U.S. rethinks intelligence report on Iran nuclear program
In 2007, U.S. National Intelligence Estimate concluded that Iran halted drive to build atom bomb in 2003.
By Reuters Tags: Iran nuclear Israel newsU.S. spy agencies are considering whether to rewrite a controversial 2007 intelligence report that asserted Tehran halted its efforts to build nuclear weapons in 2003, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The possible reassessment comes as pressure is mounting from Congress and among U.S. allies for the Obama administration to redo the 2007 assessment, after last month's revelation of a second uranium enrichment plant in Iran.
German, French and British intelligence agencies have all disputed the conclusions of the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, in recent months, the Journal said, citing European officials briefed on the exchanges.
The report reversed earlier findings that Iran was pursuing a nuclear-weapons program. It found with "high confidence" that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, and with "moderate confidence" that it hadn't been restarted as of mid-2007.
So far, intelligence officials are not "ready to declare that invalid," a senior U.S. intelligence official told the Journal, emphasizing the judgment covered the 2003-2007 timeframe only. That leaves room for a reassessment of the period since the December 2007 report was completed, the official suggested.
The spy agencies "have a lot more information since we last did" a national intelligence estimate, the official said. Some of it "tracks precisely with what we've seen before," while other information "causes us to reassess what we've seen before," the official added.
U.S. intelligence officials have been discussing whether to update the 2007 report, though no decision has been made yet on whether to proceed, a senior U.S. intelligence official told the Journal.
If undertaken, a new NIE likely wouldn't be available for months, the Journal said. The United States and its allies have imposed an informal December deadline for Iran to comply with Western demands to cease enriching uranium or face fresh economic sanctions.
The 2007 U.S. intelligence estimate at the time dampened international support for further sanctions on Iran, which denies any plans for atomic weapons and says its uranium enrichment work is intended only for electricity production.
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Just the suspicion that Iraq had WMD's was sufficent for a pre-emptive strike It seems you forgot all about the First Iraq War, when Saddam attacked Kuwait, setting the oil wells on fire and raping the women for rexlation and that Saudi Arabia's oil fields were also in jeapordy BTW- Saddam also Scudded Israel for good measure It also comes to mind that Saddam poioned gassed his own villagers, an effort lead by Chehmical Ali, who was subsequently executed for the deed
The original report in 2007 is unsupportable and was deliberately leaked to do as much damage as possible w/o any possibility to respond by Bush's administration. One of the worst example's of politics against our country by our citizens that I've seen. My opinion is that it's now amended to do less damage to the report makers reputation
Foraging for food, water and listening for predators. Who had their heads up their orifices when that now famous CONSPIRACY THEORY arose about WMDs in Iraq??? Result: a lot of dead civilians, mostly women and children resulted. More refugees, billions upon billions of dollars wasted. Now the war mongers have another theory
Maybe it is time for an updated NIE. What does the Canadian NIE say, Glenn?
What the hell are we doing in this country. Either write the report and stay with it, or don't. If you think they are trying to get Nukes do something, if you don't stand back and watch them get it. This admin is in fantasy land right know, keep blaming Bush the excuses only last so long.
U.s. rethinks. It's more difficult to admit one's mistake,than to continue supporting a wrong premise. America can & should reassess Iran's sneaky Nuke policy. It's not only for her own health,but that of the world as well.
Those who speak diplomatese understand that this is a veiled threat to Iran that if they do not play ball, that the rhetoric against them will take a turn for worse. No real news. Move along.
It's OK now, the window has closed. No longer is it concievable that Israel would or that the U.S. could be pushed into an attack on Iran. Unless of course, dem Jews really are stark ravin mad.
A head in the sand is just that, and this one doesn't have much company down there...