[Peace-discuss] Another peace scare…

[C. G. Estabrook]

I think the NIE makes more sense if it's understood not as a sudden
discovery of the state of things in Iran but rather as a matter of
internal US politics: the complex faction-fight that is the US
government came to a consensus that the attempt by the Cheneyites to get
an Iran war going was not on.  --CGE


Morton K. Brussel wrote:
> Bill Blum's monthly summary of recent events, plus…
> 
> ZNet Commentary The Anti-Empire Report January 03, 2008 By Bill Blum
> 
> Another peace scare. Boy, that was close. The US intelligence 
> community's new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) -- "Iran:
> Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities" -- makes a point of saying up
> front (in bold type): "This NIE does not (italics in original) assume
> that Iran intends to acquire nuclear weapons." The report goes on to
> state: "We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran
> halted its nuclear weapons program ."
> 
> Isn't that good news, that Iran isn't about to attack the United
> States or Israel with nuclear weapons? Surely everyone is thrilled
> that the horror and suffering that such an attack -- not to mention
> an American or Israeli retaliation or pre-emptive attack -- would
> bring to this sad old world. Here are some of the happy reactions
> from American leaders:
> 
> Senate Republicans are planning to call for a congressional
> commission to investigate the NIE's conclusion that Iran discontinued
> its nuclear weapons program in 2003.[1] ... etc.