Posted by
Andrews on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 10:19:42 AM
So, the left is now crowing about how the latest NIE shows with a "high confidence" that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons and stopped in 2003.
Um, am I missing something?
First, the very same report says they are still purifying uranium. As I understand it, the uranium purification part is one of the biggest hurdles. So they haven't REALLY stopped pursuing weapons, they just stopped everything except the purification of uranium. In fact, if they are working on enriching uranium, they ARE doing work which can be applied to a weapon, so the report isn't entirely truthful.
Second, the NIE for 2005 said with "high confidence" that Iran WAS pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Same people (mostly), same report, same level of confidence. So, either they were wrong in 2005 or wrong now. Either way, why should we place much credence in this report? If they can make two absolutely contradictory statements, with the same level of confidence, within 2 years of each other, why should we believe them now?
I just don't get it.
Or rather, I do get it, but wish I didn't. It isn't that this report is more believable. It is that this report both vindicates America's enemies and makes Bush look bad. Thus, to the left and their MSM buddies, this report is much more believable because it is a good tool with which to beat on Bush.
It is kind of sad. It is as if Republicans in 1942 had started using Kasserine Pass as a campaign argument against Democrats.
UPDATE (12/7/2007)
Apparently, I am not the only one who noticed that the statement that Iran stopped pursuing weapons is kind of undercut by the "still pursuing enrichment of fuel" part. Not only has the IAEA (and what are reported as leaks from Israeli intelligence) said they are less confident than the US that Iran has stopped weapon development, but they have also pointed out what I did: The pursuit of enriched uranium IS about 75% of any weapons development program, or more. So, even if they stopped pursuing the rest of the bomb making technology, by pursuing uranium enrichment they are still effectively continuing with most of their nuclear weapons program.
Wow, who would have thought I EVER would have a kind word to say about Blix & co? Or that I would find myself in agreement with them?
What's next? The Democrats admitting the WMDs were probably hidden in the desert or shipped to Syria? A UN resolution supporting Israel?
Well, not holding my breath waiting for those two.