      90.   #85."wake up". 07:59  |  LATIN LOVER. 10/03/09
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      92.   wake up now 19:05  |  ks 10/03/09
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