America's Iranian self-deception

AEI/WSJ ^ | February 27, 2012 | Frederick W. Kagan, Maseh Zarif

[nuconvert]

Americans are being played for fools by Iran—and fooling themselves. There is no case to be made that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapons capability. There is no evidence that Iran's decision-makers are willing to stop the nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions or anything else. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on Friday that it has made no progress in its negotiations with Iran and that Iran continues to accelerate its enrichment operations, which are in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and agreements with the IAEA.

Yet the policy discussion in the U.S. is confused. Former Ambassador Dennis Ross writes that the Iranians are ready for talks. Anonymous administration officials refer to one of the most dangerous Iranian nuclear installations, Fordow, outside the city of Qom, as "a Potemkin facility." The media are full of comparisons to Iraq in 2003, when suspicions that Iraq was pursuing a covert nuclear program led to war.

People are conflating intelligence assessment with policy recommendation. The prospect of war with Iran is so distasteful that people are desperate to persuade themselves that the problem is not serious.

[bobby.223]

It never ends huh? Damn, time to 4x4 down the mountains into town for some chow.

[bobby.223]

It never ends huh? Damn, time to 4x4 down the mountains into town for some chow.

[nuconvert]

pong

[nuconvert]

See here for reply to anonymous administration officials “Potemkin facility” statement -

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2851930/posts

[Mr. Jeeves]

It's actually very simple: This America can't win a war against Iran, no matter what is at stake. With a different CiC and MSM things might be otherwise. But any war started now will be a half-hearted attempt to boost Obama's poll numbers, with strict rules of engagement that will kill a lot of our soldiers. For nothing.

[himno hero]

What is needed is tactical nukes for the encased sites for a surgical strike and then a couple of regulars to prove a point with zero American on the ground troop involvement.

That will not happen as long as Obama is in the White House. He will never bomb his brethren, matter of fact, he will side with them. Trust that every move of his is with that in mind.

In the meanwhile the problem grows and Obama is putting more of America and Europe at risk, let alone Israel. But then again, he coesnt care about Israel, Europe or America.

Judge that by looking at his proxies in the “Arab Spring”

[GOPJ]

...any war started now will be a half-hearted attempt to boost Obama's poll numbers, with strict rules of engagement that will kill a lot of our soldiers. For nothing.

Best leave this mess up to Israel...