New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts Bush & Co.

A New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts the Bush Administration's view of Iran.

According to BBC

The unclassified version of a new National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, released on Monday, said that Iran was "less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005".

In May 2005, the intelligence community had said "with high confidence" that Iran was "determined" to build nuclear weapons.

The new NIE confirms that Iran did, indeed, have an illicit nuclear weapons programme.

But it says that programme ceased operating in 2003 and, as of mid-2007, had probably not started up again. The NIE asserts that the weapons programme was dropped because of international pressure.

I fully expect Bush & Co. to attempt to twist the facts and intimidate the intelligence community to provide manipulated information on Iran so that they can continue their tough stance. But this new information will complicate the pro-war advisors in the Bush administration.

I have always believed that if we reached 2008 that it would be less likely that the neo-conservatives would launch an attack on Iran, despite Cheney's promise that they would decide to attack before the next President enters office. This report makes an attack even less likely.

However, Hillary Clinton has indicated that she would carry on with the Bush Administrations threat of war with Iran if she became President. So with Clinton, there probably won't be much of a change in U.S. foreign policy towards Iran.