Is the Iran NIE a Trojan Horse?

[babylonsister]

Is the Iran NIE a Trojan Horse?
by Russ Wellen | Dec 5 2007


The Iran NIE has elicited a range of emotions in those opposed to the Bush administration's policies from gloating to discreet celebration. In the minds of many, it's like V-Day: Let the church bells peal, kiss a girl in Times Square. Others, particularly Iranian commentators located in the US, are considerably less sanguine.

They fear, as Farideh Farhi writes at Juan Cole's spin-off, Informed Comment: Global Affairs, that the NIE can "easily become an instrument in support of the Bush Administration's current policy."

In fact, according to Kaveh Afrasiabi at Asia Times Online, "The temporary freeze on the military option the new intelligence report has nested within it its exact opposite." In other words, a Trojan horse.

Even though, he maintains, the nuclear programs that Iran halted in 2004-2005 were not weapons, the NIE and the administration painted them as such. If a follow-up report were to indicate that Iran planned to resurrect said weapons program, that would provide "ample justification for Washington's planned 'pre-emptive strikes' on Iran, not to mention added sanctions."

Thus leaving "the pendulum capable of swinging in wildly different directions almost at will."

Meanwhile, at CASMII (Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Action Against Iran), Daniel Pourkesali writes, "Forgive this writer for being a spoiler." But he too finds that the resurrection theme is like a ticking time bomb embedded in the NIE.

more...

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/11406

[robinlynne]

1. I find that, at least at face value, ridiculous!

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. Never underestimate the WH ability to spin.

I have seen commentaries saying that the fact that Iran has stopped its nuclear programs is a clear indication that they (scary music) HAD nuclear programs, just as the visionaries in the WH said all along. And short of killing off the scientists who previously ran the programs, there is no impediment to them starting again as soon as the heat is off.

Besides, the NIE was WRONG about Iraq, so why should we believe they are RIGHT this time?

I fear this is just a bump in the road for the war hawks. They will spin this till we are all dizzy, then go ahead with what they have planned.