New intelligence indicates Iran less of a nuclear threat
Bush administration not likely to sway until Iran ceases uranium enrichment
8:37 a.m. Tuesday, December 4, 2007
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Senior intelligence officials conclude in the latest intelligence report that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003. That statement is in sharp contrast to what President Bush said just six weeks ago.
"I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon," Bush said Oct. 17, 2007.
But 16 U.S. intelligence agencies have reached one conclusion: that Iran is now less determined to develop nuclear weapons, because of international pressure.
It's one more embarrassment in a region where the Bush administration's credibility already suffers.
"It just shows that there's been some consistency there because we had the same pattern with Iraq, in the sense the administration had its picture of what the picture was, and the intelligence just didn't seem to fit," said National Iranian American Council President Trita Parsi.
However, the White House says credibility isn't at a loss and that the president was told as recently as September that new information could be coming out, but was only recently informed that Iran halted its nuclear program. They call the report vindication of policies.
"We are succeeding and learning more about this program. And I think you have to recognize, we're going to continue to dig, continue to learn more and that's a good thing," said National Security Advisor Steven Hadley.
The report also concludes that Iran continues to enrich uranium that could be made into a bomb.
While some in Washington say the White House must now rethink its policy, the administration says that won't happen until Iran gives up its uranium enrichment program.
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