[AnotherUnixGeek]

one fact is often overlooked: U.S. intelligence agencies don't believe Iran is actively trying to build an atomic bomb.

These would be the same US intelligence agencies that didn't believe that the Soviet Union would ever collapse, had no inkling of the 9/11 attacks, thought Saddam was about to go nuclear and took a decade to notice that Osama bin Laden was sitting around watching porn right next to Pakistan's main military academy.

And now they don't think Iran is trying to build an atomic bomb. Somehow I'm not reassured.

[tet68]

Yes, these are the same agencies that were surprised
when Pakistan detonated their first bomb.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Then why are we joining all these other countries in imposing sanctions on Iran? You can’t have it both ways!

[okie01]

These would be the same US intelligence agencies that didn't believe that the Soviet Union would ever collapse, had no inkling of the 9/11 attacks, thought Saddam was about to go nuclear and took a decade to notice that Osama bin Laden was sitting around watching porn right next to Pakistan's main military academy.

And now they don't think Iran is trying to build an atomic bomb. Somehow I'm not reassured.

Understand where this first came from.

Recall the civil war the CIA was conducting on the Bush administration? Remember Valerie Plame, e.g.?

Bush had strongly claimed that we would not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. In 2007, the situation was getting dicey...Iran appeared to be making serious progress...and the Israelis were getting nervous. It seemed there was a very real risk that Bush would be forced to make good on his threat.

And, then, immediately in advance of a visit to the White House by the Israeli PM, the CIA produced a new National Intelligence Estimate.

This was the NIE that first made the claim that Iran was no longer working on a weapon...and had actually dropped the idea in 2003. It pulled the rug right out from under Bush...and Israel. And the contents were leaked to the New York Times -- so that everybody knew there was no longer any basis for attacking Iran. The NIE was composed with this outcome in mind -- the CIA thus assuming effective control of foreign policy.

Who knows what is really going on at Isfahan and Natanz? The Israelis doubtless have a far better idea than the CIA. But having propounded the lie, they now seek to maintain it.

[BerryDingle]

and took a decade to notice that Osama bin Laden was sitting around watching porn right next to Pakistan's main military academy.

LOL
So true!