All bets are off?

[STEED]

Dose this mean there will be no war? Or is there a bigger picture that we have yet to see.


US report plays down Iran threat
Iran appears "less determined" to develop nuclear weapons than previously thought, US intelligence officials say.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7125701.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7125701.stm)

[MothBalls]

is there a bigger picture that we have yet to see.

The headline should read;

The US people appear "less determined" to invade Iran than previously thought, US intelligence officials finally concluded.

[waste gate]

Primary source:

http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20071203_release.pdf

[Letum]

is there a bigger picture that we have yet to see.
The headline should read;

The US people appear "less determined" to invade Iran than previously thought, US intelligence officials finally concluded.

Haha, I would be surprised if that didn't have some truth in it.

I wonder how much public intelligence reports are "sensitive to public opinion".

[Oberon]

is there a bigger picture that we have yet to see.

The headline should read;

The US people appear "less determined" to invade Iran than previously thought, US intelligence officials finally concluded.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[waste gate]

Who about this headline?

Bush will let the next President deal with Iran

[Iceman]

is there a bigger picture that we have yet to see.
The headline should read;

The US people appear "less determined" to invade Iran than previously thought, US intelligence officials finally concluded.

Haha, I would be surprised if that didn't have some truth in it.

I wonder how much public intelligence reports are "sensitive to public opinion".

Wasn't this discussed in the "Enemy Within" thread? lol

[waste gate]

What were the assesments from the US allies during the same period? I guess we'll never know will we?

[Lurchi]

Which Allies? :hmm:

Seems that the newly promised evening war reality-show is taken out of the program or is it only postponed due to lack of funding? :dead:

[waste gate]

Which Allies? :hmm:

Seems that the newly promised evening war reality-show is taken out of the program or is it only postponed due to lack of funding? :dead:

You know the axis of weasels. Example: Germany is Iran's largest trading partner.

[Chock]

I should imagine it's more a case of: 'Our analysts inform us that Iran appears more capable of shooting back at us than we initially imagined, and that's definitely a vote loser, so we'll shelve that idea, although we are still on the lookout for a suitable enemy armed with nothing more sophisticated than pointed sticks, but with large oil reserves - once we find somewhere that fits both these criteria, we'll be in business' :rotfl:

:D Chock

[Jimbuna]

I should imagine it's more a case of: 'Our analysts inform us that Iran appears more capable of shooting back at us than we initially imagined, and that's definitely a vote loser, so we'll shelve that idea, although we are still on the lookout for a suitable enemy armed with nothing more sophisticated than pointed sticks, but with large oil reserves - once we find somewhere that fits both these criteria, we'll be in business' :rotfl:

:D Chock

Shame on you....but I like it :rotfl:

[TteFAboB]

How can you be sure the other guy appears no longer to desire a nuclear weapon just so he can continue to build it without a spot-light in his face?

[Skybird]

As I said throughout the past 18 months: if you want them make to stop by military force, you will need nukes to really shut down any existing program with it's key componentns hidden deep inside mountains, and the surface. And if you want to use nukes, you need undoubtable evidence and proof in advance, not after the war.

So either they see no chance to get the public behind using nukes, or they have no real substantial evidence to legitimate that option, or both. I think the last is the valid option, since even if there would be solid evidence confirmed by non-american sources - the western public and the american public still would not forgive the first-use of nukes.

However, the situation is far from harmless, and I personally think Iran seeks nukes indeed. It's the only reasonable and realistic option for them, politicially, and I even must not go into any ideological discussions for concluding that.

[Tchocky]

If you want to keep Iran from having nuclear weapons, we must attack Iran with nuclear weapons.
Because only with nuclear weapons can we halt the evil spread of nuclear weapons. Nothing kills the desire for nuclear weapons like being attacked with them.
Of course, if we can't see any building project, then it must be hidden inside a mountain. Nuke the mountains.
Who said politics isn't funny?

Waste gate - China and Japan are Iran's largest export & investment partners.

[TteFAboB]

Then intelligence and espionage become the second best option. Let them build their single warhead/device, track it and strike while it's vulnerable in transit.

[Tchocky]

At least peole are noticing this and taking action.....

OK, but now that he knows, the president is going to ratchet down the rhetoric, right? Wrong. "I have said Iran is dangerous," Bush said. "The NIE doesn't do anything to change my opinion."

[August]

As I said throughout the past 18 months: if you want them make to stop by military force, you will need nukes to really shut down any existing program with it's key componentns hidden deep inside mountains, and the surface.

And what makes you such an expert?

[Tchocky]

As I said throughout the past 18 months: if you want them make to stop by military force, you will need nukes to really shut down any existing program with it's key componentns hidden deep inside mountains, and the surface.
And what makes you such an expert?
The same thing that makes me an expert. And you. And my favourite user, spacer_101.

[Lurchi]

You know the axis of weasels. Example: Germany is Iran's largest trading partner.
A weasel? Oh - but a soon-to-be very rich one, yes?

Maybe this weasel - together with other weasels - isn't too much fond of being called a weasel by its so-called "ally" and decides to become bold by selling some more stuff? Imagine the advertising effect of a german-built submarine sinking ...

At least Iran would pay much better than Israel :rotfl:

[Tchocky]

For God's sake don't click here (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGIH_enUS215US215&q=how+to+build+an+atomic+bomb). If you do, then I'm afraid that military action is not off the table (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071204/pl_afp/usirannuclearbush_071204153738)

Btw, does this rigmarole make the US the ones lying to the world for the last year (http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/11/27/061127fa_fact?printable=true)?

The Administration’s planning for a military attack on Iran was made far more complicated earlier this fall by a highly classified draft assessment by the C.I.A. challenging the White House’s assumptions about how close Iran might be to building a nuclear bomb. The C.I.A. found no conclusive evidence, as yet, of a secret Iranian nuclear-weapons program running parallel to the civilian operations that Iran has declared to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
That's from 06, by the by. I'm an expert in all fields Iranian and nuclear, don't you know.

[Letum]

For God's sake don't click here (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGIH_enUS215US215&q=how+to+build+an+atomic+bomb).

The product reviews make it fo me. (http://www.amazon.com/Uranium-Ore/dp/B000796XXM)