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ANALYSIS: Iran laughing at US lack of nuclear intelligence
Haaretz ^ | Dec. 4. 2007

Posted on 12/04/2007 6:42:19 AM PST by PRePublic

ANALYSIS: Iran laughing at US lack of nuclear intelligence

By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent

Tags: Adm. Mike McConnell

The noise that was heard last night in Tehran, according to credible reports, was a hearty Persian laugh after looking at the U.S. intelligence service's website. The unclassified document that Director of National Intelligence, Adm. Mike McConnell published, titled "Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities," as a laundered version that faithfully represents the greatest secrets collected by the CIA and the other U.S. intelligence services, can appropriately be called "much evaluation on no intelligence."

The document's eight pages, which include embarrassing instructions on how to differentiate between different yet related terms ("it is possible," "it may be so," "one must not remove from the equation," and "it's reasonable to assume"), enable the Ayatollas' nuclear and operations officials and the heads of the Revolutionary Guards to reach this soothing conclusion - from their point of view: The Americans have no understanding of what is really happening in Iran's nuclear program. They have no solid information, they have no high-level agents and they have nothing more than a mix of guesswork and chatter. The dissemblance and concealment have succeeded, and the real dispute is not between Washington and Tehran, but within the U.S. administration itself.

Only five weeks ago, McConnell announced that as a rule, he doesn?t believe in the release of such documents. He regretted the publication of the principles of the intelligence evaluation on Iraq. Advertisement

McConnel kept quiet on Monday. Donald Kerr, his deputy, was enlisted to explain why the Iran assessment followed in Iraq's footsteps.

(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iran; islamicnukes; nukes; us

1 posted on 12/04/2007 6:42:20 AM PST by PRePublic
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To: PRePublic

I wonder when the CIA will publish its latest report on Soviet antimissile capabilities?


2 posted on 12/04/2007 6:46:13 AM PST by claudiustg (You know it. I know it.)
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To: PRePublic
I am having hard time seeing the second part of the author’s conclusion that the NIE will likely result in a greater determination by Bush and Cheney to act against Iran.

At this stage of his term, the President seems to be in full legacy building mode and all of his efforts in Annapolis would disappear in a flash if he were to take any unilateral action in the face of this NIE along with the usual band of opponents.

3 posted on 12/04/2007 7:01:31 AM PST by Truth29
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To: claudiustg
When will we hear an official CIA report on the Iran Islamic Nukes, other than from a lone “agent” interview?
4 posted on 12/04/2007 7:05:03 AM PST by PRePublic (Islamic Hamas kidnapped Johnston & then "freed" him)
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To: Truth29

In other words, post Annapolis we shall expect more clarity...


5 posted on 12/04/2007 7:06:09 AM PST by PRePublic (Islamic Hamas kidnapped Johnston & then "freed" him)
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To: PRePublic

I would assume all the “death to Israel and death to America rhetoric and wipe off the face of the Earth is all about electricity generation?

Let’s see, the CIA was right about ... Iraq, Libya and nukes, Syria and nukes, and the crown jewel of Halfbright North Korea ... and now we are to believe they have it exactly right about Iran on nukes.

I think the CIA has an acute case of BDS and it likely caught it from dingy and Hillary Matters. The Iranians must be laughing as hard as al Qaeda did when “asleep at the switch” Clinton was President.

BTW, I wonder why Hillary Matters didn’t take credit for Waco?


6 posted on 12/04/2007 7:06:50 AM PST by Tarpon
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To: claudiustg

Amazing all that proof of a secret Iranian nuke program we were told existed apparently was backed up by nothing more than bad breath. Our country is so externally dependent for everything (information, oil, cash) its pathetic. Iran walks, anyone who backs military action based upon foreign intelligence deserves to be labeled a sucker.


7 posted on 12/04/2007 7:08:09 AM PST by Realism (Some believe that the facts-of-life are open to debate.....)
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To: PRePublic

” HA HA HA, WE laugh on you”


8 posted on 12/04/2007 7:19:08 AM PST by RetSignman (DEMSM: "If you tell a big enough lie, frequently enough, it becomes the truth")
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To: PRePublic
We make a squeaky noise and carry toothpick.
9 posted on 12/04/2007 7:24:12 AM PST by boomop1 (there you go again)
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To: Truth29

ABC news is running this story as if there is no doubt at all about Iran’s nuclear activities. They are using this report to undermine our ability to put pressure on Iran. They want it to look like the president is trying to trick us into fighting another war. It’s the same old propaganda from the traitors in the media.


10 posted on 12/04/2007 7:51:42 AM PST by peeps36 (OUTLAWED WORDS--INSURGENT,GLOBAL WARMING,UNDOCUMENTED WORKER,PALESTINIAN,TERMINATED PREGNANCY)
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To: PRePublic

They are laughing at us for sure. Why was it necessary to even publish this stupid thing? No one here could figure it would make us look the village idiot?....Oh well, your hard earned tax money at work.


11 posted on 12/04/2007 8:21:25 AM PST by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: PRePublic

BMFLR

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.

.

Why the smart money is on Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1926032/posts
Posted on 11/15/2007 3:43:17 AM PST by Kevmo


12 posted on 12/04/2007 11:30:46 AM PST by Kevmo (We should withdraw from Iraq — via Tehran. And Duncan Hunter is just the man to get that job done.)
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